Winning The Influence Game

Play the game to win

"More and more CEOs are discovering that managing one's business environment is as important as managing operations, finance, and sales. Winning the Influence Game explains how a strategic government relations program can make a major impact on that environment at the federal, state, and local levels."–Douglas G. Pinkham, President, Public Affairs Council

"A useful, detailed handbook that should find itself on the desktop–or at the bedside–of every business leader. These are the skills that every business leader needs to succeed in the increasingly complex and rapidly changing globalized economy in which they operate–and to gain competitive advantage for their company's future."–Ira Jackson, Director, Center for Business and Government, John F. Kennedy School of Government

"Winning the Influence Game provides an excellent overview for the corporate leader of how government can impact the bottom line–both positively and negatively. The clear, concise, and practical manner in which the book is organized and information provided makes it an extremely useful resource to those charged with the responsibility of creating an effective government relations program."–Margery Kraus, President and CEO, APCO Worldwide

Play the game to win

"More and more CEOs are discovering that managing one's business environment is as important as managing operations, finance, and sales. Winning the Influence Game explains how a strategic government relations program can make a major impact on that environment at the federal, state, and local levels."-Douglas G. Pinkham, President, Public Affairs Council

"A useful, detailed handbook that should find itself on the desktop-or at the bedside-of every business leader. These are the skills that every business leader needs to succeed in the increasingly complex and rapidly changing globalized economy in which they operate-and to gain competitive advantage for their company's future."-Ira Jackson, Director, Center for Business and Government, John F. Kennedy School of Government

"Winning the Influence Game provides an excellent overview for the corporate leader of how government can impact the bottom line-both positively and negatively. The clear, concise, and practical manner in which the book is organized and information provided makes it an extremely useful resource to those charged with the responsibility of creating an effective government relations program."-Margery Kraus, President and CEO, APCO Worldwide

Booknews

A business leaders' guide to navigating competing jurisdictions and diverse legislators, regulators, and judges that make the rules under which businesses must operate. Presents a model that can be applied to any level of government, showing how to diagnose government's impact on a business, organize to influence government, build coalitions, and harness the power of the Internet for influence. Shares actual stories of success and failure from leaders in government relations, including representative of major companies, professional lobbyists and consultants, and officials in legislative and executive branches. Watkins teaches business administration to Harvard Business School. The Library of Congress cataloguing shows a different subtitle for this book: Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

MICHAEL WATKINS is an associate professor of business administration at Harvard Business School and has also taught at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government. He is the coauthor of Right from the Start and consults extensively on negotiation and coalition building in the private and public sectors.
MICKEY EDWARDS was a member of Congress for sixteen years, where he was a senior member of the Republican leadership. He currently teaches about Congress and public advocacy at the Kennedy School of Government. Edwards also writes a weekly syndicated newspaper column and broadcasts national radio commentaries on the NPR program "All Things Considered."
USHA THAKRAR is a research associate at Harvard Business School. She is a graduate of the Kennedy School of Government and has experience working in state government and founding her own start-up.