Few people come to policy officer positions with specific policy training. They might be teachers, lawyers, front-line workers or subject-matter experts. Who teaches us how to do policy work, and what policy actually is? Enter Salli Cohen’s brilliant new book, 'Rollercoaster: How to be a bloody good policy officer.'

In this episode we catch up with Salli about:

• Her one-word definition of policy.
• What it takes to be a genuinely good policy officer, beyond technical competence.
• The difference between evidence-based and evidence-informed.
• Why curiosity, empathy and humility are not ‘soft’ skills but core capabilities.
• The importance of an orientation to serving the community.
• Keeping your antennae up to context, politics and implementation realities.
• The importance of letting people say their bit.
• Speaking up when things are going pear-shaped.
• Salli’s hopes for the next generation of policy professionals.

Purchase Salli's book 'Rollercoaster: How to be a bloody good policy officer' officer here: https://www.thepolicyroom.com/product/Rollercoaster

Next week we return with Part 3 of our Mad Cow Disease series.

This podcast was recorded on Kaurna land, and we recognise Kaurna elders past and present. Always was, always will be.

Now for some appropriately bureaucratic disclaimers....

While we have tried to be as thorough in our research as busy full time jobs and lives allow, we definitely don’t guarantee that we’ve got all the details right.

Please feel free to email us corrections, episode suggestions, or anything else, at thewestminstertraditionpod@gmail.com.

Thanks to PanPot audio for our intro and outro music.

'Til next time!