POLITICAL ACUMEN TOOLKIT: INTRODUCTION

Political Acumen can be defined many ways. CAMA members have described it as:

• Understanding the power structures, motivations, and influences at play in the municipal decision-making process as well as the implications of these decisions at policy-making and public levels.
• Diplomacy and the ability to navigate politically sensitive issues.
• Bridging the technical and the political.
• Critical thinking and emotional intelligence in the political realm.
• Understanding the impact of politics on administration.
• The ability to look at issues from the perspective of elected officials and anticipate public reaction.
• Using effective communication to influence decision-making.
• A combination of intuition and learned skills for understanding, mitigating, or influencing decisions, processes, and their impacts on a municipality.
• Understanding the informal and social implications in addition to the fiscal and operational outcomes of decisions.

Political acumen has been defined by others as:

• “A way of thinking and behaving;”
• Being able to “better guide choices and behaviour in each context in order to accomplish one’s goals and objectives;” and
• A core competency that includes “personal/self knowledge and interpersonal skills, a capacity to read people and situations, a capacity for proactive and strategic stakeholder engagement and alignment, and the ability to use environmental strategic thinking and scanning to understand the context” (Constantinou, 2017, p. 2).

In an online leadership & political acumen course offered through LinkedIn’s learning platform, Lynda.com, political acumen is described as the ability to accurately perceive and judge the formal and informal influences that shape decision-making. That is, it is about reading the situation to make decisions “based on what is really going on” (Andreatta, 2013).

What is clear from these definitions is that political acumen is not any one thing. Instead of being a single specific skill-set, it is a combination of competencies that will serve a CAO and other senior administrators in a variety of different ways. Political acuity needs to be acquired and practiced. While it may come naturally to some individuals, others will need to learn it through experience, observation, and talking to colleagues they trust and respect.

Additional Resources:

• Constantinou, P. (2017). Political Acuity and Staff-Council Relations. Canadian Journal of Local Government.
• Andreatta, B. (2013). Understanding Political Acumen. Lynda.com

The role of a CAO is apolitical, and therefore, it is imperative that the CAO and other administrators remain impartial in all matters. At a high level, the role of Administration is to implement the policies of elected officials. This creates an interesting relationship between the political and the non-political in municipal activities. To successfully navigate this nebulous territory, it is important that municipal leaders understand the politics of a situation as well as have a firm grasp on their role. As much as the CAO and other administrators work in the political realm and need to have a solid understanding of political influences, these roles require that you stay neutral to be able to act effectively on behalf of your municipality.

It is well known that at the federal, provincial/territorial, and, in many cases, the municipal level, partisan politics are entrenched in our governance culture. When changes occur at any level, it shifts perspectives, priorities, and the ways we go about doing business for the public good. Astute CAOs and municipal leaders learn how to adapt to the ever-changing political waters and build a level of trust and credibility with the politicians they work with. Without this, they run the risk of being subject to the opinions of elected officials and can find themselves without a job if they are perceived to be out of alignment with the current political environment or Council.

Developing strong leadership skills plays a significant role in navigating politics as a CAO. Leadership has been defined as the ability to effectively influence others to act in ways that are grounded in shared values, in the pursuit of a shared vision. This is not unlike political acuity itself.

Trust-building is a key ingredient not only for political acumen but for leadership in general. As Kouzes and Posner (2010) state in their book The Truth about Leadership, trust is a fundamental component of your credibility and capacity to get things done. They suggest developing four behaviours to increase your ability to be perceived as trustworthy:

1. Behaving predictably and consistently – Letting others know they can count on you.
2. Communicating clearly – Being clear about your intentions and commitments.
3. Taking your promises seriously – Keeping your word when you make a commitment.
4. Being forthright and candid in what you communicate – Knowing what to disclose and what not to while remaining honest in the information you provide.

Honing skills like these will go a long way toward developing your political acumen and leadership style within your municipality. Indeed, leadership and political understanding go hand-in-hand. Focusing on situational leadership and adapting your approach to the context requires a firm grasp of political acumen. Likewise, refining your political acumen skills requires a display of leadership. The role of a CAO and other senior managers is to use both skill-sets to effectively navigate municipal politics while still maintaining a separation between the political and the administrative.

Additional Resources

• Kouzes, J. & Posner, B. (2010). The truth about leadership: The no-fads, heart-of-the-matter facts you need to know.

Political acumen requires situational knowledge across a diversity of municipal landscapes. However, there are some truths that apply throughout. Here are the top 10 ways to demonstrate political acuity:

1. Integrity: Maintaining your integrity is crucial to achieving success as a CAO. This rings true in all of your actions as well as supporting ethical behaviour on the part of your elected officials.

2. Roles: Council, the CAO and other Senior Administrators must all have a clear grasp of their role in municipal governance. Council orientations, training, and mentorship are key to understanding the boundaries and mitigating the risk that comes with blurred lines between roles.

3. Priorities: As a CAO your actions should be aligned with those of Council. Take the time to learn what Council’s priorities are, and do not be afraid to clarify if needed.

4. Trust: Establishing trust is a cornerstone of leadership and lays the foundation of political acumen. Trust is not a given and must be earned through your actions.

5. Respect: Even if you do not agree with your political leaders or the decisions they make, you must always respect them and demonstrate this respect to your staff and the public.

6. Transparency: Maintain a culture of no surprises and no secrets between you and your Council. Being transparent and honest is vital to building relationships that will support your career now and into the future.

7. Relationship-Building: Work at building rapport at all levels. Whether it is your staff, your Council, your municipal neighbours, the media, or interactions at the provincial or federal levels, relationship-building goes a long way toward achieving the goals of your municipality.

8. Neutrality: Leave the politics to the politicians. The role of CAO is to remain neutral on issues while offering the best advice possible to the elected officials making the decision and providing leadership to other municipal staff.

9. Communication: Communication is not only what you say but what you hear. Take the time to listen to Council, residents and other stakeholders to truly understand where they are coming from and be honest in the information you provide. Be open and respectful in your discussions with Council and never take anything personally.

10. Feedback: Do not be afraid to ask for feedback. Meeting with your Council formally and informally can help ensure you are aligned with the strategic plan they have set for the municipality. Finding a mentor can also be a valuable resource for working through challenging situations and having someone to go to for support.

The Political Acumen Toolkit was developed by Transitional Solutions Inc. (TSI) in collaboration with the Canadian Association of Municipal Administrators (CAMA). TSI is a municipal consulting firm headquartered in Edmonton, Alberta that provides services across Canada. TSI’s team of consultants have been in your shoes as CAOs and senior administrators and have brought their firsthand experience of political acumen in local government to the development of this toolkit.

The authors and the CAMA Political Acumen Committee made every effort to reflect the nuances of different government bodies and their requirements across the Country. However, it is always important to check your local legislation, regulations and bylaws to ensure you are aware of the requirements for each subject matter area in your province or territory. For example, there may be specific requirements for council orientation sessions or council agendas in each part of Canada.

While we have endeavoured to provide as many samples as possible, it is also good to check with a trusted colleague or mentor from your area to receive information on local standards. The CAMA National Office can connect you with experienced CAOs and Senior Administrators from across the Country.

To facilitate ease of finding information, the Toolkit has been divided into pages and sub-topics to allow you to navigate to the material you need. You can find the full menu of topics at the bottom of every page.