The Inconvenient Truth about Influencing Policy Change
Article originally published on LinkedIn on June 26, 2025
Policy change doesn't wait for perfect preparation. It often unfolds opportunistically, driven by crises, shifting politics, or public sentiment. However, by thoroughly understanding political, economic, social, and institutional systems, and preparing practical, ready-to-deploy solutions—facilitators can create or amplify these policy moments, turning sporadic opportunities into meaningful, sustained impact.
Change: real, policy-driven change, is not for the faint-hearted. It rarely unfolds the way we imagine in concept notes or press statements. In fact, those of us who have been in the trenches know that facilitating policy change, even when the intended outcome serves the public good, is a frustratingly uncertain endeavor. Progress often depends on a convergence of factors that are well beyond any single actor’s control.
This is not to suggest that we throw our hands in the air and give up. On the contrary, it is to underscore that success in policy reform requires more than good intentions, sound analysis, or even technical consensus. It demands a deep understanding of how systems work, a sharp political instinct, and the ability to read both formal processes and informal cues.
Change Is Not Linear. And It’s Rarely Fair.
Anyone who has followed a policy idea from inception to implementation knows how chaotic the journey can be. What looks like a well-reasoned policy solution today may be derailed tomorrow—not by logic or evidence—but by a political reshuffle, a competing interest, or a loss of momentum.
This unpredictability was well captured by John Kingdon in his work on the Multiple Streams Framework. He argued that for change to occur, three distinct streams—problems, policies, and politics—must align. This moment of alignment, the “policy window,” is fleeting. It opens and shuts often without warning, long before funding for policy facilitation programs is finalized.
We often overestimate our influence and underestimate the randomness of timing.
Power Is Everything (And It's Not Always Visible)
A good idea that doesn’t account for the power dynamics in play is often dead-on arrival. That’s the central insight in the work of David Hudson and Heather Marquette, whose call to “Think and Work Politically” highlights that political incentives, hidden coalitions, and informal networks shape outcomes more than formal rules ever will.
Evidence Helps—But Only When the Timing and Politics Align
In earlier writings, I’ve argued that research must be translated into political currency. You can have the best data in the world, but unless it is tied to someone’s political fortunes or public credibility, it is unlikely to see the light of day.
The ODI RAPID program long emphasized that policy influence is not simply about throwing evidence over the wall. It’s about understanding the politics, the actors, the incentives, and building a strategy that is responsive to these realities.
Change Agents Win by Reading the Room
This is the hard part. As policy advocates, we spend a lot of time building the case for change. What we often neglect is building the conditions for change. This means:
Knowing when to push, and when to wait
Understanding who has informal influence, not just official authority
Translating technical jargon into human stories that connect with real lives
Identifying champions who are credible and willing to spend political capital
Building unlikely coalitions—including sometimes engaging your most vocal opponents.
The Most Successful Policy Actors Are Students of the System
From everything I’ve learned—through trial, error, and quiet wins—the most effective facilitators of change are those who invest deeply in understanding the context. They don’t just ask what needs to change, but why it hasn’t changed yet, who benefits from the status quo, and what conditions might allow the system to shift.
And when the right moment comes, they move—quickly, decisively, and with a coalition behind them.
Know the Terrain. Then Dance with It.
There’s no perfect strategy. No universal toolkit. Sometimes the window opens and you're not ready. Sometimes you're ready but the window never comes. That’s the game.
But for those of us committed to public interest outcomes, we keep showing up. We keep listening. We keep learning. And most of all—we stay ready to act when the stars align.
Because while change is rare, unpredictable, and often inconvenient, it is possible. And when it happens—especially when it's done well—it’s worth every ounce of effort.
