Elements and Performance Criteria

The range of variables places the competency in context and allows for differences between enterprises and workplaces, including practices, knowledge and requirements. The range of variables also provides a focus for assessment and relates to the unit as a whole. The following variables may be present.

Individuals and target groups:
· government departments, ministers and advisers, politicians and political organisations
· statutory authorities
· professional and industry bodies
· cooperatives and marketing bodies
· employer associations
· unions
· fisheries management and advisory committees
· conservation and environmental organisations
· community organisations
· schools, RTO's, industry training centres.

Meetings:
· meetings with industry groups, government and political representatives and researchers
· port, sector, cooperative, community and service club meetings
· regional, state or national policy development meetings
· board meetings
· fisheries management advisory committee meetings
· public forums.

Presentation standards:
· dress, punctuality and personal appearance
· preparation, including knowledge of subject matter
· presentations aids such as handouts, overhead transparencies, slides, PowerPoint, videos
· tone and volume of voice
· use of language, explanations
· clarity of message
· humour and entertainment value
· responses to questions
· suitability of presentation for the audience and occasion.

Media:
· print media such as newspapers, industry magazines, recreational magazines and journals
· television programs such as news grabs, current affairs and documentary
· radio programs such as news grabs, interviews, current affairs and "behind the news" documentary
· world wide web.

Awareness raising:
· press releases
· newspaper articles and special liftouts
· world wide web
· TV and radio interviews
· individual, group and panel presentations
· school visits
· industry newsletters and periodicals
· presentations to community organisations and service clubs
· information booth, literature displays at industry exhibitions, shopping malls and expos
· community festivals such as Blessing of the Fleet.

Each unit of competency has an evidence guide that relates directly to the performance criteria and the range of variables. Its purpose is to guide assessment of the unit in the workplace and/or training program. The following components provide information to assist this purpose.

Underpinning knowledge
The essential knowledge and understanding a person needs to perform work to the required standard include:
· industry and organisational protocols for the release of information and communicating with the media and public
· information and resources available in industry and organisation
· operation of media
· principles of cross-cultural communication
· principles of negotiation, mediation, conflict resolution and incident de-escalation
· structured and inclusive meeting procedures
· knowledge of available public and community forums
· political and government organisations, processes and communication channels.

Practical skills
The essential skills a person needs to perform work to the required standards include:
· encouraging exchange of views and information through active listening and effective questioning
· providing user friendly verbal and written communication that is clear and concise
· ensuring that the intended message is delivered and key points are covered
· making a strong case without overselling it, becoming personal or aggressive
· acknowledging disagreements and the views of others and dealing constructively with differences
· ensuring that negotiations stay focused and do not collapse unnecessarily
· compromising to achieve realistic and achievable outcomes
· achieving outcomes in meetings through planning, encouraging participation, keeping order and maintaining momentum through documented actions
· presenting information confidently and effectively to individuals and groups in meetings, workshops and other forums
· encouraging feedback.

Critical aspects of competence
Assessment must confirm the ability to:
· communicate clearly with key individuals, target groups and the media to position the industry to best effect
· listen actively, understand the information needs of others and adapt communication to suit
· prepare for, participate in and lead meetings to obtain effective outcomes
· negotiate and lobby persuasively
· use a range of public and community media and forums to confidently promote the industry.

Interdependent assessment of units
May be assessed with any other seafood industry leadership units.

Context of assessment
Assessment is to be conducted in the workplace and in a simulated work environment.

Method of assessment
The following assessment methods are suggested:
· observation of an oral presentation by the candidate
· interview and oral questioning
· review of articles, media releases, presentation aids and other industry information prepared by the candidate
· feedback from stakeholders about the capability of the candidate to negotiate effectively
· feedback from stakeholders about the candidate's ability to participate in and lead meetings
· role plays and response to scenarios.

Resources required for assessment
· No recommendations.

This competency in practice
Industry representatives have provided storylines to illustrate the practical application of each unit of competency and show its relevance in a workplace setting.

'Influencing governments'
When parliamentary inquiries are on or the Fisheries Act is up for amendment, communication with government takes on the highest priority. One industry leader mapped out his approach:

"You have to work out which politicians are sympathetic and relevant to your cause and involve them in industry success stories, and good community or public relations events. You also have to get to know their advisers, preferably away from their office. If you make it easy for them to meet you for coffee or lunch, you can build up personal trust and rapport. Remember they're only human-real people. You'll find that they will then come back and bounce ideas off you in confidence. You can also be ready with some questions of your own. By asking, 'What would the Minister think about……', you can get advanced warning about likely government positions before the issue surfaces publicly. At the same time, you can also sow seeds of your own by floating ideas ahead of the next time you have an opportunity to meet the Minister or politician involved."

"Above all, you have to know your facts and statistics. You should always give politicians straight answers too-anything else will come back to haunt you."

"Finally, the hardest thing in effective lobbying, is that you have to stay apolitical -even with your local member. You can't be seen as a champion of the party in power-you can't have baggage when there's a change of government or personnel.

This leader demonstrates that to be an effective communicator, you have to stay apolitical and put in the groundwork long before you can hope to influence key decisions.

'Providing a voice for the "underdog"'
One well-known industry leader in Tasmania somehow finds the time to run a successful company and sit on various industry councils, boards and expert committees. It's probably no surprise that she won the Telstra Business Woman of the Year Award in 1999 for private sector companies with under 100 employees!

One of her main roles is to be an effective advocate for fishers and help them respond to the rapidly changing business environment, resource management and compliance requirements.

For example, she has worked directly with individuals to allay their fears about direct marketing and answer questions such as: "Where do I go to get information?", "Where can I sell my fish?", "Who can I trust?". By introducing them to the Internet, she has shown fishers how to access prices, plot information and plan their selling rather than always accepting the prices offered by local buyers.

On broader issues, such as resource access for particular sectors, she provides an effective "voice" for concerned individuals.

In a recent case, she started by convincing the fishers involved that "whingeing individuals wouldn't get anywhere!" and that the Minister would only listen to a representative group that spoke with one voice. She brought the disparate elements together to provide an effective lobby group by separating out their individual interests and focussing on their joint concerns. She then convinced them of the importance of researching their case well in advance and bombarding the government with clear information that explained the "reality of their situation". She then coached the group on how to present their case to best effect by drawing on industry success stories and broader issues such as job creation and export potential to illustrate the merits of their position.

With this thorough preparation the particular group was able to engage the government in a highly professional manner. Instead of confronting the government with a problem, they were able to explain the issues involved, provide accurate facts and figures, illustrate potential benefits for the state, and provide alternate solutions and suggest "escape routes" for the Minister if required.