Lessons from Past Presidential Transitions: Organization, Management, and Decision Making

Abstract

In addition to careful and early consideration of the key positions on the White House staff and other appointments, transitions are also a time when presidents‐to‐be and their advisers need to think about how the pieces fit together into a larger whole. Part of that effort involves crafting the decision‐making processes and the various channels of information and advice that, once in office, presidents will need to use in making policy choices. Another piece entails the marketing and selling of those policy proposals to the public and Congress and otherwise bringing them to successful fruition. Still another are the management task that are associated with policy making and implementation. How are the skills and talents of a diverse range of actors successfully brought together and coordinated? How is a sense of teamwork and commitment instilled and conflict and tension avoided?