More on Small 'P' Politics and Decision Making

I wrote recently on 'educating the decision makers' -- essentially on the need to have the elected officials and executive administration properly educated on issues of wide ranging impacts and consequences in order that truly informed decisions can be made. I can now add a further dimension to this subject.

Yesterday I, along with a colleague, presented at a seminar on the need for field level adaptation programs to lessen the impacts of climate change.  The organizers were the Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing and the Association of Municipalities of Ontario.  The audience consisted of both administrators and elected officials.

From the feedback I received (granted it was a small sample size), I realized that there is a distinct lack of awareness of the obstacles, challenges and blockages of information running up to the decision makers.  Simply put, the elected officials I spoke with were surprised that I (or my colleagues) could not walk into their offices and speak to issues.  And while they mentioned various mechanisms for educating their bodies, were not aware of the pathways and challenges of stickhandling such a proposal through to them.

In fact, although it made sense to these officials, they did not realize that in many instances, the attempt to get information directly to them, contentious or cooperative, sensitive or secure, exciting or banal, may be a "Career Limiting Move," or even grounds for dismissal.

So how does one get information to those that need to decide, undiluted and in a timely fashion, without breaking chain of command?

The only answer I have is that the search for information and the satisfaction (or not) of the reply has to come from the highest levels.  There should be an assumption that not all information is bubbling up, that not all issues are laid on the table and that expediency is maintained in flowing through what is currently in the pipeline.

I realize that not all organizations have the same challenges and some excel better than others at information flow. But I would wager that everyone can admit the possibility of some facets of the above challenges in their organization.

In short, I believe that many senior officials need to have a greater finger on the pulse of the organization (without micro managing), or as the responders put it, a greater situational awareness to determine information gaps and needs and thus make more informed decisions.