Three Communication Strategies for the Presidential Transition

As the 2016 presidential election draws near, both major candidates will detail plans for how their administration will prepare for its role throughout government, should they win.

Concurrently, departments and agencies should be doing the very same thing. An administrative changeover means more than a few political appointees will be leaving their seats so that new people can come in and join their ranks.

Add in the fact that a significant number of senior executives are eligible to retire but are undecided  about their decisions, and you’ve got the possibility of a less cohesive transition than ideal. When senior leaders retire, they will leave experience and skills gaps in the wake, presenting challenges to newer, less experienced employees.

Government Executive spoke with Jack Maykoski, President and CEO of Graduate School USA, a private non-profit dedicated to the training and professional development of the federal workforce.

“In a time of transition, communication from all sides will be absolutely essential,” says Maykoski.

When agency officials are communicating with the transition team of the incoming administration—a process that will start nearly as soon as polls close on November 8—they should keep the following principles in mind to ensure success:

Transparency

First and foremost, career federal employees retaining their positions should prepare to be as honest and open as they can possibly be with incoming appointees. According to Maykoski, senior staff are already preparing briefing material and presentations, as there will be transition teams on site shortly after the election. “It is very critical that such material be candid, complete, and avoid “guessing” as to what the “political” calls will be with the new administration. The majority of ongoing issues is based on existing law and regulations as well as internal agency makeup,” Maykoski states.

“Most importantly, be open to the incoming administration’s agenda and goals,” he continued. “If administrative political appointees and career civil servants can come together and make sure they have a mutual understanding of goals, they will be able to better support each other.”

Tact and diplomacy will be key in these interactions, he says.

Training and talent

As members of senior leadership begin to retire, the federal employees who were previously their juniors will start to move up the ladder. To do so in a way that benefits the agency mission and the workforce tasked with meeting that mission, current leaders should prioritize training and professional development at all levels.

Career employees will need to keep an eye on the skills gap at all times. With a new cadre of leaders coming in, current staff will need to communicate the areas that are most in need of assistance.

“Share with the transition team and the new appointees how your agency engages with its employees,” Maykoski says. “The best places to work are the ones with the best engagement plans.”

Appointed leadership will then be able to successfully interact with current career staff as well as new hires in a manner consistent with the agency’s standards.

Maykoski states, “No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, there will be a federal government, and it might as well be a highly motivated, well trained and well equipped workforce.

Top-down teamwork

Politics aside, career federal employees and political appointees must meet each other somewhere in the middle—at the mission—to ensure both the transition and everything that follows runs smoothly.

Because political appointees will come from a variety of backgrounds, it’s incumbent on career civil servants to bring anyone up to speed who needs critical information. Current employees should help members of the new administration understand how the agency operates, identify other key players and build networks between agencies.

“You can’t be out there by yourself,” Maykoski says. “When you’re going through presidential transitions, creating an environment where political and career leaders are positively engaged with each other is crucial for long-term success.”

About Graduate School USA

Graduate School USA provides a stimulating environment for a community of learners who value networking and sharing experiences, while developing the skills and knowledge that will help them improve agency productivity, as well as enhance their careers. Committed to supporting our clients with practical, real-life applications that assist them in doing their jobs, we deliver the training solutions that only a valued partner with 95 years of federal government experience can provide.

This content is made possible by our sponsor. The editorial staff of Government Executive was not involved in its preparation.