PAID TO PERFORM

The United States finds itself at a profound inflection point. Since World War II, its national security threats have tended to accumulate rather than diminish. While U.S. military capabilities remain more advanced than that of any other state, an increasingly interconnected global economy has allowed potential adversaries to shrink the technological lead currently enjoyed by America's Armed Forces. Additionally, U.S. economic power has declined relative to that of other nations, steadily narrowing its defense spending advantage. Meanwhile, increasing Federal budget austerity has focused Congress upon reigning in defense costs, particularly in the personnel realm. The authors of this monograph believe that talent management-the science of creating a higher performing, more productive, and more satisfied workforce-is critical to dealing with these national security challenges. They argue that, instead of making across-the-board cuts to service member pay and benefits...