Keeping Up with the Pace of Change: Why Structure, Prioritization, and Tools Matter More Than Ever.The Internal Side of Public Affairs (58)

By Alan Hardacre, PhD

Co-Founder Advocacy Academy, Advocacy Strategy

The world around us is moving faster than ever — and so is Public Affairs. The volume, speed, and breadth of what we now need to monitor, analyze, and act upon have exploded. Policy developments, regulatory shifts, trade, geopolitics — the list grows longer each month it seems. For most Public Affairs professionals, it feels like the bandwidth is shrinking just as the expectations expand.

So how can Public Affairs teams realistically keep up with the pace of change while still delivering clarity and value? Spoiler alert - the answer doesn’t lie in working harder or tracking more. It lies in process. In prioritization. And in having the right structure, tools, and templates to turn complexity into something manageable — and strategic.

1. Structure is Your Strategic Backbone

Without structure, Public Affairs becomes reactive. We already know that - but when the pace picks up we really feel it. With structure, it becomes manageable. Every effective Public Affairs function needs its own internal operating system — a way of working that is understood, repeatable, and scalable.

That structure should define:

• Roles and responsibilities: Who is accountable for monitoring, analysis, engagement, and reporting? Clear ownership reduces duplication and confusion.

• Internal processes: What triggers a briefing? How do we escalate an issue? What do we cover (and not cover) How are priorities revisited? Having a rhythm brings control to what can otherwise feel like chaos.

Reporting cadence: Whether weekly updates, monthly deep-dives, or quarterly executive reports — consistency in how and when you communicate builds trust internally.

Think of this as your “Public Affairs Way” — your own internal methodology that defines how you do Public Affairs. This clarity not only drives performance but also strengthens your team’s professional identity and credibility across the business.

2. Prioritization: Doing Less, Better

I have written extensively about prioritization – and nowhere is this more important than in this discussion about the pace of change and change of scope. In Public Affairs, the temptation to follow everything is real. But it’s neither possible nor effective. The most successful teams apply disciplined prioritization to focus their energy on what really matters.

To do this well, start by agreeing clear criteria with your business:

• Impact — What’s at stake commercially, reputationally, or operationally?

• Timing — How imminent is the decision or change?

• Influence — Can we realistically shape the outcome?

• Visibility — How important is this issue internally and externally?

Plotting issues against these criteria — through a simple prioritization matrix or scorecard — helps separate the important from the interesting. It also provides a transparent rationale for where you focus, which is invaluable when resource or attention is questioned.

When done properly, prioritisation becomes a strategic conversation with your leadership, not a defensive one. Right now, you need to have a clear prioritization framework that covers your changing scope – and then allows you to focus. 

3. Tools and Templates: Enablers, Not Bureaucracy

Public Affairs professionals often resist the word “template” — but the best teams embrace them. Templates and tools don’t limit creativity; they create efficiency and alignment.

Consider:

• Issue trackers that consolidate developments, owners, and next steps.

• Standard brief templates that ensure every update is sharp, consistent, and actionable.

• Dashboards that visually link policy issues to business risk and opportunity.

• AI-assisted monitoring that filters information and flags emerging risks before they hit your radar.

Templates save time, reduce inconsistency, and make it easier for your team (and your business) to understand what you do. Tools, when thoughtfully selected, turn information into intelligence — freeing your people to focus on insight, not administration. Think about how you work with your information/intelligence systems and/or consultants to immediately use your templates – making your system even more efficient.

4. Build Agility into the System

A structured approach should never mean rigidity – and right now your system needs to be agile. The most effective Public Affairs functions continuously refine their process and evolve their tools based on feedback. The external environment changes quickly — and so should your systems. Schedule regular internal reviews to ask:

• What’s working?

• What’s slowing us down?

• Where can automation or simplification help?

• What issues are emerging / do we have the right coverage – the right services in place

This mindset of continuous improvement not only strengthens your operations but also reinforces a culture of professionalism and learning within your team.

5. Turning Complexity into Clarity

At its core, the job of Public Affairs is to simplify complexity for the organization — to filter noise into clarity, risks into decisions, and opportunities into actions. The faster the external environment moves, the more your internal stakeholders will depend on this. And right now they do. This is a golden chance for Public Affairs teams to cement their place in an organisation. By building a solid structure, prioritizing effectively, and using the right tools, you create the conditions for this success. 

The pace of change will only accelerate. But with process, prioritization, and professional discipline, Public Affairs can keep up — and even lead.

How is your Public Affairs team keeping up with the pace of change? Have you built your own process or framework to manage it?