Public Service:
The Chance to Remake Our World
GAO-12-787CG: Published: May 20, 2012. Publicly Released: May 23, 2012.
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This speech was given by the Comptroller General before the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia May 20, 2012. GAOs strategic plan for serving the Congress and the country highlights key trends affecting the United States and its place in the world. These include:
evolving security threats;
urgent fiscal sustainability and debt challenges;
economic recovery and restored job growth;
changing dynamics of global interdependence and shifts in power;
advances in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics;
increasing impacts of networks and virtualization;
shifting roles in government and governance; and
demographic and societal changes confronting the young and old.
More than ever, a broad strategic approach is essential to governing well. But even with a strategic vision, there are in my view five factors to turn any vision into reality. Those factors are perspective, persistence, preparation, people, and participation. Economics, trade, politics, information flows, public health, and many other human activities are now linked as never before. The recent financial crisis vividly illustrated the extent to which economics, trade, and information flows have become inextricably linked.
Additionally, given the global interconnectivities of financial markets and institutions, national reforms and international cooperation are both pivotal to addressing the underlying issues that contributed to the recent turmoil. Major reforms are underway in the United States, and GAO has a major role to play in evaluating their progress.
Another factor thats essential to achieving a strategic vision is persistence, or sustained long-term effort. My experience has been that progress in government often needs to be attained through incremental change. With some persistence and a willingness to work with others, a series of small steps can lead to real and lasting change and pay off in a big way.
GAOs high-risk list is a case in point. With the start of each new Congress, GAO issues a report on federal areas vulnerable to waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement or needing broad-based transformation. Our latest list presents 30 areas ripe for reform from the Interior Departments management of oil and gas leases to the Pentagons acquisition of weapon systems.
Jan 12, 2021
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DHS Employee Morale:
Some Improvements Made, but Additional Actions Needed to Strengthen Employee EngagementGAO-21-204: Published: Jan 12, 2021. Publicly Released: Jan 12, 2021.
Sep 16, 2020
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Senior Executive Service:
Opportunities for Selected Agencies to Improve Their Career Reassignment ProcessesGAO-20-559: Published: Sep 16, 2020. Publicly Released: Sep 16, 2020.
Feb 25, 2020
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State Department:
Additional Steps Are Needed to Identify Potential Barriers to DiversityGAO-20-237: Published: Jan 27, 2020. Publicly Released: Feb 25, 2020.
Dec 30, 2019
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Office of Congressional Workplace Rights:
Using Key Management Practices Would Help to Fully Implement Statutory RequirementsGAO-20-222: Published: Dec 30, 2019. Publicly Released: Dec 30, 2019.
Oct 10, 2019
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Department of Veterans Affairs:
Improved Succession Planning Would Help Address Long-Standing Workforce ProblemsGAO-20-15: Published: Oct 10, 2019. Publicly Released: Oct 10, 2019.
Oct 2, 2019
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Defense Workforce:
Steps Needed to Identify Acquisition Training Needs for Non-Acquisition Personnel [Reissued with revisions on Oct. 2, 2019.]GAO-19-556: Published: Sep 5, 2019. Publicly Released: Sep 5, 2019.
Sep 25, 2019
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Federal Workforce:
Talent Management Strategies to Help Agencies Better Compete in a Tight Labor MarketGAO-19-723T: Published: Sep 25, 2019. Publicly Released: Sep 25, 2019.
Sep 11, 2019
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USAID Reform:
Efforts Address Most Key Practices but Could Improve in Performance Assessment and Strategic Workforce PlanningGAO-19-609: Published: Sep 11, 2019. Publicly Released: Sep 11, 2019.
Aug 15, 2019
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Defense Acquisition Workforce:
DOD Increased Use of Human Capital Flexibilities but Could Improve MonitoringGAO-19-509: Published: Aug 15, 2019. Publicly Released: Aug 15, 2019.
Jul 30, 2019
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Human Capital:
Improving Federal Recruiting and Hiring EffortsGAO-19-696T: Published: Jul 30, 2019. Publicly Released: Jul 30, 2019.
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