Business is Politics

Joseph Lavoie

Joseph Lavoie is a public affairs expert with 20+ years experience advising G7 prime ministers, political leaders, corporate executives and boards at the intersection of business and politics. He helps you navigate government, politics and regulators with a focus on how to mobilize authentic voices to reshape your regulatory environment. Expect short and digestible lessons, observations, frameworks, and advice to help you navigate the complex intersection of politics and business. Thanks for listening! read less

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VW is feeling regulatory pain

VW is feeling regulatory pain

Volkswagen, for the first time in its 87-year history, is shutting down plants in Germany. Workers are protesting, and the brand identity at the heart of VW is in question. But the real driving force? The regulatory landscape that’s reshaping the automotive industry.

Episodes

VW is feeling regulatory pain

VW is feeling regulatory pain

Volkswagen, for the first time in its 87-year history, is shutting down plants in Germany. Workers are protesting, and the brand identity at the heart of VW is in question. But the real driving force? The regulatory landscape that’s reshaping the automotive industry.

Plan for the unexpected

Plan for the unexpected

It's been a summer of shocking and surprising political developments. But these events are often predictable. You just need to use your imagination and engage in the discipline of scenario planning.

How is your margin of effort

How is your margin of effort

Never assume 1+1=2 in politics, especially if you don't put in the effort.

Yes, you can mobilize voters

Yes, you can mobilize voters

I’ve encountered skepticism about voter mobilization countless times. The belief that voters don’t care enough or that their efforts won’t make a difference is common. However, I've seen firsthand how aligning a cause with voters’ values can turn apathy into action. Here’s a breakdown of how we achieved this.

Harley Davidson's problem

Harley Davidson's problem

Harley Davidson is not just a bike brand. It is Americana. It is Freedom. And its dedicated fan base wraps itself in that identity. So much so, that when Harley Davidson fans meet up at bike rallies, they talk about it as “the brand of freedom…in the land of freedom.” At a recent rally, one fan put it this way: “Harley was like a brotherhood….now it’s just a ghost.” What happened?

Pick your enemies

Pick your enemies

In every campaign I've worked on, people rally for what they believe to be right. And that means they need to understand what's wrong To win a regulatory battle, you need to pick your enemy. Without an enemy, your regulatory campaign won’t perform well. Why? Because a clear enemy simplifies your narrative.

Nine Core CEO Competencies

Nine Core CEO Competencies

Today’s most effective CEOs do politics as a core competency. Which means they need to have these nine core features.

Sometimes you’re forced to engage in a regulatory campaign because you’ve made people angry and they bring the fight to your doorstep. Too many businesses default to turtling in these moments, worried that fighting back may make matters worse or draw negative attention to the fight. Oatly does the opposite, and I love it.

Vibes are not votes

Vibes are not votes

The polling data is clear: Kamala Harris has momentum. But momentum can be blinding, and I’m seeing a lot of it in the media coverage. Don’t confuse vibes with votes. I’ve done it before, and the end result was painful: we were shocked to lose.

Stop chasing moderates

Stop chasing moderates

Here’s something I’m seeing in corporate boardrooms: a desire to win over moderates. It’s a well-intentioned mistake, but it’s a mistake nonetheless. Why? Because that cohort just doesn’t exist on any issue. If they’re “moderate,” they’re indifferent. So, you’ve got two options when engaging this slice of the population.

Incumbency is a liability

Incumbency is a liability

Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock, you know this is the so-called year of democracy. Voter turnout is surging across the globe, and political junkies can barely keep up with the drama. We’ve seen a dramatic change in government in the UK.An impressive counter-mobilization effort to block the right in France.Big shifts in India, South Africa, and Turkey.And just this past week, a major shakeup in Bangladesh. Why does it matter?

Contrast over consensus

Contrast over consensus

Lessons from Kamala Harris' speech to supporters unveiling her VP pick.

Activists move faster than you

Activists move faster than you

At some point, your organization will face opposition. For public companies, that opposition often hits hard in the form of an activist investor. Case in point: Robby Starbuck

Shape your regulatory environment

Shape your regulatory environment

Let’s talk about “The 5-year strategic plan”. Something many organizations develop at some point. Many have the disciplined to review and revise their 5-year strategic plan every 2-3 years. It’s a great exercise in looking around the corner. But here’s the problem with the ones I have seen: They assume the regulatory environment will remain static.

Gone fishing...but hey, a small favour?

Gone fishing...but hey, a small favour?

I'm in the UK this week and will return with fresh takes next week. In the meantime, could I trouble you for some 5-star love?

Politics is about choice

Politics is about choice

Politics, and especially campaigns, are a choice. And if you’re going to engage in politics, you must communicate what the choice is. Every message should be framed through this lens. And that lens needs to reveal the emotions that make the choice compelling.

Politics is about values

Politics is about values

Politics is about values. Which means business is about values. But let’s face it, values are scary. If you lean into them too hard, or don’t execute properly, communicating your brand’s values can backfire. Last week I used Bud Light as a case study for how this can go sideways quick. But, as counter-intuitive as it seems, if your gut instinct is to shy away from values-based campaigns, you’re making a mistake.

Expect shock and surprise

Expect shock and surprise

When I got the news that Joe Biden was stepping out of the race, I was shocked, but not surprised. We’ve seen this coming for weeks. It was only every a matter of time. And yet, when the moment hit, the gravity of it all sends shockwaves through the body. This is politics. And in politics, a minute can feel like an hour, an hour can feel like a day, and a day can feel like a decade. What does it mean for business?

Sitting out a campaign is risky business

Sitting out a campaign is risky business

The fear that public campaigning in regulatory affairs might do more harm than good is a common but misplaced concern. Here's why.

Lessons from Bud Light's political choice

Lessons from Bud Light's political choice

Sometimes, a business trips into a political crisis. Other times, it does so my choice. Today's example is the latter. We're going to rewind the clock to May 2023. Bud Light was on a 22-year run as America’s best-selling beer. A month later, it was dethroned by Modelo Especial. The sharp drop in sales didn’t happen incrementally over an extended period of years. It happened in a matter of weeks.