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Confidential. Not to be copied without permission © Growth Solutions Group 2006
Issues Management
AMI Government Marketing ConferenceAugust 4 2006
Legitimacy and Illegitimacy
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Confidential. Not to be copied without permission © Growth Solutions Group 2006
What Is An Issue?
An issue is:
• A disagreement over facts, values or policies;
• A disagreement over procedural or substantive matters related to how resources or positions are distributed;
• A controversial inconsistency based on one or more gaps in expectations involving management perceptions about changing cost/benefit positions and different views about what is, and/or, what ought to be, organisational performance. It includes stakeholder perceptions about performance.
• The issue is also what you want the issue to be.
Source: Professor John Mahon. University of Maine ACCPA Newsletter
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Confidential. Not to be copied without permission © Growth Solutions Group 2006
Definition: Issues Management
Keeping the
elephants away
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Confidential. Not to be copied without permission © Growth Solutions Group 2006
Definition: Issues Management
The process of monitoring
questions that need to be
communicated, tracked
and resolved
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Confidential. Not to be copied without permission © Growth Solutions Group 2006
What Does This Mean for Government ?
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Confidential. Not to be copied without permission © Growth Solutions Group 2006
Different Perspectives on the Role of Issues Management
Business
• Anticipation
• Scenario Planning
• Reputation
Maintenance
• Avoidance of crisis
Government
• Media
• Putting out fires
• Crises
• Ministers
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Confidential. Not to be copied without permission © Growth Solutions Group 2006
A Framework for Government Issues Management
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Confidential. Not to be copied without permission © Growth Solutions Group 2006
Getting the Context Right
Embedding issues management into the planning process
Regular updates
Line management education
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Confidential. Not to be copied without permission © Growth Solutions Group 2006
How?
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Confidential. Not to be copied without permission © Growth Solutions Group 2006
The Role of Issues Management in Strategic Planning
Craig Fleisher's Emerging PA Model:
• PA and issues managed as a year round process
• Cultivating and maintaining enduring stakeholder relationships
• Influencing stakeholders using refined information
• Managing the grassroots
• Communicating in an integrated manner
• Continually aligning values and strategy with the public’s interests
• Improving external relations using the accepted facets of contemporary
management practice
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Confidential. Not to be copied without permission © Growth Solutions Group 2006
Risk, Opportunity and Issues Analysis
• Conduct issues monitoring and environmental scans locally and globally
• Analyse threats and be sceptical
• Use standard analytical tools: SWOT, PEST, Porter model
• Undertake scenario planning: What ifs?
• Constantly retest internal perception against external realities
• To produce: Risk, Opportunity and Issues Profile.
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Confidential. Not to be copied without permission © Growth Solutions Group 2006
Research, Stakeholders and Publics
Categorise risks, threats and opportunities according to priorities around:
• Capacity to impact on survival/success
• Probability
• Capacity to influence
• Impact on individual organisations versus group influences
Use benchmark stakeholder research to identify key relationship needs
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Confidential. Not to be copied without permission © Growth Solutions Group 2006
Why?
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Confidential. Not to be copied without permission © Growth Solutions Group 2006
Understanding the Issues Lifecycle
Time
Intensity
Current Resource Allocation: Time/Money
Desired Resource Allocation
Issue Lifecycle
Identification
Media
Action
Legislation, Regulation, Project dropped or modified
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Confidential. Not to be copied without permission © Growth Solutions Group 2006
Getting on Your Bike!
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Confidential. Not to be copied without permission © Growth Solutions Group 2006
Keys to Issues Management
Asking “What ifs?”
Setting priorities
Getting space
The balcony view
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Confidential. Not to be copied without permission © Growth Solutions Group 2006
Anticipating and Defining Issues
Understanding the context – global trends, demography, economics, social
change
Political monitoring
Media content and trend analysis
Reality therapy - listening to, and looking at, the world to avoid group think
The internet
Using conventional planning tools e.g., scenario planning, SWOT,
environmental analysis, stakeholder analysis, corporate planning situation
analysis methodologies
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Confidential. Not to be copied without permission © Growth Solutions Group 2006
Ranking Issues
A common model uses ranking of issues by capacity to influence, importance and probability
Capacity to Influence
Importance
Low Probability
High Probability
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Confidential. Not to be copied without permission © Growth Solutions Group 2006
Managing Issues - Some Basic Strategic Questions
• Who centres and frames the issue?
• What is the issue - how do we define the real core of the problem?
• Why is it an issue?
• Where will it be contested?
• Why is it important - what social, economic, political factor or interest group underpins it?
• Who are the players?
• How can it be resolved?
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Confidential. Not to be copied without permission © Growth Solutions Group 2006
Managing Issues - Techniques and Tactics
• Rectification
• Media programs
• Masterly inaction
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Confidential. Not to be copied without permission © Growth Solutions Group 2006
An Issues Management Methodology
Stakeholder Analysis to Identify:
• Those directly involved in issues
• Allies and potential allies
• Entrenched opponents
• Independent monitors and opinion formers
• Uninvolved
Management Options:
Recruit as advocates
Encourage support
Seek to neutralise
Maintain dialogue
Monitor and anticipate ‘what ifs
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Confidential. Not to be copied without permission © Growth Solutions Group 2006
Some Conclusions
• No perfect systems – but we have an ongoing role bringing the outside inside
(Peter Drucker)
• Many methodologies and techniques to choose from
• When do we cross the line from issue to crises?
• Managing issues effectively is the best way to avoid crises