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Your guide to what the 2024 US election means for Washington and the world

The writer is the former US secretary of labor and secretary of transportation

The first day as US cabinet secretary was surreal. You walk into a large department, tasked with managing a large ship of programs, policies and people. The American people are counting on you to deliver for them every day. And the world is watching.

There is no manual for the job. But as the deputy secretary of transportation, secretary of labor and secretary of transportation, I learned some lessons along the way that can provide some insight for the assembly of public servants entering the new administration.

Transitions are a whirlwind. The first order of business is always a directive from the White House on January 20 to freeze or reverse executive orders from the previous administration for the first 60 days. It’s a routine affair throughout presidential history, and it’s one that requires aggressive maneuvering right out of the gate.

The real work starts with staffing. President Ronald Reagan’s administration famously coined the phrase “personnel is policy”. But that concept is more than clever wordplay – it’s about survival.

The White House Office of Presidential Personnel will help, but the new appointees must remember that the PPO is juggling about 4,000 positions throughout the government, more than 1,000 of which have been confirmed by the Senate. This is a huge task that always relies on input from the relevant cabinet secretary. Any incoming secretary with candidates in mind should act quickly. The sooner sub-cabinet level nominees are in place, a department will reach full capacity to carry out the president’s priorities.

As confirmations move through the Senate, it’s important to think strategically about temporary appointments, especially since representatives sometimes lead agencies for long periods of time when confirmations stall.

During my tenure at the Department of Transportation, several nominees were never confirmed, victims of Democrat partisanship. As the secretary, I was disappointed by that obstruction, even though I was one of the first to be confirmed by many officials in the department.

There was a time when nominees were widely respected on the other side of the aisle and were often confirmed by large bipartisan margins. In addition, a larger margin of victory paves the way for greater influence in office. But in an era of heightened partisanship, those days may be over.

Building an effective communications operation is also a top priority. Clarity and consistency are the best tools to align internal departmental goals and communicate key priorities to external stakeholders.

Asking hardworking civil servants for help can be fruitful. They are repositories of the institution’s vast knowledge and, if treated with respect, help achieve the administration’s goals. In any large federal department, organizational respect is not automatically conferred with the title of secretary. It should be earned over time.

But it’s not just about relationships; it’s also about strategy. The budget is the lifeblood of a department’s priorities. Talk to the Office of Management and Budget early and often. Regulations and deregulations, on the other hand, require a longer, often multi-year process.

Leadership at this level is a balancing act. The days are long and the challenges are great. But the opportunity to make a lasting impact – on the department, the country and the American people – makes it worth every sleepless night. Real change requires strategy and patience. It is important to fight smart.

My advice? Lead with respect, purpose and an eye on the long game. Serving the American public has been one of the greatest honors of my life. And the same goes for those entering the new administration.