Getting what you want in Washington involves influence — having it and using it to get results. While many people claim to be “lobbyists,” only those who adhere to these 7 Principles of Influence can consistently get results for their clients.
1. Never Discount the Potential Impact of Government.
Whenever government intervenes, the stakes are high for all concerned. Government actions can impose huge costs on organizations, but government can also play a central role in shaping the course of cooperation and competition among organizations as well. Ignoring the potential impacts of legislation and new regulations can significantly affect your bottom line.
2. Effective Influence is Built on a Foundation of Relationships.
You have to build a foundation of relationships with rulemakers and potential influence allies before you need them. You have to build relationships to exert influence. You need to anticipate what relationships with rulemakers will be crucial to helping you influence government; then you have to invest in developing those relationships, so you have some capital to draw on when you need it.
3. To Shape The Rules, You Have to Build Coalitions.
Whatever the objective, individual companies are seldom equipped to influence rulemaking on their own. To build coalitions, you have to identify groups with complementary goals, build alliances among them, and focus their collective resources to shape a particular rulemaking process. effective coalition building is about identifying and exploiting alignments of interests.
4. To Influence the Rules, You Need to Cooperate with Your Competitors.
Effective efforts to influence government involve a mix of cooperation and competition with other influential players. Also, organizations that cooperate in the marketplace can end up competing to shape rule making processes. To be effective in influencing government, you therefore have to be open to cooperating with your competitors to advance shared interests.
5. Where You Play is as Important as How You Play.
Government in the United States is highly complex. managing conflicting rules imposed by different levels of government can be difficult. The players at different levels may have vastly varied and conflicting interests and positions. whether you are playing offense or defense, you have to identify the right forums in which to influence governments’ rulemaking activities.
6. The Ability to Influence Rulemaking Is a Weapon in the Competitive Game.
In business, efforts to influence government are often a form of competition in disguise. Efforts to influence government should be an integral part of business strategy for many, perhaps most companies. If you don’t participate in shaping the rules, others may shape the playing field in ways that are disadvantageous to you. You cannot hope to be effective unless you actively involve government relations professionals in the development of business strategy.
7. The Influence Game is Never Over.
The rulemaking game does not have a beginning or an end. engagements get won or lost, but the game goes on. If you are not vigilant, you can win some battles, but lose the war.
