Political Savvy
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:
1. Who do you know that demonstrates strong political savvy skills?
2. 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?
3. 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.
4. Compare the use of political savvy skills in your work life to the use of these skills in your personal life.
