If you enjoy a hive mind work life, jumping between seemingly random issues and procedures, you should stop reading now.
The development and passage of EU laws follow a process. A series of steps, from start to end, that provide you, the lobbyist, a limited number of chances to promote and sometimes secure your client’s interests.
The process does not wildly change. The politics and the people involved may change, but the steps, what you should bring to the table, don’t dramatically shift.
This view may seem like a ‘classical’ approach. The current Commission’s operations may, at times, be evolving to a ‘new approach’.
Over time, I have switched to a ‘systems’ based approach. This is just a mechanical approach at looking at each process/issue I work on.
I don’t have a photographic memory and only have a few good hours when my brain is in flow. So, I’ve sought to automise a lot of my work.
This means for the limited areas I focus on, and I’m only comfortable on a few (ordinary legislation, delegated acts, RPS measures, implementing acts, some special procedures) procedures and issues (a focus on chemicals, and a sideline interest/passion on fisheries).
Here is a snapshot.
I’ve collected a set of core materials: Process charts based on examples, best practice Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), checklists, case studies, advisory templates and notes, and reference materials.
Some days, I wonder if this mechanical approach made sense. And, yesterday, I got a call from someone out of the blue on one of those procedures I had systemised. I was able to rattle off the steps they could take, given where the file is, and what had happened in similar cases to theirs. It is at moments like that, the benefits kick in.
The real benefits are peace of mind, and it frees up time.
Sure I’ll spend time creating a new legislative/regulatory journey for each new file, highlighting the chances to step in and leverage change. I’m not starting off from a standing start or leaving things to chance, AI or an intern who is 72 hours into the job.
It frees up time to make the calls to see what is really driving the file, what can be done to change the direction of travel, and what is best to bring to the table. If you don’t understand the journey you are on, you’ll likely be lost most of the time, and not have time to bring the right information to the right people, at the right time.
The only other option is doing one issue/procedure or frying your brain, jumping around between different issues and procedures.