Skills

Sometimes I’m about getting your first job in Brussels. I’m not sure I’m the best person to ask. When I moved here back in 1996, I did not even know about the College of Europe or the Blue Book scheme. I moved here after a few years of active involvement in the Labour Movement in … Read more

  I was asked what I think a lobbyist should have mastered after 5 years. Here is the list. The challenge with lobbying is to become good at it, you need to go through the procedures more than a few times. It is not a book learning skill, it is something you learn by doing … Read more

There are super powers that will make you a lot more effective as a lobbyist. They are: Being likeable. Being clear: both in writing and speaking. Two of the most effective officials I’ve seen first hand, Ludwig Kramer and Bjorn Hansen, from DG Environment had it. They were both pleasant and decent people. It resonated … Read more

I’ve tried to put down in one simple checklist why Public Affairs/lobbying is hard. You can’t get just one thing right, you have to get a lot of core things right (see below), and usually at the same time. If you get one thing wrong, you are likely going to fail. And, at the end … Read more