At the same time, having that political awareness and knowledge about the public and political interface, as well as the various attendant relationships, protocols and practices, can only help to produce better policy and strategic advice.
We call this political acumen or “connecting the dots”.
Political acuity is about how you exercise your judgement; using your knowledge and understanding of the various facets of an issue, the drivers and the stakeholders and how you develop your approach to the issue as well as knowing when to act.
This know-how and timing is particularly important in the context of the relationship between senior public servants and the elected officials they work with.
This one-day workshop, will introduce you to this topic while laying the foundation and skills to understand and cultivate your political acuity. (Relevant examples are used to illustrate skills.)
You will learn how to:
- Recognize and work with formal and informal systems, practices, relationships and cultures so you can confidently identify likely impacts, influence decisions and achieve organizational objectives;
- Understand and take advantage of the informal and formal power of relationships, especially where the public service and political systems intersect (hierarchies and reporting structures);
- Predict the way new events and emerging issues will affect individuals, departments, groups etc.;
- Provide strategic advice that will ultimately meet the needs and expectations of Council Members;
- Foster good relations with political leaders and their staff;
- Act strategically when there is a disconnect;
- Develop internal and external relations and networks to your advantage.
LOCATION:
County of Lambton
789 Broadway Street, Box 3000
Wyoming, ON N0N 1T0
REGISTRATION: 8:30am
WORKSHOP: 9am - 4:30pm
