The Senate Finance Committee hearing on the nomination of Martin O'Malley to become the Commissioner of Social Security is scheduled for 10:00 Eastern today. You can watch it online.
Based on his testimony today, I wouldn’t expect anything to change. Apparently his plan is to institute a reward system for high performance (that he’ll have no monetary authority for), then look at what the top .01% of performers are accomplishing and use that as the new expectation for all staff. So, expect more unattainable benchmarks that can’t be met without engaging in fraud or doing s***ty work.
Oh well. At least SSA has no room to fall further in the annual rankings.
I completely disagree with 4:41. O'Malley has a proven track record of success in managing city and state government. He is not going to focus on top performers, he is going to focus on process improvement. His "every two week" meeting cadence reviewing metrics based on hard data will make a difference. He is going to move away from stove piping and move towards transparency.
His entire focus will be on customer service based on concrete measures. I found his testimony and the comments from the senators who know his track record very encouraging.
The agency has spent the past ten years measuring everything to death and staring at “data” more than most statisticians do in their entire lifetimes. And what do we have to show for it? A flaming s***-pit that loses staff to freaking McDonald’s because its such an insufferable place to work.
In my mind, the hallmark of good government leadership is leaving a place in a better state, than when you first found it. Much of that success is dependent on the folks you choose to help you guide the organization. O'Malley did both good and bad, first as Mayor, then as Governor. While I like his personality, the record reflects that as Mayor and Governor, he tended to choose short-term visible wins, and sometimes gimmicks, over longer-term less visible options. O'Malley also preferred the advice and guidance of immediate subordinates who were always in strong agreement with his philosophy of government.
Evidence is ample. In 2015, PBS News Weekend published an article on O'Malley's record as Mayor, and zero tolerance policy on law enforcement. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/baltimore-unrest-raises-questions-omalleys-record-mayor
On breaking Union promises and pensions: https://thedailyrecord.com/2014/02/26/officials-to-testify-on-proposed-budget-gap-fix/
On managing: https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/md-politics/for-gov-omalley-md-jail-scandal-caps-years-of-trouble-with-baltimore-facility/2013/06/05/c8985da4-cde5-11e2-8845-d970ccb04497_story.html
Finally, there are the voters of Maryland, a solidly Democratic state. There may be a reason that after O'Malley's term - they chose a Republican (Larry Hogan) to lead.
Based on his testimony today, I wouldn’t expect anything to change. Apparently his plan is to institute a reward system for high performance (that he’ll have no monetary authority for), then look at what the top .01% of performers are accomplishing and use that as the new expectation for all staff. So, expect more unattainable benchmarks that can’t be met without engaging in fraud or doing s***ty work.
ReplyDeleteOh well. At least SSA has no room to fall further in the annual rankings.
I completely disagree with 4:41. O'Malley has a proven track record of success in managing city and state government. He is not going to focus on top performers, he is going to focus on process improvement. His "every two week" meeting cadence reviewing metrics based on hard data will make a difference. He is going to move away from stove piping and move towards transparency.
ReplyDeleteHis entire focus will be on customer service based on concrete measures. I found his testimony and the comments from the senators who know his track record very encouraging.
The agency has spent the past ten years measuring everything to death and staring at “data” more than most statisticians do in their entire lifetimes. And what do we have to show for it? A flaming s***-pit that loses staff to freaking McDonald’s because its such an insufferable place to work.
DeleteIn my mind, the hallmark of good government leadership is leaving a place in a better state, than when you first found it. Much of that success is dependent on the folks you choose to help you guide the organization. O'Malley did both good and bad, first as Mayor, then as Governor. While I like his personality, the record reflects that as Mayor and Governor, he tended to choose short-term visible wins, and sometimes gimmicks, over longer-term less visible options. O'Malley also preferred the advice and guidance of immediate subordinates who were always in strong agreement with his philosophy of government.
ReplyDeleteEvidence is ample. In 2015, PBS News Weekend published an article on O'Malley's record as Mayor, and zero tolerance policy on law enforcement.
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/baltimore-unrest-raises-questions-omalleys-record-mayor
On breaking Union promises and pensions:
https://thedailyrecord.com/2014/02/26/officials-to-testify-on-proposed-budget-gap-fix/
https://marylandreporter.com/2014/01/17/unions-pension-board-unhappy-omalley-cut-100m-in-promised-payment-to-retirement-fund/
On managing:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/md-politics/for-gov-omalley-md-jail-scandal-caps-years-of-trouble-with-baltimore-facility/2013/06/05/c8985da4-cde5-11e2-8845-d970ccb04497_story.html
Finally, there are the voters of Maryland, a solidly Democratic state. There may be a reason that after O'Malley's term - they chose a Republican (Larry Hogan) to lead.
Warren gets heated around the 30 minute mark about Kouzoukas again. Worth a watch.
ReplyDelete