Core vs. Emerging Skills in Public Affair: How to Can Make Smarter Training Investments
It’s a cliché to say the political and policy landscape is becoming more demanding, but for those of us in public affairs, it has never been more true.
As exciting (to put it mildly) as this might be, it also means increasing pressure to do more with less. Time, resources, and budgets are constrained, and the demand to stay ahead and deliver impact is greater than ever.
The rise of AI, digital advocacy, and data-driven public affairs has created urgency to upskill teams in emerging areas. But with competing priorities, how should public affairs teams decide where to focus their capability-building efforts to effectively respond to evolving demands?
The challenge isn’t just about training—it’s about making strategic choices. Senior public affairs managers must ensure their teams develop the right skills to navigate complex policy environments, influence decision-making, and drive outcomes.
Too often, however, training initiatives are driven by trends rather than aligning with organisational needs.
A Mindset Shift: Strategy-Driven Capability Building
Many organisations feel pressure to invest in the latest skills—AI-powered policy monitoring, social media analytics, or data analysis—without first ensuring their teams are strong in the fundamentals.
Research suggests that training employees in core skills essential to their roles has five times more impact on performance than focusing on emerging skills. While innovation is crucial, public affairs leaders must first ask: What capabilities are most critical to delivering our strategy?
Rather than chasing trends, public affairs teams should take a structured approach to capability-building, balancing core competencies—the foundation of effective public affairs—with emerging skills that enhance execution when applied strategically.
Core Capabilities as the Foundation
Public affairs is about influence. It requires professionals who can understand and interpret policy, build meaningful relationships, communicate persuasively, and execute strategic advocacy campaigns. Without these fundamentals, even the most advanced digital tools will fail to deliver meaningful impact.
This is not to say emerging skills don’t matter. AI-powered stakeholder mapping, digital collaboration tools, and advanced data analytics are valuable when they serve a defined purpose. The key is to invest in new capabilities where they enhance core skills and support strategic goals.
Applying a Strategic Lens to Capability Development
So, how should public affairs leaders prioritise skills development? A strategy-driven approach helps answer key questions:
What policy, advocacy, and stakeholder engagement challenges are we trying to solve?
Which skills directly support our organisational objectives?
Where do we currently have gaps, and what capabilities will deliver the greatest impact?
By taking this approach, public affairs leaders can ensure that resources—whether time, budget, or training hours—are focused on areas that truly matter. Rather than a one-size-fits-all training programme, this means designing capability-building initiatives that align with the organisation’s priorities.
For instance, if a team’s priority is regulatory advocacy, investment should go into deepening policy expertise, negotiation skills, and engagement strategies. If a team is struggling with internal alignment, the focus should be on cross-functional collaboration and project management tools that improve efficiency.
Balancing Core and Emerging Skills
Emerging skills should not be ignored—but they must be integrated thoughtfully. Public affairs teams can benefit from AI-powered assistance or digital advocacy techniques—but only if they are deployed with a clear strategic purpose. Simply put, new technologies should enhance—not replace—the fundamental capabilities of public affairs professionals.
For example, AI-driven policy tracking is a powerful tool, but it is only valuable if teams know how to interpret insights and translate them into strategic advocacy. Similarly, digital platforms like Slack can improve team collaboration, but they won’t replace the ability to navigate internal politics and secure buy-in from leadership.
Taking Action: How Public Affairs Leaders Can Prioritise Skills Development
To move from reactive training to strategic capability-building, public affairs leaders should:
Audit Current Capabilities: Assess where teams are strong and where gaps exist.
Align Training with Strategic Goals: Ensure that learning initiatives directly support organisational objectives.
Invest in Core Skills First: Prioritise policy expertise, stakeholder engagement, advocacy, and campaign execution.
Integrate Emerging Skills Thoughtfully: Adopt new tools and technologies where they enhance—not replace—core capabilities.
Embed Continuous Learning: Move beyond one-off training sessions to ongoing knowledge-sharing and skills development.
Skills That Drive Real Impact
Public affairs leaders must make informed choices about skills development, ensuring teams are equipped to deliver real impact—not just follow trends. The future of public affairs will undoubtedly include more AI, data, and digital tools, but their value will only be realised when they build upon a foundation of strong public affairs fundamentals.
The question isn’t whether emerging skills matter—they do. The question is: Are you prioritising the right skills to deliver your strategy?
What skills are you focusing on in your public affairs team?
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