Many people think they are political experts, particularly at senior levels within organisations. For them, political intelligence goes hand-in-hand with business intelligence and leadership skills. This is, though, often far from the case. There are many dimensions to political intelligence.
Knowing a few well-placed politicians or having visited Downing Street is only part of what makes up a political IQ. Political intelligence is built up through time and experience and has a number of attributes. For those new to public affairs, the aim of any role you have should consider these attributes and help you to develop them over time.
For those more experienced practitioners, these attributes are useful in helping to manage upwards and educate those with less immediate political IQ, but more power and seniority, about how an effective public affairs programme should be developed and implemented.
The main attributes are:
- Be up-to-date – a starting point has to be an awareness of day-to-day political developments but driven by a variety of sources. The pressure on politicians and other decision-makers only becomes clear if you draw knowledge from opponents as well as supporters. In other words, do not just listen to the ‘home team’.
- Networking – cross-party networks are essential. Of course, you may be closer to one party than another but a political party, whoever they are, will not stay in government forever so to have limited yourself is short-sighted.
- Process – a knowledge and understanding on how decisions are arrived at for the political parties, in Whitehall and then on to Parliament should inform all public affairs and political engagement. If engagement is not taking place at the right time or with the right people then it is a waste of time, effort and resources. Simply aiming high, in terms of the politician, is rarely the right move. It might make senior executives feel good but it demonstrates a lack of political IQ.
- Solutions – engagement driven by the views of senior executives often has the feel of a ‘moan-fest’ about it. This can be cathartic and allows people to get issues off of their chests but it rarely results in effective engagement. The end point of a public affairs campaign needs to be the option of a workable solution. That, in itself, depends on timings and process but if the option of a solution is not part of the engagement then the campaign will not move forward.
- What’s the history? – no government or organisation operates in a vacuum, there is always history and maybe even some baggage around. This can be positive or negative. A backdrop of effective engagement, solution delivery and a strong reputation will put any programme on the front foot. If time, effort and investment has not been made previously then it will set the campaign back. Indeed, there are always examples of senior executives making comments which may seem to them to be eminently sensible but actually have huge political overtones. Shooting from the hip may get some good headlines but politicians and political parties have long memories.
This list could be even longer. I haven’t taken into account a useful knowledge of the historical setting of the political parties or, arguably more important, the history of the issue being campaigned upon. Both of these are needed when developing the public affairs programme.
There are also ongoing political matters that need attention such as working on an ongoing basis with a constituency MP and ensuring that stakeholders, political or otherwise, are not met once and then left to flounder. Instead, these audiences require ongoing contact. Organisations need to consider how they would feel if they were met once and then never heard from the person again. A good public affairs programme thinks about such things and works out what makes, builds and protect a reputation.
A high political IQ takes time to develop.