What would a Stoic Lobbyist do in their job?

Practice Moderation,

Practice Temperance.

Be Fair.

Act Honesty.

Act with integrity.

Keep promises.

Keep confidences.

Follow up.

Keep your word.

Do the right thing, whatever the pressures not to be.

Avoid selfishness.

Tell the truth.

Don’t selectively cite.

Don’t misrepresent events/positions.

Don’t hide behind jargon.

Don’t be abusive about people in private or to their face.

Park your ego at the door.

Give all credit to others. All blame sits with you.

Don’t walk away from your friends just because they are unpopular.

Don’t seek to be popular.

Give your best recommendation to your client as you see it. …

Even if it means you solve the problem as there is no need to work together.

“Speak the truth as you see it, but with kindness. With humility. Without hypocrisy.

Be Your own Referee. Punish yourself when you slip.

Aim to be good, and good at what you do.

Aim to provide your clients, colleagues, and officials/politicians the best service. Focus on this and not your billable hours.

Be an Open Book.

Radical transparency. Give them (client, decision-maker)  the information they need.

Don’t keep the company of those you would be ashamed to be seen in public with.

If people want secrecy, it is a good sign that it is something to avoid. And it usually comes out at the worst possible time.

Be decent.

Don’t argue over cents.

Do your job, even if it does not make you popular.

Be diligent in your job, even when you are tired. Do what you said you’d do.

Put your clients first.

Keep your hands clean.

Sell what you think is needed, not more.

Keep learning and learn from others. The answer to a question you are searching for is likely out there.

Work with others, especially unlikely allies, to bring about difficult change.

Start with small changes and acts and work up to big.

Horse trade.

Work with people/interests that are different from you, as long as it helps you get to where you want to be.

Please work with the system as it is to get the outcome you need. Don’t ignore reality.

Work with others. No one person can do it alone.

When working with others, put your ego at the door.

Work with anyone who can advance your client’s interests.

Don’t be fixated on purity, securing 100% of what is right or nothing. If you do, you’ll likely get nothing.

You will have to work with people/groups with whom you don’t always agree. Deal with it.

You are going to have to compromise. It is normal.

You need allies. You don’t even have to like them. The allies will help you get what you want.

Your aim is to exercise political power for your client’s interests. It is likely the only way you are going to get what you want. The progress you want to does not happen spontaneously because you want it to happen.

Be an insider. Help set the agenda and write the rules.

Be pragmatic.

Dress and sound the same way as those you are dealing with.

Look like someone they can do business with.

Deal with things as they are, not how you want them to be.

To get what your client wants, you need to be honest, work within the machine, and get things done.

Progress is not made by the ineffectual, the unrealistic or the naive.

Develop Competence. Being well-meaning means nothing. If you don’t know what you are doing, it means you are going to get nothing.

You need the right resources, time, money and the necessary skills to get what you want.

You need to know and master the procedures and practices to get the laws you want tabled and passed. You also need to be able to communicate clearly. If you can’t, you won’t get what you want.

Be persistent. Keep pushing.  Change takes time and happens step by step.

Don’t ask for or expect praise for what you did.

Give your client hope.

Give back.