THE SKILLFUL PUBLIC POLICY ADVOCATE

Most public policy advocates are hard–working professionals who understand how to navigate the political process, gain access to lawmakers and key executive–branch officials, and build a strategy to achieve their legislative goals. 

In a very real sense, public policy advocates serve as intermediaries for the organizations that represent the vast diversity of people, beliefs, and interests in our society. 

Public policy advocates deal in facts — the best of them know that what lawmakers want is straightforward, understandable, and accurate information on a given issue. So on any tough policy matter, all the various interests will be armed with good arguments that make the strongest possible case for their position.

1. Diagnostician: The first aspect of an effective public policy advocate’s  approach to any efforts is to diagnose all the factors and the force at play. Public policy advocates must ask these and other similar questions: Who has a stake in the outcome? Why do they care about the issue? What can be presented to them that they will respond to? How does the issue interplay with other issues?
2. Analyst: Determining which legislative member is likely to be assigned responsibility for the bill and how can a beneficial relationship with the legislator be established.
3. Strategist: A strategist is someone who sees the whole picture and can visualize the end game. A keen knowledge of legislative processes, procedures and rules is necessary but not sufficient for success. A public policy advocate must look at the totality of forces potentially at play and how they all interrelate. He/she must create a game plan. It includes strategies for dealing with allies and opponents, developing best arguments in favor of, and rebuttals to arguments against, identifying best witnesses for the various committee hearings and how to get positive media coverage. Even with the best game plan (including planning for foreseeable contingencies), a public policy advocate is still likely to encounter twists and turns in his/her path towards success, occasioned by unforeseeable factors, forces and events not in his/her control. A public policy advocate must have the flexibility and nimbleness to reassess and redraw strategy as warranted.
4. Tactician: A tactician is the one who gets you there. An effective public policy advocate must be able to implement his/her game plan. This can involve a wide range of skills as a public policy advocate performs the day-to-day activities necessary and appropriate for attaining his/her goal.

It is the job of public officials not simply to be passive recipients of arguments and information, but to sort through it, and in particular to understand that it comes with a point of view — to listen carefully, in other words, but also remember that a public policy advocate presents only one side of a complex issue. The skillful public policy advocate , of course, will identify his or her position with the broader public good, but an equally skillful politician understands how to separate the wheat from the rhetorical chaff.