50 Principles for a Lobbyist

50 Principles for a Lobbyist

In the last few months, I have been asked about  what I have learned about lobbying. So, after more than 20 years, here are my 50 principles I try and follow.

1. Like people. Like politicians and officials – you’ll going be spending a lot of time with them.
2. Understand the issues, process and people.
3. At the start, middle and the end of the day, you are in the business of persuasion.
4. Read good books. Read the best books in your field.
5. Work hard, but work even smarter.
6. Stick to a few things and do them well.
7. Think on paper.
8. Listen a lot and shut up.
9. Send everything in advance and be early.
10. Without integrity, you are nothing.
11. Keep learning – everything you know today is going to be irrelevant or a commodity (unprofitable) in less than five years.
12. Politics is not everything.
13. Upgrade your playbook constantly.
14. Stasis ends. Every 5 years, everything is going to be thrown up in the air, and you are going need to adapt. Most people dislike change.
15. Step in early in the policy process. The longer things go on, the less chance you have to influence anything.
16. Prevention is better than cure. Get used to losing. It is going to happen a lot.
17. Enjoy your work. It’s fun.
18. Don’t look at your belly button. Most people are self absorbed about their own issue, and don’t get it that few other people are.
19. Saying ‘I don’t know’ is a good thing.
20. Read to the wall. Learn to explain your issue to an imaginary class room of kids. It shows if you really understand the issue(s).
21. Never reveal your sources. Keep confidences.
22. Never lie. It will ruin you.
23. Follow up on the day on any actions you promised in a meeting.
24. Put yourself in their shoes if you want to understand the best way forward.
25. Learn detachment.
26. Simplify complexity, but don’t be simplistic.
27. Put your ideas down in charts, visuals, and checklists. People think in images and not data sheets.
28. Don’t be a cheerleader. You probably can’t pull off the look anyway.
29. Keep healthy. Your judgement gets messed up when you are not.
30. If you can’t make you case in 500 words in plain English on one piece of paper, you probably don’t have a case.
31. You need to have evidence and you need to put it forward. If you claim it is confidential it just means you don’t have a case.
32. Never personalize things. Politicians and officials have a job to do.
33. If you can’t keep your emotions under control, leave. If you personalize the issues, try a new job.
34. Like a barrister, you don’t have to believe your client to do a great job. You are an advocate and not a cult follower.
35. You are going to need to tell people things they don’t want to hear. You need to.
36. Puts everything down on paper ASAP. Your memory is not as good as you think it is.
37. Learn to write clearly.
38. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
39. Just because your client says it is true, does not mean it is true.
40. Switch off at the end of the day.
41. Find a hobby.
42. Ignorance is not bliss.
43. If you fake it, you’ll be called out.
44. Give more than your receive. You’ll then be valuable.
45. Learn from the very best in your field. Move on to do so.
46. Lobbying is a craft, with a long apprenticeship.
47. Never go for selective citation. It is dishonest and you’ll be called out.
48. Be prepared to walk away.
49. Embrace change. If you don’t, it will just overtake you.
50. You only live once. Enjoy it.