Simple Steps to Boost Public Affairs Collaboration

Collaboration is essential in public affairs, but it’s not always easy.?

Often, our time and resources are stretched to meet competing stakeholder demands (both internally and externally), working between cross-functional teams, navigating complex organisations, and managing remote teams.?

Given these constraints, how can we improve collaboration without adding unnecessary complexity??

A recent article in?Harvard Business Review?on cross-functional teams set out complex strategies like operating systems and real-time metrics. These are great for large organisations, but for smaller public affairs teams, such systems can be overwhelming and unnecessary.?

That’s why I’ve adapted some of these ideas into a simpler, more manageable approach that public affairs teams can more easily implement into their daily work.?

They focus on improving efficiency, reducing miscommunication, and helping teams collaborate better—without the need for complex systems, just practical, small changes.?

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1. Keep It Simple: Develop a Lightweight Framework?

You don’t need a comprehensive operating system to improve collaboration in public affairs. The key is to develop a?lightweight framework?that helps your team stay focused on its core objectives, stakeholders, and processes.?

Define Clear Objectives Aligned with Strategy?

It all starts with aligning your public affairs goals with your organisation’s strategy and purpose. Whether your focus is on managing regulatory issues, influencing policy, or engaging with advocacy groups, your team’s objectives need to fit into the bigger picture.?

Assign Roles and Identify Cross-Functional Partners?

Next, it’s about assigning roles within the team and identifying the key?cross-functional partners?you’ll need to work with.?

Rather than scrambling for input at the last minute, having a clear plan for who needs to be involved—and when—helps streamline your efforts. It also reduces the chances of miscommunication or missed deadlines.?

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2. Use Real-Time Feedback to Stay on Track?

In larger organisations, advanced measurement tools are often used to track progress and team performance. But let’s be honest: most public affairs teams don’t have the resources or time to implement these kinds of systems. And that’s okay, because you don’t need them to get meaningful feedback and make real-time adjustments.?

Instead of using complex tools, I suggest adopting?simple, real-time feedback mechanisms. The goal is to get quick, actionable insights into how the team is doing and where improvements can be made—without creating more work for yourself.?

Simple Feedback Tools?

You can start by introducing something as simple as a?weekly three-question survey. This might include questions like:?

• How do you feel about the current workload??

• Are there any obstacles preventing you from completing your work??

• What could help improve collaboration with other teams??

These quick "temperature checks" allow you to assess how the team is feeling, identify any bottlenecks, and make adjustments before small issues turn into larger problems. The key is to keep it simple and easy to fill out—this way, team members are more likely to engage.?

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3. Focus on Continuous Learning Without Overwhelming Public Affairs Teams?

One of the concepts from the?Harvard Business Review?article that stood out to me was the idea of continuous improvement. In larger teams, this might take the form of formal innovation systems or structured feedback processes. But for public affairs teams, this can feel like overkill.?

Instead of introducing formal systems, focus on encouraging a?mindset of continuous learning?through reflection and iteration.?

Quick Reflection Sessions?

After each project or campaign, hold a brief "what worked, what didn’t" session. This can be a 15-minute informal chat where the team reflects on their work and identifies small improvements. It doesn’t need to be a full post-mortem; just a quick look at what you can do better next time.?

Encourage team members to take ownership of their contributions and suggest ways to improve processes. This way, continuous learning becomes embedded in the team’s culture without requiring any additional systems or heavy documentation.?

Empower the Team to Contribute to Improvements?

Make it clear that everyone on the team has a role to play in improving collaboration. When team members feel like they have a say in how things are done, they’re more likely to be invested in making things work better. This doesn’t have to be a formal process—just create opportunities for people to share their ideas and take initiative.?

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The Benefits of a Scaled-Down Approach?

So, what’s the advantage of scaling down these big ideas into something more practical? The main benefit is?efficiency. Public affairs teams are already balancing so many priorities, and adding more layers of complexity simply isn’t realistic.?

A streamlined approach that focuses on quick wins, real-time feedback, and continuous learning helps teams:?

• Reduce miscommunication?and ensure everyone is on the same page.?

• Improve collaboration?with both internal and external stakeholders.?

• Stay aligned?with broader organisational goals without getting bogged down by processes.?

• Respond quickly?to challenges and make small adjustments that improve efficiency over time.?

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Let’s Discuss How This Can Work for Your Public Affairs Team?

If you’re looking to improve collaboration within your public affairs team but don’t want to overcomplicate things, I’d love to help.?

Feel free to reach out for a chat, or visit my website for more details.?

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