The Transformation of the Government Accountability Office: Using Human Capital to Drive Change

The authors present an honest description of the transformation of the GAO. The report openly discusses challenges faced and overcome, mistakes made, and lessons learned. It challenges the reader to think broadly about human capital management as a driver for organizational transformation and what it can mean for the public sector as a whole. Like the Government Accountability Office, other public and private organizations have also successfully used human capital management to transform their organizations. Three keys appear to be essential to such transformation. First, transformation cannot occur in a vacuum, but rather thrives in an environment of trust, transparency, and accountability. Second, it is imperative to pay attention to leader development as part of the transformation efforts. As the GAO story points out, first-line managers have a key role in a transformation. It cannot be assumed, however, that these managers possess the skills necessary to ensure success. Finally, open and honest communication across organizational levels is essential. Human Capital ManagementOrganizational Transformation