Transcript
Transcript: Communicating Persuasively in Policy Making
[00:00:01 Text appears onscreen: "Communicating Persuasively in Policy Making – With Isabella Chan, Senior Assistant Deputy Minister, Lands and Minerals Sector, Natural Resources Canada"]
[00:00:09 Isabella Chan appears on screen.]
Isabella Chan: I'm Isabella Chan. Currently, I'm the Senior Assistant Deputy Minister at Natural Resources Canada.
[00:00:15 Text appears onscreen: "What is a key trait or skill policy analysts should develop?"]
I would have to say common thread wise, definitely being able to effectively communicate, it's a key trait. It's a portable skill wherever you go, whether you're working in an line department or whether you're working at a central agency. And it comes in the form of a written communication in a briefing note, or an oral briefing, for instance, briefing your deputy minister, and your minister.
It's definitely an art, but it comes with experience, you learn as you go. And I think you can actually refine as you go, as well. And I would say for anyone aspiring to advance their career, definitely take the time to learn how to master effective briefings, because that definitely is a skill that you can take anywhere you go.
[00:01:13 Text appears onscreen: "How can briefers effectively communicate complex issues to decision-makers?"]
It comes down to the fundamentals of effective communication. I think… it sounds cliché, but first and foremost, know your audience, so… and don't make assumptions about what your audience knows as well. So a lot of the times, you know, as an analyst, we're now going in to brief the director or the director general. Don't assume they know your file. You've been following your file; they may not have been. So what are the fundamental things that they need to know in order for them to get to the Yes that you're trying to get them into? So, that's number one, so know your audience, know where they're coming from.
Two is be adaptable. Because, you know, your schedule for the briefing may be 30 minutes, but we all know things change and last minute, you may only have 15 minutes. So, how are you going to trim down, what are the essential elements that you want to communicate? So, drill that down to the bite-sized pieces that can bring your audience along. And I come back to… especially with complex file, when it comes to complex files, a lot of the times we go in because we are passionate about the file, we know the file well. So, be adaptable. Know kind of what your time limit is in terms of the briefing and how you package the information based on what the outcome you want.
The final point I wanted to make is the importance of not overloading your audience as to everything that you know. Effective briefing isn't about just an information load to the other person, think of it as an information exchange. So what it is that you want your receiver to hear, what are the key elements, but also what are some of the key elements that you need to consider from the receiving end as well? Because a lot of the times, too, we go in with our best advice, what we want to drive in terms of a recommendation, as an outcome, but we need to be thinking about what information we also should be taking from the audience that you're briefing and be able to adapt the outcome accordingly as well.
Because a lot of the times, too, like we may not also have all the information necessary to drive the outcome or the decision that you want, so think about it from that perspective as well.
[00:03:38 Text appears onscreen: "What are some strategies for maintaining objectivity while influencing policy?"]
Fundamentally, as a public servant, we have to adhere to Values and Ethics Code. And so, definitely non-partisan advice, providing best advice so that decision-makers can actually make informed decisions is key. In order to maintain objectivity, I think first and foremost, one strategy I often use is an obvious one, which is data. So, what kind of data can we present to actually inform the decision?
I think the other part about objectivity is to make sure you kind of consult. I think good public policy, oftentimes when we make regulations, even when we make legislation, there's a consultation period for a reason. It's to make sure that we actually take in the different perspectives and take into consideration the impact of the policy decision. And that way, we actually can provide advice that's objective that takes into consideration not just the world that we see, but also the impact to other stakeholders that may actually have direct or indirect impact as a result of our policies or our decisions.
[00:04:59 Text appears onscreen: "What are the strategies to improve efficiency and team members' strategic mindsets for supporting briefings?"]
So, I think one is knowing the context by staying curious, seeking out information, whether it is public documents that are out regarding what the government priorities are. That comes in the form of Speech from the Throne, it comes in the form of your minister's mandate letter.
And then the other part to it is also be generous about… if you want to mobilize your team, be the model. Be that person that also shares the information that you have, and to the benefit of everyone from your team. So then, they can also be mindful of the other elements, other things that need to be considered when formulating their advice. That takes into consideration not just the getting to the Yes, of point A to point B, but also the broader context into how that decision feed into other areas of priorities for the government.
[00:06:09 Text appears onscreen: "What are some strategies for developing robust policy advice?"]
So I would say before getting to the No, do that homework upfront, to like anticipate that you will get a no, but what are some of the other options available, and be ready with them so that in the eventuality of a No, what other things can you put forward as other options to consider?
And I also would like to think, too, that sometimes we need to leave our ego behind and think about, too, a no is not a personal thing. A no is also maybe a different way to look at a file, and how we can loyally implement it but still get to the outcome that we want.
Just think about it as a different way to get to the policy outcomes that you were aiming for. Are there other things that could be done? And not think of a no as the end of the road; think of no as okay, so maybe there's a different way to do this and how can we… how can we get to the policy outcome that we're driving for?
[00:07:24 Text appears onscreen: "What advice do you have for aspiring leaders to elevate their briefing skills?"]
Never underestimate the power of concrete examples in illustrating your point. So, if I were to say the Canadian Environmental Protection Act aims to protect the environment and human health, and it needs modernizing. So, that is concrete, that is a fact. However, if I were to say the Canadian Environmental Protection Act was a piece of legislation that allowed us to put a ban to the use of BPA in baby bottles, immediately you can visualize, you can actually see the importance of a piece of legislation.
And so, a lot of the times, like when we're dealing with legislation or regulations, it seems like a little bit removed, but when you actually bring it to concrete examples, real life examples, it becomes relatable. And even if you're not someone who's immersed in the file, you can immediately get, okay, that piece of legislation, that's an actually important piece. I'm now paying-…. you've got my attention!
