How can public affairs practitioners look after themselves amongst all the excitement of a new government?
A new government, a change of political party at the helm and hundreds of new MPs to build relationships with. The times we find ourselves in are basically public affairs nirvana, and there are lots of opportunities and excitement that come with that.
That said, there may be a part of you, like there is for me, that feels a sense of anxiety and overwhelm. With new opportunities come new (and increasing) expectations – from clients, our employer and ourselves. Some thoughts below on how to protect ourselves from burnout and ensure we stay as well as possible in the coming weeks and months.
1) Build your own professional community
Especially if you work in-house, you might only have one or two fellow travellers (if any), who may well be your direct reports or manager, and it’s important to have a safe space to vent to someone who understands what your role entails. It also gives you an opportunity to seek advice and test ideas with an informed but more objective observer.
The CIPR public affairs group is a great place to start with this, as are the sector and regional groups. But also, if you’re speaking to counterparts regularly, ask someone for a coffee, the worst they can say is they’re too busy. But most people will appreciate the chance to catch-up. If you don’t speak to counterparts regularly, set yourself a challenge to reach out to a couple and have a call or meeting within the coming weeks.
2) Spend time with friends that don’t know, and probably won’t care, what a mission board is
The most effective public affairs practitioners I know take their job seriously but know there’s a world outside SW1 and are fully engaged in it. Make a particular effort to spend time with people where the conversation isn’t immediately going to turn to engagement you’ve had with the new government so far, plans for engaging the hundreds of new MPs and asking ‘do you have any contacts working for xyz.’
If you don’t have these kinds of friends, get some. Volunteering for a local charity can be a great way to meet new people, and having a shared task or interest to talk about can make it less intense.
3) Do things that aren’t work-related
The weekend after the first full week of new government, I deliberately made next to no plans, anticipating the need to have some down time and potentially, lie down in a dark room. What did I do with said time? Read Sam Freedman’s new book ‘Failed State’ cover to cover. Great and interesting read, yes. Did I give myself a break from the workings of Whitehall? No. Of course we’re interested in current affairs, and engaging with it outside of office hours is near enough essential if we’re to perform our roles well.
But, you need a hinterland, to borrow Chris Mullin’s phrase. There’s only so much news or policy analysis one’s brain can absorb before your brain turns to mush. So, whether it’s rock climbing, cross-stich or flamethrowing, carve out time for your ‘thing that’s not work.’ If you don’t have something you do outside work, give a few things a try until you find something. If you do something in a group setting you can also combine this one with point 2).
4) Stand firm in the face of flapping
There are a lot of boards, trustees and c-suit executives across the land going into overdrive with asks and expectations. You haven’t personally failed because your client or organisation’s most relevant Secretary of State is yet to put out a PR declaring you’re their most important stakeholder, at the exclusion of all others. (I’m being facetious, but we’ve all had the kinds of public affairs expectations set that leave you struggling not to audibly groan.)
Keep your cool, lean on your strategy and be the voice of reason and calm. Public affairs strategies should be rooted in wider business objectives, and whilst responsive to the external environment, that should largely be a matter of framing messaging and tactics, not strategy change.
5) Try not to take your advice being rejected as a reflection of your skills and ability
Of course, our strategic counsel isn’t always accepted, but it might feel like your advice is being rejected more than usual in the current period. Find a healthy way of managing that rejection and try to avoid internalise it. A lot of the time, decisions made under pressure are driven by very human feelings and fears. It doesn’t mean you’re rubbish at your job.
Do though, make time for a call or coffee with someone who will respond with a validating degree of horror when you tell them a colleague is pushing to rip up the agreed public affairs strategy on the basis of something they heard on the Newsagents podcast on their commute this morning (see point 1).
6) Look after yourself physically
I’m in danger of straying in to mum territory here so I will simply say, a lifestyle built on warm wine Westminster receptions, whatever canapes you’ve managed to snaffle or whatever’s left at Marsham Street Pret by 4pm, and late nights followed by early mornings is going to end in party conference flu on steroids after a couple of weeks.
Of course, do those things if you want to, but pace yourself. And maybe get some multivitamins. If you know exercise helps you, make time for it. Get outside as much as you can, even if it’s to get off the bus, train or tube a stop early and walk through the park.
Influencing a new government and a new parliament is a medium to long-term endeavour. You don’t need to – and won’t – achieve everything your clients or organisation wants to in the next six months.