Government Relations 101 Part Deux: Help Them to Help You

As former Deputy Minister to the Premier, Jessica McDonald knows a thing or two about government relations.

I had the privilege of hearing her speak on Monday as part of CSAE-BC’s session on Government Relations. I couldn’t help but notice that the main theme to the advice she gave the association executives in the room was about making it easy for government folks to help them achieve their association’s agenda. 

While this rule of thumb holds true for pretty much any relationship in which you are looking for a benefit, it was interesting to be reminded about how this might work in a government relations environment:

• As a first step, it’s important to “know who’s who in the zoo.”  Knowing who has influence over what and who your association should approach for different objectives is an important first step to any association looking to improve their government relations.  For example, if you are just looking to get ‘known’ by government, Norman Stowe, suggested a simple and effective way to start may be going out to meet your MLA.  Having your other ‘boots on the ground’ do the same in your association’s other constituencies are also good first steps, he suggests
• When associations do have the opportunity to meet with government, they should use what most of us consider to be common sense: Don’t bombard them with information and talk their ear off for the entire meeting. “Be concise, then listen,” suggests Jessica.  Having a conversation has better potential for results than a ‘sales-based’ approach when it comes to relationship-building with government...and most other people, if you think about it!
• Make it easy! MLA’s and government staff are busy and constantly bombarded with information from all walks of society. Jessica suggests submitting consolidation of your association’s views on policy to the budget committee and/or creating a concise one-pager that articulate your association’s position on issues being discussed that are relevant to your association when the house is in session
• Do your homework when it comes to understanding the current government’s policy and objectives on issues that are relevant to your association.  Jessica suggests that taking a few hours to research throne speeches, policy and other relevant documentations is a good way to get up to speed on where the government stands on area of common interest
• Further to the above, make sure you understand the procedures and parliamentary cycle of government to time your government relations efforts effectively with elections, budgets etc.

The result to the above approach is that you are in a better position to show government parties that you wish to collaborate on issues of shared concern instead of seeming like you simply ‘want’ government to do something for you and your association. People always like a ‘win-win’ situation, government policy-makers included!

Has your association every employed the above tactics to effect results at the government level?

Photo by: Slightlylessrandom on Flickr