Book Description

Can one person and an executive team make a difference in a large government bureaucracy? Can Veterans get the benefits they've earned without it being so difficult, frustrating, and slow? Can laws designed to help Veterans be implemented on-time? The answer to each question is "yes." In Transforming Service to Veterans, Paul Lawrence describes his accomplishments as the leader of the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA). VBA disburses $120 billion in annual benefits to Veterans. Historically, administering benefits has not met Veterans' expectations. Long wait times, ambiguity, and errors created the perception that nothing could be done to improve service to Veterans. This began to change in Spring 2018. Paul Lawrence was unanimously confirmed as Under Secretary for Benefits in April 2018, the only political appointee in VBA, overseeing 25,000 career employees. During Lawrence's nearly three years as Under Secretary, Veterans received more benefits faster and at a lower cost than at any time in VBA history. As a businessman, he implemented proven business practices, streamlined the bureaucracy, and created a public presence rebranding VBA as an organization successfully supporting Veterans. Transforming Service to Veterans presents Lawrence's journey from a business executive to political appointee charged with providing benefits to Veterans and implementing high-profile Veteran-focused legislation. He describes how he and his executive team assessed VBA's performance, identified problems and solutions, and determined an effective path forward. A key part of his work was hands-on management and a relentless focus on performance improvement. The critical challenges he encountered and overcame are described in detail, explaining what worked and why in these areas: Managing and improving performance - identifying and addressing challenges, providing transparency and accountability through quarterly public performance and results presentations, and aligning all activities to have VBA's #BestYearEver for Veterans. Managing people and stakeholders - building the leadership team, flattening the organization, developing talented civilian servants, and working with Veteran Service Organizations Managing during the Pandemic - understanding its effects on workflow and taking appropriate actions to keep serving Veterans, including conducting 110 telephone townhalls reaching more than 5 million Veterans to get them timely information and answer their questions Additional discussions include: Implementing congressional mandates - successfully implementing the Colmery Act (Forever GI Bill), Appeals Modernization, and the Blue Water Navy Act. Fixing the support functions - improving support from VA's Office of Information Technology and getting VBA's Office of Human Resources to provide world-class support Strengthening the organization - establishing the Chief Production Officer, applying proven techniques from the private sector, eliminating overpayments, and upgrading the call center. Innovations such as the development of new programs for Veterans and digital solutions are included. Lawrence concludes by presenting ideas to further improve VBA. Read this book: If you are a public sector manager and want proven insights into improving your organization's performance If you are a leader and want practical insights on developing a team of senior government executives To learn more about Veteran issues, including how benefits programs operate