By Sandra Naranjo Bautista
Civil servants often found themselves dealing with policy implementation in the face of political actors who want to ‘get things done fast’. At times, two opposite views of reality. The gap between the technical and the political seems to never close. But, what if instead of trying to close the gap, we start building a bridge to connect the two? This article proposes three ways to bring the perspectives of civil servants and politicians closer.
Technical or political?
If you were to define your role as technical or political, what would that be?
I used to say technical, but that wouldn’t be accurate. There’s no way to escape from politics, we need to embrace it. Instead of choosing between technical or political, perhaps it’s time to be open to the possibility of a third option, a technopol or a politech?
This would be the first step of building a bridge between the two. Realizing that we have both roles, regardless of our position.
Fix the time inconsistency
The timeframe of politicians and civil servants is different.
As a minister, you know when you start but you never know when you’ll finish. It could be a day, months, or years. You’re in a battle against time, to get things done fast and show results while you still can. Politicians have a present bias; they would prefer policies that benefit them in the present.
As a civil servant, on the other side, your career is in the public sector. Your time horizon is longer. There seems to be time to think, innovate, to plan (when you’re not trapped by the urgencies of the politicians).
One way to match the time inconsistency between politicians and civil servants is to bring forward the impact of a future policy. In other words, think about having a short-term gain for the long-term impact policy or project.
Make what works more attractive
There could be a tension between what sells (gets votes) and what works. The perceived battle between the technical and the political. I prefer not to think of these alternatives as mutually exclusive.
How to convince then the authorities to implement evidence-based policies that don’t show immediate results? Use this principle of negotiation that Professor Mandell taught me, ‘negotiation is the art of letting them have it your way’.
If you feel that politics is prioritized, try using a different approach. How could your technical solution be politically attractive? Think of it from the perspective of the decision-maker.
For example, if you would like to integrate user research in policy development but you feel like there’s no time. Try making it a priority. Highlight the benefits of such a program, show examples where it has worked. Like Mayor Sergio Fajardo did in Medellin where he involved the community from the start to successfully implement the Integral Urban Projects.
Let preparation meet opportunity
In a recent blog, Harvard Professor Matt Andrews talked about how moments matter in development. He explained that ‘change events’ happen when contexts become ready for change. While we can’t control how context changes, but we can control how ready we are for it when it happens.
In other words, be prepared for when the opportunity comes. This sometimes means starting the research, preparing the draft of a policy, doing some pre-work before anything happens. Sometimes the only option is to wait until the time is right.
If you’re ready, politicians’ present-bias could also play in your favor. When the time comes to show a project that’s ready to go or to present a proposal to solve a particular issue, it could be your moment.
You could also create the moment by being proactive, give information that is consistent with the decision maker’s agenda. Try to find an entry point to present your proposal.
Build the bridge to get things done
Technical and political views might oppose, but they have to co-exist to get things done. You can help build the bridge between the technical and the political. Start by understanding the time inconsistency between politicians and civil servants. Make sure to bring long-term gains forward. Reframe the question and try to make what works more attractive for the decision-maker. Finally, as a civil servant, take the advantage of time and be ready for when the opportunity presents itself. Sometimes it’s sooner than one would’ve anticipated.
And, if you haven’t already, download the Public Policy Made Simple Guide with 5 secrets for effective policy implementation. Check out number 2 in particular where I talk about the strategic triangle.
Photo by Jeff Nissen on Unsplash
