Understanding the Political Dimension of Civil Service Policy-Making
This is an open programme and an in-house training course, which we can deliver either online or in person. For further information and pricing contact [email protected] or phone on +44 20 7661 7817.
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Overview
This training seminar will examine in detail how political thinking and the political dimension of a government’s programme interact with the processes of the civil service making impartial and objective policy, and giving ministers impartial advice. It will look at the importance of the civil service having a proper understanding of this political dimension of the world in which you operate and work, and examine what political thinking is, what it is used for, and why it is important for you to understand it in your policy roles. It will also enable you to build a framework for political thinking and a range of effective, yet simple, tools and techniques that can be used in day-to-day work to support the decision-making process.
Who is the seminar designed for?
The seminar has been designed for civil servants working at all levels, and in every aspect of policy work from the initial stages of design and development, through option appraisal and evaluation, into decision making and then onto implementation and delivery. It is for everyone who wishes to improve your understanding of how an appreciation of political thinking and the political considerations of ministers interact on a daily basis with the policy process. It will give you guidance on how to apply awareness of these considerations in practical terms in your own thought processes, while ensuring that you remain impartial and politically neutral.
How will you benefit from attending?
You will be able to demystify the world of political thinking. You will be given tools to have greater confidence and ability in formulating effective support and advice for political decision-makers and others. You will be able to contribute more effectively to building the reputation of your department or organisation, and enhancing its effectiveness in delivering beneficial policy outcomes and better quality, more impactful public services.
Learning outcomes
- Understand how the political world and the world of impartial civil service policy interact
- Learn a systematic approach to thinking from political perspectives, so as to ensure that your politically impartial policy-making is robust and most likely to produce the real-world impact intended
- Learn how to understand the bigger picture, as well as the detail within it, that will together enable you to make better decisions
- Learn how to apply techniques for testing the feasibility of policy implementation
- Learn how to assess risk and cope with scrutiny
- Understand the transferability of the ideas, principles and processes of political thinking into policy-making in different cultural, national and organisational contexts
This is an open programme and an in-house training course, which we can deliver either online or in person. For further information and pricing contact [email protected] or phone on +44 20 7661 7817.
Agenda
Session One The Essentials
- Welcome and Introductions
- How do the political and policy worlds interact from a civil service perspective?
- What is “political thinking”? Definitions and essentials
- A framework for political thinking: a systematic approach
- Facilitated discussion
Session Two The Bigger Picture
- The bigger picture: setting a vision, understanding the issue, decision-making
- The components of the policy landscape and key players (people and institutions and the interconnections)
- Who/what exercises power and influence in the political sphere, and what implications does this have for policy makers?
- Creating a vision: what matters and why
- Identifying the desired policy outcome
- Understanding the needs and thought processes of political decision-makers
- Sharing of delegate perspectives
Break
Session Three Reality Testing
- Scenario planning for implementation and reality testing
- Methodologies for assessing how the agreed policy/decision will work in the real world
- Facilitated delegate discussion
Session Four Risk and Scrutiny
- Risk and scrutiny
- Understanding the nature of risk in political work and how this impacts on policy development and option appraisal
- Examine and analyse the perspectives of those who scrutinise policy decisions and those who have to promote and defend them in parliament and to the public
- Communicating decisions internally and externally
- Learning lessons from past experience and organisational memory
Session Five: Review and Discussion
Review of the day and final delegate input
Close
Our L&D ethos
We’re here to enable you to perform better!
Our L&D team
- All former practitioners, now professional trainers, our L&D team have provided open and bespoke solutions for more than 100,000 public servants from 120 countries
Our L&D seminars
- A vast reservoir of international, transferable knowledge and perspectives about effective, delivery-focused approaches to working smarter in the public sector
Please contact us for further details, or to arrange a conversation with a member of our training team to discuss in-house delivery options, including tailoring the day’s training to your specific organisational development needs. You can email David Leakey on [email protected] or phone on +44 20 7661 7817.
Crown Commercial Service supports the public sector to achieve maximum commercial value when procuring common goods and services.
