Internal Communication: a Internal Communication: a critical function for Political critical function for Political

PartiesPartiesMary O’HaganMary O’Hagan

NDI SlovakiaNDI Slovakia

Five Basic QuestionsFive Basic Questions

Why?Why? Who? Who?

Who needs it and who sends it?Who needs it and who sends it? When?When? What? What?

(and what else?)(and what else?) How?How?

Why ? Why ?

Internal Communication is Internal Communication is required for…required for… external communicationexternal communication campaign direction and supportcampaign direction and support party cohesionparty cohesion interactive policy developmentinteractive policy development countering disengagement at all countering disengagement at all

levelslevels

Scenario 1: The National Scenario 1: The National Democratic Party of RuritaniaDemocratic Party of Ruritania This is the largest party in a This is the largest party in a

governing coalition somewhere governing coalition somewhere in Europein Europe

The Party Leader has decided The Party Leader has decided to reform the healthcare systemto reform the healthcare system

This will mean short term costs This will mean short term costs and long term gain and long term gain

There is opposition to the plan There is opposition to the plan within the party and the countrywithin the party and the country

What happens if these people operate What happens if these people operate in an information vacuum?in an information vacuum?

Party Leadership & MinistersParty Leadership & Ministers Campaign/Party HQCampaign/Party HQ MPsMPs Press OfficersPress Officers MPs staffMPs staff Elected members in Regional and Elected members in Regional and

Local Government and their staffLocal Government and their staff Party ActivistsParty Activists

Who?Who?

Making good use of central Making good use of central resources – staff and technicalresources – staff and technical

Solving control and accountability Solving control and accountability problemsproblems Who clears material?Who clears material?

Leadership? Ministers? Parliamentary Leadership? Ministers? Parliamentary Party? Party HQ? Senior staff?Party? Party HQ? Senior staff?

Who decides access?Who decides access? Ensuring communication is 2 wayEnsuring communication is 2 way Watch out for expectation gapsWatch out for expectation gaps Ensure you can deliver whatever you Ensure you can deliver whatever you

promise before you promise itpromise before you promise it

When?When?

Regular CommunicationsRegular Communications Daily, Weekly, Monthly, QuarterlyDaily, Weekly, Monthly, Quarterly

Other CommunicationsOther Communications Special EventsSpecial Events Election CampaignsElection Campaigns

Avoiding OverloadAvoiding Overload Survey users on frequencySurvey users on frequency

What?What?

External CommunicationExternal Communication Forward events informationForward events information

External and internal eventsExternal and internal events Research materialsResearch materials Photo opportunity formatsPhoto opportunity formats Leadership visitsLeadership visits

Embargoed media materialsEmbargoed media materials Questions & Answers and Lines to TakeQuestions & Answers and Lines to Take Themes and messagesThemes and messages

Supporting campaigningSupporting campaigning Local statistics/experienceLocal statistics/experience Monitoring opponentsMonitoring opponents Survey and petition materialsSurvey and petition materials Local articles and press releasesLocal articles and press releases

What Else?What Else?

Supporting cohesionSupporting cohesion Enables party at all levels to speak and listen in Enables party at all levels to speak and listen in

a timely waya timely way Horizontal and vertical links between elected Horizontal and vertical links between elected

institutions at different levels EU, National, institutions at different levels EU, National, Regional, LocalRegional, Local

Formation of new networks Formation of new networks Issues, function, locationIssues, function, location

Interactive Policy DevelopmentInteractive Policy Development Consultation documents and survey responsesConsultation documents and survey responses

Balance content with capacity of clients to Balance content with capacity of clients to read and use your materialsread and use your materials

How?How?

In PersonIn Person Paper products: post/faxPaper products: post/fax

Less amount, smaller networks, lower Less amount, smaller networks, lower frequency, more time & costfrequency, more time & cost

Published productsPublished products Soundbite booksSoundbite books Policy promptsPolicy prompts Points on opponentsPoints on opponents

E-mailE-mail Conferencing/IntranetsConferencing/Intranets Adapt technologies to users’ needsAdapt technologies to users’ needs

Internal Communication as a Internal Communication as a means of Evaluating Progress means of Evaluating Progress within Partieswithin Parties Is Internal Communication seen as Is Internal Communication seen as

important?important? Who is communicating?Who is communicating?

Party HQParty HQ Parliamentary CaucusesParliamentary Caucuses Individual legislatorsIndividual legislators Sub networks?Sub networks?

Who are they communicating with?Who are they communicating with? How far down the pyramid?How far down the pyramid?

How are people communicating?How are people communicating? How often?How often? What information are they sending?What information are they sending?

Are they evaluating their own communications?Are they evaluating their own communications?

Evaluation 2Evaluation 2

Is communication interactive?Is communication interactive? What is the balance of top-down and What is the balance of top-down and

bottom-up messages?bottom-up messages? Have accountability issues been resolved?Have accountability issues been resolved? Are human resources being used well?Are human resources being used well? Is technology being used intelligently?Is technology being used intelligently? Is the information appropriate & timely?Is the information appropriate & timely? Is there a programme for future Is there a programme for future

development?development? Electoral cycle issuesElectoral cycle issues

Is the process of communication Is the process of communication development consultative or directional?development consultative or directional?