This article was written by Leighton Andrews, Professor of Practice in Public Leadership at Cardiff University. He was a Welsh Government minister between 2007 and 2016. His new book is Ministerial Leadership (Palgrave Macmillan).
What advice would former ministers offer to aspiring ministers?
New ministers will find they have to perform as ministers from the moment of their appointment. There’s no manual for the job, though these days both in and outside government some training is available. But learning from those who have gone before is invaluable.
Former ministers offer sound advice on the challenges of holding office. In this article, I try to distil some of that advice into 12 key points based on the research for my new book Ministerial Leadership. My book is an academic text — not a how-to guide — but some key messages come through.
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First, remember you’re a politician. You’re there for your political judgment, not necessarily your expertise. What seems obvious to you may be a revelation to civil servants. So don’t be afraid to ask the stupid question. If you don’t understand something fully, you won’t be able to explain it to your colleagues, let alone the public — and spotting hidden traps will be harder. Clarity matters for understanding. Not long after becoming Prime Minister in 1940, Winston Churchill sent a minute titled Brevity around his Cabinet. Cabinet papers were too long and key points were hidden in reams of paper. He said dropping ‘officialese jargon’ would save time and crucially — ‘the discipline of setting out the real points concisely will prove an aid to clearer thinking’. So, what’s the narrative?
Remember you’re part of a team. A team of ministers in your department and a member of a governmental team overall. Everything you do in government depends on teamwork, said Margaret Beckett. How does what you are doing in your department contribute to the government’s programme, performance and perception? How can your colleagues help you deliver your agenda?
The civil service is not your enemy. Most civil servants want to help ministers get things done. However, the civil service isn’t perfect either and there is now a bipartisan consensus on the challenges it faces. These include the loss of institutional memory, accentuated by frequent ‘churn’ as officials move jobs, by austerity and by WhatsApp. Plus, a lack of some specialist skills and, in senior ranks, a lack of front-line delivery experience.
Protect space in your diary. This advice has been part of ministerial folklore since Gerald Kaufman wrote 'How to Be a Minister' in 1980. You need thinking time to focus on your priorities — sometimes away from the routine of briefings and meetings. Are you on track? What isn’t working out? What should you or the department stop doing to allow other things to flourish? Stopping things — switching off the autopilot — is one of the hardest things in government.
You’re not just a minister, you’re a parliamentarian and a family member. The Department is not your only job, but the institutional embrace can be suffocating. Time spent in the Commons was never time wasted, said Jack Straw. It gives you intelligence on how policies are being received and potential problems that need tackling. And don’t forget your family. They need you and you need to be able to unwind.
Remember this is temporary. The ministerial life is relatively short. Think about what you would like to do afterwards.
Policy isn’t enough. How is your policy going to be delivered? When does it come into operation? What are the critical stages of its implementation? How are you keeping track of those? Who in your private office is chasing progress? And does the system — the department but also your delivery partners, whoever they might be — have the genuine capacity to deliver your policy or programme?
Learn from the front line. Practical wisdom is out there. So stay curious. Those at the sharp end of delivery know what is working, but also what isn’t — what needs more support or the occasional tweak. But don’t confuse whingeing with wisdom.
Remember the long-term. All the incentives in government are focussed on the short-term — to the next election, or worse, the next reshuffle. A clear narrative will help. How is what you are doing today contributing to the grand challenges of climate change, national security or new technologies? Is your department able to imagine its role in those challenges?
Learn from the past, but don’t get trapped by it. There’ll always be someone who says “We tried that, minister, and it didn’t work.” Why didn’t it work? Was it really the same idea or approach? What did the evaluations say? (If there are no evaluations, did it really happen?)
Innovation is great, but maintenance also matters. Tried and trusted approaches are tried and trusted for a reason. Don’t confuse innovation-speak with genuine innovation. There are ways to encourage new approaches that are also tried and trusted — challenge funds are one example.
Don’t be afraid of internal or external dissidents — they may have spotted something which challenges departmental groupthink. It could be in the data, it could be in the process. All institutions tend to prize loyalty above other things. What are they missing or, sometimes worse, deliberately overlooking?
Remember this is temporary. The ministerial life is relatively short. Think about what you would like to do afterwards. Prepare for the ministerial afterlife, even if it’s just an outline. Keep your hinterland. Maintain external friendships. Remember political parties can be particularly brutal to those who no longer have the status they once did.
You’re a minister now? Great. Enjoy it. Believe in yourself. Being a minister demands performance every minute of the day in an environment that is more scrutinised — through social media — than ever. You’re not the only one who feels like an imposter. Some people are just better at hiding it. But sometimes the pressures can overwhelm. If you need help, ask.
Done reading? Which of these points resonated with you the most and why? Do you have any additional advice or experiences to share with aspiring ministers? Make sure to share your own thoughts by leaving a comment below ⬇️
(Image credit: Unsplash)
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