Thinking strategically about the aims and challenges of sound policy and about the wider context in which policy-making takes place

Further your policy career! Widen your understanding of policy and improve your decision making skills through the art of good strategic thinking.

ABOUT:

Anyone seeking to shape good policy and to see policy in its wider context needs to think strategically about aims, resources, opportunities and challenges.

This course is designed for policy-makers wanting to capture the essence of strategic thinking and to develop conceptual framework for strategy in the longer-term.

Key learning objectives

At the end of this course you will be familiar with:

• The essence of good strategic thinking

• The leading factors which need to be considered in formulating a sound strategy

• The relationship between policy aims and resources in strategic thinking

• How a different approach to strategic thinking can enrich decision-making processes

• The respective importance of strategic competition and cooperation in seeking policy outcomes

• How to think about strategy as part of a complex system where policy may have unintended consequences

• Thinking strategically about “whole of government” policy-making

Course Structure

The course is organised into a series of modules, each of which involves a formal presentation of material followed by structured discussions and case work. Participants are encouraged to relate elements of each module to their current preoccupations and practices. As the course proceeds, the material moves from a focus on the ingredients which go into strategic thinking to the particular challenges which strategic thinkers face.

Who should attend?

All those involved in policy roles, or in roles influenced by policy-making, who require an appreciation of the wider strategic context for policy including established policy advisers and analysts and those who are seeking to develop their careers.

Facilitator

Robert Ayson is Senior Fellow at the Australian National University’s Strategic and Defence Studies Centre (SDSC). He is Director of Studies of the SDSC’s Graduate Studies in Strategy and Defence Program, which offers advanced Masters education in strategic studies to Australian, New Zealand and international students. He teaches courses in Strategic Studies and Strategic Concepts.

Day One: The Ingredients of Strategic Thinking

The nature of strategic thinking

An introduction to the importance of strategic thinking and its place in policy.

• What is strategic thinking?

• Military origins of strategic thinking

• Corporate influences on strategic thinking

• Strategic thinking for policy-makers

• Do organizations encourage strategic thinking?

 

Aims in strategy

• Strategic thinking begins with a policy objective

• Thinking Big: Aims beyond the Inbox

• More than motherhood and apple pie statements?

• Why do aims change in strategy?

• How do we measure success in a policy setting?

Resources in strategy

• Strategic thinking really begins with available resources

• Financial resources: Money matters

• Human resources: Good minds count even more

• Material resources: Things matter too

• Information resources: Don’t forget ideas

• Reputational resources: Soft power

• Time as a strategic resource

• Its who you know: Connections in policy

Linking objectives and resources

• Strategy as an ends-means relationship

•Top-down strategy

• Bottom-up strategy

• Iterative strategy: Policy as a feedback cycle

• Does strategy ever end?

    

Leading insights from strategic thinkers

• Sun Tzu and the art of getting what you want

• Clausewitz and the politics of strategy

• Thomas Schelling and the economics of strategy

Day Two: The Challenges of Strategy

Building alliances: Cooperative strategic thinking

• Concepts of cooperation

• Why does cooperation occur in a policy setting?

• How can cooperation be encouraged?

• Who are our policy allies - internally?

• Who are our policy allies - externally?

• Barriers to strategic cooperation

Changing behaviour: Competitive strategic thinking

• Concepts of competition

• Forms of resistance in the policy world

• Competition from within and without?

• Can the client be a competitor?

• Strategies for reducing competition

• Getting the other guy to agree: Sticks, carrots and strategy

• Can strategic competition be beneficial?

Strategy, complexity and the unintended consequences of policy

• An introduction to complexity

• Policy as a complex process

• Strategic interaction and complexity

• When things go wrong: Unintended policy consequences

• The benefits of thinking about complex strategy

• Can complexity be anticipated and managed?

Whose strategy: “Whole of Government”, departmental or personal?

• In whose interests should strategy work?

• Who sets the overall strategy in and for a policy organisation?

• The implications and pitfalls of Whole of Government thinking

• Controlling policy in a globalising era

• Personalising the principles of strategic thinking

    

Course review and evaluation session

An interactive discussion focusing on:

• Topics covered in the seminar

• Issues that have arisen as the seminar has progressed

• Integrating what participants have learned into their work practices

• How the seminar could be improved or extended in the future?

"I was pleasently suprised by how the session flowed - easy - good group discussion - and would like to acknowledge  Robert's leadership on this.

Karen McLeod, Grants Manager, ASB Community Trust

"Enjoyed the course, really good relaxed group discussion environment"

Amanda Shaw, Senior Policy Advisor, Ministry of Justice

"Programme content relevant, enjoyed the presentation style and opportunity for reflection.  Enjoyed the free, open discussion and opportunity for exchange of ideas"

"Programme flow well thought out with flexibility well accomodated"

Gabrielle Roberts, Team Leader - Primary Health Care Policy Team, Ministry of Health

"I really enjoyed Rob Ayson's collegial style of presentation.  He is interesting and dynamic and able to be flexible with whaterever the group was most interested in discussing"

"I really appreciated Rob's enthusiastic approach.  He ran the course in a very different way from other courses I have attended - more like a graduate tutorial than a secondary school course.  Some presenters seek to "lecture" and adhere very formally to a certain structure, and look to overtly teach.  Rob was very collaborative and knowledgable, and was equally willing to listen as well as talk.  I really enjoyed his style" 

"I also really respected Rob's knowledge of the public sector policy environment, the course was very relavent to my work"

Senior Advisor, Ministry of Justice

"As a not for profit - the insight into Government policy was invaluable - good mix and discussion.

Research and Policy Advisor, Major NGO

"Constantly meets a demand for those entering senior analyst/advisor roles" 

Principal Advisor, Government Department

"There was a really good balance of theory & practical, as well as a good balance of lecturing and interaction"

Senior Policy Analyst, Department of Internal Affairs

"This topic area has been a training gap, and is good to see a course available" 

"Rob was great.  Good style, very interactive and knowledgeable"

Manager, Government Department

"Robert was very engaging and easy to relate to.  We had great discussiona nd I consider his style to be very conductive to understanding the topic"

Advisor, Government Department