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As anyone working in policy will tell you it is impossible to plan, analyse and set up good policies without stakeholder engagement.
Since policies are usually set by government or regulators it would be easy not to engage. Power is after all a heady thing. However, government or regulator priorities are completely different than industry and consumer priorities. Not to mention that each partner usually works in a silo and is under the – mistaken – impression that their priorities are the most important ones.
Most UK government Departments know this. I have been fortunate in my career so far to have worked with some marvellous people in Whitehall who reach out and want to both learn and share what they know with stakeholders. Good consultations in the UK are marvellous examples of this.
In some countries – or some sectors – industry meeting government or government Departments (by they way – they are NOT the same thing. Engaging with politicians and engaging with civil servants serve completely different needs) is frowned upon. There is this idea that perhaps politicians and civil servants are unduly influenced by businesses.
However, influence is exactly what results in good policy. A good mix of stakeholders will push in all sorts of directions. Priorities that matter for everyone will be put on the top of the list while those that are only important for one quarter will be scrutinised more. This is a healthy process which – when managed properly – can result in well-rounded policies.
Sometimes friends ask me if there are rules in this process but it all depends. There is one pre-requisite however that you cannot escape from. MAP your stakeholders. I mean that quite literally, put them down on paper, in circles or in lists, whatever works. Discuss the map with colleagues and stakeholders – you never know who you might have left out. What you should end up with is a constellation of organisations and people who can make a significant difference to the policy you are writing.
No policy is ever perfect, a sad but true fact. However, good policy people make sure that it’s the best it can be – and that can never be an isolated act.
