The policy phoropter

Lens 4 — flat and factual / frank and fearless / truth to power

Flat and factual, frank and fearless, and truth to power all ‘talk’ to the same principle, with slight nuances. We provide advice that is flat and factual, which means our advice is evidence-informed. Frank and fearless is how we provide the advice, and truth to power is the courage we sometimes need to get us over the frank and fearless line. Let’s explore these a bit further.

The principle is that when we provide policy advice, we don’t taper it to suit the desires of our audience. The principle ensures that our policy advice is always informed by triangulated evidence (multiple sources of evidence), and that if there isn’t a solid evidence base, we say so. Remember, our job is to provide stakeholders, including the authorising environment, with the information they need, not what they desire. Policy decision-making must never be informed by cherry-picked evidence.

No doubt there is a tension between doing this professionally and with ease, and being terrified of delivering advice that you know is not going to be welcomed. I have watched in awe when people did this with such confidence and aplomb — maybe their tummy was doing backflips, like mine, but you couldn’t tell. Remember that your professionalism is on the line. Ultimately, you won’t be rewarded or professionally respected for people-pleasing instead of ensuring facts and evidence are the only things on the table.

How to give advice that is flat and factual, frank and fearless, and that holds truth to power

·????? Do your job — build advice that is evidence-informed.

·????? To do your job, you need to do your policy homework. Gather evidence; analyse evidence, including conflicting evidence; synthesise evidence; present evidence, warts and all.

·????? The public, your employers, the hierarchy are expecting you to do your job. They do not want you to provide uninformed opinion or to cherry-pick evidence to suit your audiences’ desires (you know this already). Now, if a decision maker directs you to only provide the evidence that supports their position, you have some decision making of your own to do. I have been in that position. Document everything, and decide 1) if the decision maker’s position is lawful, and if not, what you are going to do about it, and 2) whether you’re in the right job. I wasn’t.

·????? No doubt this can be excruciatingly tough at times. But I have confidence that you can do it — you’re building your career as a bloody good policy officer.

Lens 5 — rigour

We must be thorough with all our policy efforts. We must, in the time available to us, turn over every possible stone. We must always be on the lookout for opportunities and risks. We must ponder all the ‘what ifs’. We must consider and analyse the evidence we have. When we are rigorous, we build an environment of trust. We build an environment that creates bloody good policy work.

How to be rigorous

·????? Dot your I’s and cross your T’s.

·????? When you don’t know something, say it.

·????? Test and stress test your work, and help your colleagues do the same with theirs.

·????? Seek assistance from colleagues. Find someone who knows how to do the things you don’t. Sure, be willing to try, though don’t fly by the seat of your pants — the consequences can be enormous.

·????? Seek feedback. Constructive criticism is a precious and valuable thing, so ask for it.

·????? Informed rigour is not the same as assumed confidence. Apply flat and factual, frank and fearless and truth to power all the time.