| Comment Number: | OL-10501301 |
| Received: | 2/24/2005 2:02:58 PM |
| Subject: | Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, Request for Comment |
| Title: | National Security Personnel System |
| CFR Citation: | 5 CFR Chapter XCIX and Part 9901 |
| No Attachments |
Comments:
The new system is almost certain to suppress innovation and drive out innovators. Most managers are fully occupied with the goals of today. When truly visonary improvements to capabilities or processes aren't appreciated by line managers, especially when improvements will take years to fully develop and implement, only the strict formalities of the Civil Service System have allowed frontline employees to nurture new and better solutions until their value was recognized. But who will endure doing what's right for the future at the cost of salary stagnation or even reduction? Pay for performance, in practice, means doing what you're told or suffering the consequences. Pay for performance describes the behavior of trained seals! [There's plenty of historical evidence for the strength of this argument; e.g., read Sapolin's book on development of the "missile-platform" submarine, not supported by management for years after it was first proposed, later recognized as the most secure sector of strategic deterrence.]