The CEO as a Statesman: Situational Awareness is a Crucial Skill Executives Need to Successfully Navigate Politics
- Stefan Borst
- Jul 24
- 2 min read
Would you walk into a political meeting the same way you enter an investor pitch? Of course not. And yet, time and again, seasoned executives misread political environments — treating Ministers like peers, EU Commissioners like deal partners, and Parliamentarians like analysts. The result? Misalignment, lost credibility, and missed influence.
The political arena isn’t a tougher boardroom. It’s a different planet.
You may have spent careers mastering markets, operations, and shareholder expectations. But the game has changed. In Brussels, Berlin, or Paris, the rules of engagement are set by narratives, coalitions, optics — not EBITDA or market share.
If you're a CEO or senior executive engaging with political stakeholders — Commissioners, Ministers, regulators — you're not just defending your license to operate or your business interest. You're entering the fray of national priorities, industrial policy, and geopolitical strategy. Your role morphs: You are now a corporate diplomat.
Business Logic Doesn’t Always Translate into Politics
In business, logic often wins: evidence, forecasts, execution. In politics, context is of the utmost relevance — media cycles, public perception, election calendars, and ideological framing all shape or create outcomes.
You might speak proudly of a €1 billion automation investment. A politician may hear: “job losses in the region that is important for my reelection.”
You say: “cost efficiency.” They hear: “offshoring.”
You tout “global leadership.” They ask: “And what about our SMEs?”
These aren’t communication errors. They’re failures of situational awareness.
Four Rules for Executives in the Political Arena
Translate Your Strategy into Policy Value. Your message must rest on and serve political narratives. CAPEX? Call it a bet on European competitiveness. Upskilling? That is “Just Transition.”
Don’t dumb it down — frame it better.
Know the Political Map If your organization tracks quarterly market risk, it should also track the political landscape beyond tariffs. Which political dossiers impact the operational business most? Who takes the decision on these developments or chairs key committees for those files? What narratives dominate the debate in Parliament, and which capitals are pushing hardest for regulation and why? Get updated on these key files on a regular basis.
Drop the Deck. Lead a Dialogue PowerPoints are forgettable. Empathy, curiosity, and a shared story are not. Enter political meetings with one message, two facts, and three questions. Make sure you can tell a story to convey the message.
Rehearse Like It’s Earnings Season Would you walk into investor calls unprepared? Political meetings deserve the same rigor. Anticipate hostility. Rehearse pivot points. Own your narrative under pressure.
Build Political Equity Early If your first call to policymakers happens during a crisis, it's already too late. Influence and trust are built over time — through relevance, credibility, and consistency.
The Bottom Line
Your company’s fate is no longer shaped by market forces alone. It’s increasingly shaped by policy — climate rules, competition frameworks, AI governance, trade regimes, tariffs.
That’s not merely a threat scenario. It’s a strategic arena you can utilize to your benefit.
As a CEO, you are your company’s chief diplomat. And like any good diplomat, you need the right briefing, tone, timing — and above all, respect for the terrain you’re entering.
Don’t show up just to ask for favours. Show up ready to shape the rules.
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