Following November’s midterm elections in the United States, newly elected officials are preparing to assume office. Given the high stakes and expectations tied to being elected, how can a newly elected official understand the institutional environment they will be inheriting?

When the campaign ends and governing begins.

Transitioning from campaigning to the act of governing requires a different operating environment.

Campaigning has a different operating model than governing. It’s usually shaped by a deadline, messaging, and the mandate of winning. Yet a strong campaign does not necessarily translate into strong governing. Governing is a long-term commitment, guided by different mandates and requiring service delivery, programming, cross-coordination, accountability, and most importantly, tangible outcomes.

The tension is that a change in leadership does not necessarily mean a change in the operating environment. As an elected official transitions into governing, they’re usually inheriting an institutional environment with well-established offices and ways of working. What does that mean for how new leaders are expected to work within it?

This is where transition teams are invaluable. They are the connective tissue, strategically preparing the elected official to move from candidacy to governing, which requires shifts in mindset, goals, and leadership style. They understand the inherent complexities of the office. As part of transition planning, a team could explore how operational discovery might strengthen their understanding, complementing their experience and expertise.

The visibility of the office creates pressure.

To say “the block is hot” during a transition period is an understatement. Elected office comes with its own unique set of expectations. The first 100 days in office have often served as an informal political benchmark and a focal point for political commentary, adding another layer of pressure to demonstrate progress and outcomes. So not only is an elected official expected to deliver tangible results under intense scrutiny, but they must learn how to navigate and operate within an unfamiliar institutional environment in a relatively short timeframe.

I thought about the complex, multi-purpose nature of their operating environment. It must address urgent and pressing matters that require a leader’s attention and decision-making while simultaneously operating the day-to-day and delivering on longer-term priorities. This raises the question of whether the operating environment can accommodate different demands without compromising one to address another. For example, when an urgent matter arises, is there a clear escalation path to leadership? Or does every urgent issue become an all-hands-on-deck scramble, pulling people away from the work that keeps the office running?”

Are there smooth coordination structures in place if an issue involves multiple agencies or offices? How does information flow between groups and even more importantly in this context, how does leadership determine whether the information it receives is reliable and accurate? Sometimes there are formal and informal information channels that need to be verified.

Understanding the institutional environment that an incoming administration inherits.

An incoming administration may have discretion over how it would like to run its operating environment, but I think one part of this requires understanding the current environment in which it will be functioning. Consider a U.S. governor’s office, which operates within a vast network spanning state agencies, federal entities, and external stakeholders. Understanding how work moves across these institutions, where responsibilities intersect, and how competing demands are prioritized can be a complex undertaking, particularly within the compressed, pressure-filled timeframe of a leadership transition.

This is where operational discovery could add value.

A design-informed approach could help bring structure and intention to discovery.

Discovery could unearth insights into how the system manages urgency, cross-coordination, and strategic decision-making.

Not only could it reveal visible structures, but it could also shed light on those invisible structures and ways of working that are not captured in formal documentation. This includes the experience of those operating within the system, and the nuances in ways of working that shape the day-to-day. When it comes to longer-term initiatives, discovery could also highlight which existing structures need to be better understood and integrated into planning and managing mandate-driven programs.

Establishing an accurate picture of the baseline can help inform the operational way forward.

Governing within long-held structures.

Entering a new environment always comes with its own challenges. As your start date approaches, one question for new officials to consider is: How well do you understand the institution that you are preparing to lead?

The act of discovery could provide the foundation for a shared understanding.