WHTT Vertical Oversight and Review Board
Government bureaucracy has many obvious problems such as inefficiency and some incompetence throughout its organization, from the bottom levels to the very top. There have been many efforts to improve the performance of government, but the primary business of government is politics. Efficiency is not a highly prized commodity in the political arena. The fundamental problem with attempting to improve the efficiency and competence at any level of government is that there is no sense of personal responsibility for failing to perform government work at a very high standard. The top levels of government are political appointees with an expected tenure of only a few years. The middle and lower levels of government are staffed with people who have the impression that they can be disciplined only for grossly illegal actions such as theft. Inefficiency and incompetence may slow the rate of government workers' promotions, but none feel that their careers are in any danger.
In the business world, worker and management efficiency and competence is assured by the free market system. Any business which is not properly operated must overcharge for its products and services, and cannot compete with well run businesses. Unfortunately, government business is a monopoly which has no competition to force efficiency of operation. Instead of competition, there must be a different mechanism to force government workers and managers to perform their duties efficiently and competently.
Establishment of a Vertical Oversight Review Board (VORB) would provide the mechanism to improve the quality of government work. The mission of the VORB would be to conduct a detailed examination of the quality of work performed by specific individuals. Each individual to be investigated would be determined either by random selection or by complaints or commendations filed by the public or by other government employees. The VORB would then investigate the work of that employee based on the criteria of honesty, efficiency, and competence. If appropriate, the first phase of the investigation might be accomplished covertly to capture a true picture of how that employee works when not under the stress of a VORB audit. Subsequent phases of a VORB investigation would include comprehensive question sessions with the individual's staff, coworkers, manager, other work contacts, and finally with the individual being audited.
If any evidence of illegal activity was observed, then that evidence would be turned over to either the Justice Department or to the Inspector General for possible prosecution. The Inspector General is tasked with investigating allegations of waste, fraud, and abuse in the government. That mission is substantially different from the VORB's focus on efficiency and competence by individual workers and managers. Conversely, if the government worker under investigation was found to be performing at an exceptionally high standard of efficiency and competence, then a commendation of superior performance would be entered into that employee's record. Such a commendation would substantially improve the employee's chances for merit pay increases and for subsequent promotion.
If gross inefficiency or incompetence were observed, however, the VORB would issue a letter of censure to the offending employee, and would expand its focus to a full investigation of the employee's manager. A letter of censure would reduce the employee's chances for promotion or pay increases, and would increase the employee's risk of being selected out when a government reduction in force was required. If the manager was also found to be derelict in work responsibilities or in managerial duties, then that manager would also be issued a letter of censure and the investigation would proceed up the ladder of managerial responsibility.
The Vertical Oversight Review Board would more than justify its existence by discovering illegal behavior and by censuring inefficient or incompetent employees. However, its greatest impact would be on every level of government management. Just the risk of a possible VORB audit would "encourage" all managers to improve the efficiency and intensity with which they scrutinize their employees. This increased application of management responsibility would substantially improve the overall efficiency and quality of government work.
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