Politics and bureaucrats

The removal of Gary Webster as chief general manager of the TTC caused a firestorm of opinion and media coverage. Webster’s not the first high profile bureaucrat to get the boot in recent years. In fact, it seems to be a growing trend.

Performance issues for any top bureaucrat or other high-profile leader are debatable, maybe some of these individuals were on their way out, maybe not. The political timing of their departure is no accident and neither is the outrage that follows.

In some situations a better communications strategy could mitigate the political damage done. If there are reasons for removing bureaucratic leaders at a particular moment in time, then do a better job of communicating. Sudden, unclear firings during political turmoil tend to look bad. Both sides may lose credibility.

Everyone is aware of the modern, more active political firing squad. So what now? Will voters react at the polls? Will bureaucratic leaders increasingly reflect political influence?

It’s time for a talk. Politicians need to reinforce the position of bureaucratic leaders and restore trust. Alternatively, there needs to be an honest public dialogue about the influence of politics at the higher levels of public service and an evaluation of what that means. This whole issue needs a boost in transparency and accountability. It doesn’t have to be this messy.

Political Communications 24/7

The stakes are rising for political communications

“If it was a bar fight, it was all over before anyone got their coat off.” - Ottawa lobbyist Geoff Norquay

A few weeks ago the Globe and Mail featured a piece on the effectiveness of the Conservative Party’s communications. Whether or not their methods are always agreeable is one thing…but the impact of their strategy is everywhere.

"The message control has been well documented. The insight comes from properly reading and analyzing the landscape and the players, and the opportunity is the moment that presents itself to act". - (Globe and Mail)

The strategy used by the Conservatives has resulted in some very influential narratives. They’re always on - analyzing - responding - taking advantage - repeating the message. Their communications efforts are dynamic – they’re living and breathing. Their communications aren’t without mounds of criticism - but there are lessons of value here.

The political landscape is now a constant message battle. It’s not always about campaigning or attack ads. It can be a single issue. The idea isn’t new but the evidence is mounting.
This doesn’t mean everyone needs to take the same approach. Ethics vary. Not every audience will respond to the same methods or messaging.

The focus needs to be on what happens behind the curtains. Other stakeholders need to pay attention to the effectiveness of the elements used by the Conservatives and their external strategists (see Globe article linked in title for details). Content aside, their leadership places a high value (and close watch) on communication - the stakes have been raised - now everyone needs to catch up.

It is time for greater investment in communications outside of election time.
Messaging is less restricted by time, it is more competitive, more interactive. Our attention span is short. Dropping a campaign at election time doesn’t cut it anymore.

Gen-Y Engaged

Welcome to the Perception Post.

My name's Will and I'm a post-graduate student in Toronto. Here you'll find commentary and analysis on interesting business and political issues. I also write about my own experiences as a Gen-Y professional working in these areas.  

I’ve lived and worked all over Ontario in all of the major sectors. I’ve been fortunate enough to have some amazing experiences and I keep stumbling across more. It’s time to start sharing some of my adventures.

I look forward to connecting and engaging, so feel free to follow along here or on Twitter @Will_Pennell.

Thanks for reading,

-          Will