4 Momentum

Training in Khartoum
Training in Khartoum

Another critical part of effective campaigning is gaining momentum. I have been to so many campaign launches where an impressive report has been published and great speeches made with maybe some media work, but then nothing happens as a result.

The critical element is momentum. There’s a lot of talk in the campaigning world about theory of change. Sometimes this talk overcomplicates what should be a very simple process. But when I think about a theory of change I think about doing something so that something else happens, so that something else happens, so that

Basically you do something so that something else happens. No activity exists by itself. Where you get real impact with campaigning one activity leads to another activity and the pressure for change builds. Those two little words – so that – are so important to campaigners.

So for example I commissioned some research so that I have the evidence of the problem so that I can brief politicians so that they can raise the issue with government so that I can hear where the government stands so that I can modify my position so that I can be more effective so that I can push a policy change. A critical element of campaigning is seeing where your activity goes and not just focusing on one activity in isolation.

I remember doing some campaign training in Nigeria many years ago and one of the people on the course said to me that he had learnt nothing new from me and these campaigning tools! But he went onto say that he now recognised the critical importance of seeing things strategically, seeing how activities joined up and not being content with doing something, stopping, and then picking up a bit later. For him his key learning was campaigning was all about momentum.

See how I might be able to support you to develop your campaigning ….