What is Value in Public Affairs Work and How to Find it?
In recent weeks, including on the second Internal Side of Public Affairs webinar discussion, the issue of identifying-delivering-showcasing value has come up repeatedly. This theme cross-cuts many of my posts – but here I want to look at the core question in more detail. Are we just talking about metrics and measurement or is there more to this concept of value in Public Affairs? This question is critical for every Public Affairs professional. You need to know what value your client (be that internal or external) is looking for so you can deliver success. This is not just what they (say they) want but also the other ways you can deliver value. So, what exactly constitutes value, and how can we find out what it is?
Different Types of Value in Public Affairs Work:
- Professional / Team Value: Running a good ship is a value. A structured Public Affairs function that links to the right places in the business, provides the right input and advice at the right times. Think reporting / business planning. This adds value.
- Stakeholder Value: Value can be built internally and externally through the quality and depth of relationships with key stakeholders, including government officials, industry leaders, and your internal management teams and key stakeholders.
- Crisis Value: Navigating and mitigating crises (of different sorts), is often one of the most direct and visible ways to demonstrate value.
- Financial Value: Mitigating risks or pursuing opportunities that make a financial contribution to the organization.
- Personal Value: Certain key (often but not exclusively internal) stakeholders will get value from speaking opportunities, meeting opportunities or other personal motivators. These should not be ignored.
- Reputation Value: Great external work can help support and build the reputation of the organization – which can be a great value (in several ways).
- No Surprises: Many organizations place great value on being eyes wide open.
How to Find the Value for your Organization:
- Survey & Presence: You need to ask your organization directly and you also need (you or your team) to be present in as many of the key internal meetings as possible to understand your organization’s (spoken and unspoken) needs.
- Feedback Loops: Regularly seek feedback from internal and external stakeholders to gauge what value is for them and identify areas for improvement.
- Space for Dialogue: Make sure to create space to discuss Public Affairs Value. This can be a dedicated group or time on the right agendas. But you need to air this.
- Benchmarking and Peer Conversations: Compare the value you are trying to deliver against industry standards and best practices and that of peers to see what other options you have.
Identifying, articulating and then tracking value should be a core exercise that you are constantly running (because things and people change). You need to be able to answer the question of what value you add to your organization in an elevator pitch. 30 seconds.
Are there are other types of value Public Affairs can bring? What strategies do you use to determine, identify and articulate value in your Public Affairs work?
