Business is Politics

This week, a client shared a thought-provoking Substack from The Honest Broker that provides a new framework for communications, he calls the 6 new rules for communicating. The main point the author makes is that the era of teleprompters and talking points has come to an end. Some of these rules we’ve always known to be true in politics. But they’ve been harder to adopt in a business or regulatory context. But, given how less accessible the public has become, it might be time to loosen up a bit. Here are the rules, and my take on each.

Tactics and activity for the sake of it can be distracting and ineffective.

In trying to assess what went right/wrong for Democrats in last week’s lost to Trump, I’ve come across several pundits who are using these results as proof that the ground game doesn’t matter. The take goes along these lines: Harris relied on back technology: the technology of knocking on doors. In some battleground states, they estimate they were knocking on 10 doors for every one that the Trump campaign knocked on. And yet, it wasn’t enough. In other words, stop wasting so much money on old tech, because if Trump can with without it, surely the Democrats can. Which is absolute BS

There’s been plenty of coverage and analysis in the aftermath of Trump’s victory. It’s while there is such a thing as over-simplifying these, sometimes, there’s solace in simplicity, so long as it’s not simplistic. And I think every corporate communicator has a simple lesson to learn from the results. It’s not about who has the better ground game. It’s not about who signals the right virtues. It’s not about whether you can or should trust public opinion polling. It’s about one simple thing: Do you know what the ballot question is?

I’ve been spending a lot of time recently obsessing over word choices. That’s because words matter. The right combination of words matter even more. But here’s why I obsess over word choices: It is tough to find the right combination.

Societal Alignment is the strategic power derived from a company’s ability to align its goals, values, and operations with the broader needs and priorities of society, and to actively engage with citizens and communities/ Here's why it matters.

Public Trust is about building a strong, trustworthy reputation that enhances public confidence and influences regulatory perceptions and decisions. When you have public trust, you earn the benefit of the doubt. You earn a wider permission space. It’s like the grease between the gears, and without it, you can’t be effective. And here’s why it’s so powerful: A well-known and respected brand is difficult for new entrants to replicate quickly. A good brand comes with time, and is the result of constant engagement with political actors, regulators, and citizens.

Regulatory adaptability and ecosystem control is the strategic power derived from a company’s ability to control critical components of its industry ecosystem, enabling it to influence regulatory environments, shape regulatory standards, and quickly adapt to regulatory changes. Here's why it matters.

Next up in my draft framework for regulatory success: Coalition building. Now, this sounds like a pretty standard play, but uniting competitors behind a shared industry goal is something near impossible. It involves herding cats and getting competitors to work collaboratively. This can be especially tough in emerging sectors or emerging policy areas. When it works though, it works well and can often lead to more balanced regulations that consider multiple perspectives.

Here's how effectively advocating for favourable regulatory conditions through strategic lobbying efforts and mobilizing citizens can create a hell of a moat.

We’ve covered off the first two powers, 1) Regulatory Foresight, and 2) Government Engagement. Next up, the Power of Compliance Leadership. Which is simply setting industry benchmarks by exceeding standard regulatory compliance requirements.

I’m experimenting with a new framework for multinational brands navigating complex political and regulatory landscapes. Last week I explored the power of Regulatory Foresight. Today, we look at the power of Government Engagement, with an eye to securing exclusive regulatory partnerships.

I’m experimenting with a new framework for multinational brands navigating complex political and regulatory landscapes. I’m still fleshing this out, but I have a v.01 of 7 Regulatory Powers that the most successful businesses leverage to manage political risk, regulatory challenges, influence policy, and build a strategic advantage in diverse markets. Here are my 8 Regulatory Powers: Regulatory ForesightGovernment EngagementCompliance LeadershipAdvocacy InfluenceCoalition BuildingRegulatory AdaptabilityPublic TrustCitizen Engagement I’ll break down each of these over the course of the next 8 episodes of the podcast. First up, Power #1: Regulatory Foresight.

Boeing is in trouble. 17,000 jobs are being cut. The 777X jet is delayed. But there’s more to this story.

Every government is becoming more interventionist. Every business faces more regulation. And small businesses should the burden of increasing regulation. But every small business carries political influence.

Every business needs to do politics. To do politics, you need a plan. Specifically, a campaign plan. Not for the output, for the input. Because, let’s be honest: most plans are useless.

Every business is in the business of politics. Today’s example? Nintendo. How can a video game producer become a political target? Oh, the possibilities are endless. political content in gamesportrayal of violence in gamespatent infringements. But today, let’s take a look at conflict minerals sourcing.

Joseph Lavoie, Jason Craik, and Hunter Knifton discuss the evolving political landscape in British Columbia, focusing on the upcoming election. They analyze the significance of electoral maps, demographic shifts, and the impact of voter turnout on the election outcome. The discussion highlights the importance of businesses understanding these dynamics to engage effectively in the political process and influence policy decisions. The conversation emphasizes the need for targeted strategies in campaigning and the role of demographics in shaping voter preferences. Takeaways The BC political landscape is rapidly changing with significant shifts in party dynamics.Voter turnout will be crucial in determining the election outcome.Electoral maps are essential tools for understanding political trends and voter behavior.Demographic changes are influencing voting patterns in unexpected ways.Businesses must engage with the political process to advocate for their interests.The Greater Vancouver area is a key battleground for the upcoming election.Understanding local issues is vital for effective campaigning.Political strategies must adapt to the changing demographics and voter preferences.Face-to-face engagement remains a powerful tool in political campaigning.The importance of mapping and data analysis in shaping political strategies cannot be overstated.

In this episode, Jason Craig uses the example of a forest company to illustrate how maps overlay with political issues.

It's not enough to understand electoral maps at a riding or constituency level, you need to understand poll by poll, or house by house. But that has its own challenges.