What to put in an Issue Update

A lot of time in Brussels is spent on writing issue updates for clients and members. Most of those updates are never read. Here are some suggestions. Keep them short. Use a 10 cm x 15 cm  (4-6 inches) note card as inspiration. It can hold around 100-150 words. Issue updates are not policy memos! … Read more

My Limited EU Knowledge Tree

I took advantage of being sick to try and map my limited circle of competence on EU Public Affairs. I recently came across the visual of a knowledge Tree for the Common Law.   I chunk Public Affairs down into Issue Expertise, Process Expertise and Skills.   This is my primitive visualisation of the limited … Read more

Do your public policy talks send the audience to sleep

A lot of public policy talks are like Dr Meinheimer’s in Naked Gun 2 1/2. Sincere, earnest, and sleep-inducing. Some talks resemble an academic panel of 4 panellists who speak in a language with only a loose relationship with English.   A good talk should have most, if not all, of the following: Keep it … Read more