Passivity is the danger that public relations cannot afford when involved in lobbying. If we are only advocates, we risk marginalizing ourselves with clients, media and thoughts, and opponents. Beyond advocacy, there are two additional roles that help us keep perspective: monitoring and interpreting for clients the strong and valid points made by our “opponents”; actually bringing various parties together in a dialogue to determine and implement common interests.

Is lobbying where we hide the less savoury and morally questionable side of what our public relations communication discipline involves? Secret backroom conversations. Non-promoted initiatives. Unwritten agreements taken as writ. Clearly, there is plenty about lobbying that won’t pay(off) for it to be articulated.