Why a lobbyist needs to learn to delegate

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There are three main reasons to hand work over to a colleague:

  1. You can’t do everything
  2. You want to focus on things you are good at
  3. You want others to grow/learn

 

You don’t need to delegate if you are:

  • You are a telepath and can communicate how to do a task through thought waves and/or
  • You have a photographic memory with 100% recall and have perfect recall of how to do a task to a high standard all the time,
  • You are a workaholic who believes your work is your life.

 

How to delegate

 

A lot of delegation is from the spray and pray school Just send tasks, hope they will just figure them out, and hope it goes well. It is unlikely going to.

 

There is a tried an tested way to delegate.

  1. Use SOPs – Standard Operating Procedures
  • Prepare instructions on how to do a task
  • Write down the steps on how to do it
  • A video you doing it
  • Create a task once
  • Ask a colleague to follow your instructions and see if they produce a similar quality output product. If they don’t, see why not. If they do, you never have to do that task again.

 

  1. Work in Progress – Map out the process

For each task (see below) you work on, map out visually how to do the task.

This involves:

  • Visualise the steps doing it
  • Provide a video doing it
  • Provide a template
  • Provide an example
  1. List of Master Map of Systems – Owner Map of systems

Create a list of all your SOPs on how you do your work. See below for mine.

 

  1. Task Calendar

Don’t throw tasks to a colleague in the blind belief they will be able to do, in the time you think it will take, to do the task. So, instead, try this:

 

  • Map out your colleagues in their calendar
  • Identify with your colleagues any gap in delegation.
  • Ask:
  1. Is it humanely possible to do it in the time.
  2. Show the right way and the wrong way to do things.
  3. Answer any questions if your written instructions are not clear on what is needed.
  • Check-ins to see if task delivery is on time.

 

 

  1. Provide Feedback

People will learn best if they receive specific and immediate feedback. This can be done by:

  • Loom Video
  • In Person

 

Loom video allows you to provide specific and fast feedback, that can be re-watched at your colleague’s own time. It allows re-winding to focus on specific points.

In  person is harder to schedule.

 

The upfront work at the start. I find it unfair to delegate a task to a colleague that I have no idea how to do (without of course telling them I have no idea like PowerPoint).

 

Some Tasks for a lobbyist SOPs (Checklist, Video, Template)

  1. Issue Update
  2. Weekly/Monthly policy update
  3. Tracking a legislative file
  4. Tracking a regulatory file
  5. Mapping stakeholders
  6. Voting analysis
  7. Client Meetings: agenda, agenda, follow up, minutes, task tracker
  8. Setting up a meeting with MEP/Official
  9. Preparing a meeting briefing (bio, objectives, talking points) and follow up (summary, findings)
  10. Preparing a new business proposal and pitch
  11. Preparing a strategy session presentation
  12. EP/Council debate report
  13. Legislative proposal summary
  14. Amendments (EP/Council) Summary
  15. Amendment(s) drafting
  16. Policy Memo
  17. Policy Pitch
  18. Briefing for a meeting with an official/politician
  19. Public Consultation Submission
  20. Lobby Plan
  21. Process Specific: Ordinary Legislation (OLP)
  22. Process Specific: Delegated acts
  23. Process Specific:RPS Measures
  24. Process Specific: Implementing acts
  25. Process Specific: REACH Restrictions
  26. Process Specific: REACH Authorisations
  27. Process Specific: OEL
  28. Process Specific:: SHVC Identification
  29. Process Specific: Substance Evaluation
  30. Process Specific: CLH Classifications
  31. Process Specific: Eco-Design Measures

 

 

 

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