Advice and Influence (Developing)

70% on-the-job learning

• Read the Public Service Commission’s A guide on integrity and conduct, factsheets on free and frank advice and policy stewardship.
• Read your agency’s style guides and processes for different types of documents.
• Review previous advice to decision makers to get a feeling of tone, language and appropriate format.
• Prepare short documents, ministerials, Official Information Act requests, key messages, simple briefing papers etc.
• Learn about the relevant legislation, regulations and Cabinet decisions relating to your work.
• Learn how to access legislation, regulations, written and oral parliamentary questions, and select committee reports online.
• Peer review colleagues’ work to build your understanding of how well-reasoned, impartial and politically neutral policy advice is presented.
• Learn how to write policy advice that is clear, accurate, well-reasoned, impartial and politically neutral, and targeted to the audience.
• Contribute data, text and analysis to support the work of others for a range of products (e.g. talking points, web content, reporting on status).
• Assist your team on policy issues or tasks that you are unfamiliar with.

20% learning from others

• Ask senior colleagues to identify effective policy advice papers. Review them to identify what works.
• If possible, accompany your manager or a senior colleague to meetings with senior management or leadership teams, so you can see how messages are communicated.
• Seek peer review or coaching from more experienced analysts or your manager.
• If possible, accompany your manager or a senior colleague to meetings with the minister, so you can see how key messages are communicated and how officials interact with the minister.

10% formal learning

• Take an introductory negotiation and influencing skills course.
• Consider training in storytelling.
• Take a persuasive writing or plain English course (e.g. Business Writing Essentials by Write Limited).