The nature of politics and networks

Opinion Piece: Rose Hiha-Agnew, Chief Executive, Community Governance Aotearoa

Governance and Connections

We’ve kicked off the year with a blend of global political shifts dominating our social media feeds, and local State of the Nation addresses setting a tone. For those of us strategy planning with our boards, we’re focused on keeping the lights on and steering our organisations forward – you’ve seen and felt the impact political decisions have on our communities and organisations, so how do we position ourselves for success?

In the not-for-profit sector, politics and our relationships with politicians is often met with scepticism. We pride ourselves on being non-partisan and apolitical, which is great, but this shouldn’t stop us from navigating the political landscape.

Building our Networks

I do think having a well connected Chair can make a huge difference in your organisations’ success. In Aotearoa NZ, it’s about who you know. In these changing political times both nationally and globally, we need to think about what impact are we making, what more we can do, and perhaps stretch ourselves and build new bridges of relationships and networks that might help us get there.

Top tips

  1. Network: Start locally. Introduce yourself to your local MP and share who you are and what your organisation does.
  2. Meet your Mayor and other representatives. Start with those you can easily have a coffee with. Introduce yourself and your organisation.
  3. Don’t just ask for money: You’re building a long-term connection, so take your time.
  4. Looking for good governance board members: Ask those in the political space if they can recommend someone they trust.
  5. Having trouble recruiting board members: Think about branching out to new networks, reducing the risk of ‘group think’ and be challenged by new ideas and thought leadership.

Local and party politicians can often be the ally you need in your governance role, their governing positions can equally make, break, or takeaway from the work you are trying to achieve.

Understanding the political landscape and getting connected doesn’t mean compromising your values. Build your networks and contacts and make sure your organisation reap the benefits.

Terminology

MP = Member of Parliament

We're here to support the growth of grassroots community organisations in Aotearoa.
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