RATIONALE BEHIND PROCESS COMPETENCE

By: Dr. Klemens Joos

"The European Union of the 28 Member States constitutes a dynamic multi-level governance system that has become more and more complex due to intermediate levels like the European Economic and Monetary Union and other forms of intensified cooperation) . Supranational (European), national and regional levels also participate in the political decision-making processes. In this context, the players of the respective levels do not act in isolation from each other. Rather, cooperation and the willingness to compromise are required if a player wants to achieve his targets that are in each case defined by constitutional and political competences, opportunities to influence and interests. This again leads to an overlapping of European, national and regional tools and procedures. However, the procedures to establish standards and make decisions on the European level themselves are marked by a complex, dynamic balance between the individual institutions of the EU (in particular Commission, Parliament and Council). Decisions at all times also require a procedural cooperation of these institutions with the national, and, in part, also with the regional, levels. Simultaneously with the continuing European integration and, therefore, the rise of the interdependency among the levels and the interaction of the players, the complexity of the European political process is continuously increasing. Apart from that, there is the growing importance of mostly independent agencies (European Banking Authority, European Securities and Markets Authority etc.) that also exercise their delegated responsibilities in a complex process of negotiations. Against this background, the political formation of will and decision-making processes in the EU diverge more and more from the spheres of personal awareness. Parallel to this, political decisions have become less and less comprehensible. In part they cannot be explained by individual content considerations and rather appear to be the result of sophisticated and complex procedures. Only through process competence can content competence unfold in the right and decisive place. 

About Dr. Klemens Joos

Dr Klemens Joos is the founder and managing director of EUTOP International GmbH. EUTOP has successfully represented the interests of private companies and organisations vis-á-vis decision-makers in the institutions of the European Union and its Member States for 20 years. According to Dr. Joos, the training and further education of lobbyists, like lobbying itself needs a paradigm shift: away from the primary focus on content work and arguments and towards an understanding of political decision-making processes, and the skill to support these effectively and efficiently. There is a need to teach process competence, process management, decision-theory questions and a special lobbying approach using the instruments OnePager® and PSGR®.

OnePager®-Methodology (Perspective Change Competence) is an interdisciplinary consideration of the problem, from different angles, with the goal of working out a successful solution (change in perspective from the individual perspective to a common interest perspective). Decisions -theoretical, cultural, linguistic, inter-institutional, cross-member state and party-political points of view are fully taken into account. In about 5–15% of all cases, the desired change in perspective is not possible, which de facto rules out successful lobbying. In such cases, the client is advised not to act. The advantage for the client consists in being able to choose alternative actions at an early stage and, in addition, avoids the unnecessary deployment of ­resources. However, if the change in perspective succeeds – which is the case in 85 – 95% of all cases – the process support competence decides whether the goal is achieved.

PSGR® = Process-oriented Structural Governmental Relations (Process Support Competence)

Consulants must daily structurally and sustainably support all interfaces so that the result of the OnePager®-Methodology can lead to the success of the specific lobbying project. Experience shows that large projects usually fail on minor details. The ongoing support of the client by process support competence is another essential success factor, because, during a decision-making procedure in a complex system – besides the problem of technical faults – loyalties and coalitions can change at any time. The continual examination and coordination of all interfaces and the situational update of the OnePager® are therefore essential.