Changing the Way We Work: Embedding Public Affairs Thinking Through a Playbook, Tools and Team Ownership

Today, we wrapped up the final workshop in a two-month collaboration with a global public affairs team. This wasn’t just a training series—it was a structured process to help the team evolve the way they think about and deliver public affairs across the organisation.

The team brought a high level of regulatory expertise and a deep understanding of the issues facing their sector. What they were looking for was something less visible but no less important: a stronger public affairs mindset. One that would allow them to engage more proactively with stakeholders and adopt structured ways of working that reflect the changing demands of their role.

This post shares a few reflections from the project—particularly for public affairs managers working in complex organisations where process, mindset, and internal coordination all need to evolve together.

1. The Mindset Shift – Expanding the Public Affairs Role

The goal from the beginning was to help the team increase the public affairs component of their work—moving from a reactive, compliance-driven stance to a more proactive, strategic one. This wasn’t about asking them to become lobbyists overnight. It was about identifying ways they could credibly engage on the issues they already understood better than anyone—ways that fit the identity of their organisation and the expectations of their clients.

Many team members wanted to contribute more but weren’t always sure how to do so within the current structure. They needed clarity, common tools, and space to reflect on what public affairs could look like in their context. Once we opened that space, the ideas and appetite were there.

2. Public Affairs as a Structured Practice

One of the key outcomes of this collaboration was the development of a public affairs playbook. More than just a reference document, it sets out the core processes and tools the team will use going forward—structured around four key areas of focus, including prioritisation and message development.

The playbook contextualises each tool within the broader practice of public affairs. For each one, we worked with the team to define: What is it? Why does it matter? How do we use it in our environment? Alongside that, we tailored guidance and examples that reflect both internal dynamics and external challenges.

Through a mix of workshops and follow-up collaboration with a core group from the team, we shaped each section iteratively—testing, adjusting, and refining until the result felt realistic and usable across regions.

3. From Workshops to Ownership

While the workshops played a central role in introducing tools and fostering reflection, they were never meant to be the end of the process. They were designed to unlock dialogue within the team—to help surface what was already working, what was missing, and where things could evolve. But the real value came in what followed: collaborative tool-building with a core group of team members who volunteered to take things further.

Together, we refined the tools, iterated on the playbook, and worked through questions of relevance and practicality. In the final session, we presented the updated version of the playbook to the wider team and focused on the two crucial next steps: assigning ownership and planning the rollout.

Ownership means more than just accountability—it’s about creating a sense of responsibility and stewardship. One person was nominated to coordinate the embedding of the playbook across the team, ensuring that new processes are adopted and that feedback loops stay open for further improvement. We also worked with the group to set out a timeline for rolling out each of the four areas of focus, making space for learning and adaptation along the way.

4. Building Change Within the Team

Change rarely lands cleanly. It’s iterative, and often messy—especially when it involves shifting the mindset of a global team. This was no exception. From the outset, there was some discomfort around public affairs engagement. Many team members were more used to informing and advising, not advocating or engaging directly with stakeholders. But through structured dialogue, real-world examples, and collaborative tool design, we saw a clear shift take place.

By the final session, the team wasn’t just absorbing the material—they were driving it. They had already booked a follow-up deep dive to explore how to use the prioritisation tool on a live issue. That kind of self-directed next step is the strongest sign that a change initiative is starting to take root.

None of this would have been possible without committed leadership. The manager who initiated this process deserves credit for taking the long view—recognising that strengthening public affairs practice isn’t about a single campaign or message, but about building the internal capability to engage strategically over time. The same goes for the core team, who gave their time and insights between sessions to help us make the playbook work.

5. Reflections for Other Public Affairs Leaders

For public affairs managers thinking about how to build stronger internal practice—especially in global or technically oriented teams—this kind of project offers a few clear takeaways.

First, start with structure. Public affairs often suffers from being seen as abstract or ad hoc. Introducing shared tools and processes helps teams understand what’s expected and how to get started, without waiting for perfect alignment. That structure doesn’t need to be rigid—but it does need to exist.

Second, build with the team, not for them. The success of this project depended on real collaboration. The core team gave time, challenged ideas, and adapted proposals to their context. That buy-in matters. It’s what allows a framework like a playbook to be used rather than filed away.

And finally, pace matters. You don’t need to do everything at once. A playbook can evolve. New practices take time to embed. But every round of discussion, refinement, and testing brings the team closer to shared ways of working—and to a stronger, more confident public affairs function.

6. Closing Thoughts

No single tool transforms a team. But the right process—one that brings people together, clarifies priorities, and supports reflection—can unlock real change.

We often talk about public affairs as if it’s all external: legislation, stakeholders, advocacy. But the internal side—the habits, methods, and mindsets that shape how a team works—are just as important. When a team starts taking ownership of how they prioritise, craft messages, and plan engagement, that’s when public affairs becomes more than a function. It becomes part of how the organisation operates.

And that’s what this project was really about: changing the way we work.