I’ve spent the past 11 years working closely with policymakers in the United Kingdom and internationally on many issues to do with evidence. During that time I’ve noticed that, although everyone has a different way of doing their job, those policymakers really putting evidence to good use share certain ways of thinking, which might stand you in good stead in other careers.
Here’s a few of the most useful ways to approach your work:
1. Sometimes, you need to think a bit like a boxer.
As a senior policymaker, you need to be ready to defend your policies. Sometimes this means helping your minister or head of state defend policies in public, sometimes it means arguing over resources with other departments or the treasury.
