Professionals build and foster networks to gather information and insights beyond their own thinking or that of their organization.
They take the temperature of a community and share their understanding with decision-makers. Working internally or externally, the practice of this networking skill is referred to as political savvy. Explore the characteristics of a politically savvy professional.
Review the four practices of an individual who is politically savvy.
Discussion Questions:
- Who do you know that demonstrates strong political savvy skills?
- Share one example of how you and your colleagues anticipated stakeholder resistance to a public agency action. How did you learn of the resistance? What did you do in response to the resistance?
- Describe one example of how new information from an external network of partners led to change in a public agency’s operations, regulations or authorities/laws.
- Compare the use of political savvy skills in your work life to the use of these skills in your personal life.
Presenter: Liz Madison
Senior Fellow, Partnership and Community Collaboration Academy
