Over  the first lockdown, I contributed to the recently updated ‘How to Work With the EU Institutions’.

We launched it in September and you can watch a link to the webinar here.

My chapter was on the art of influence and included a phrase about EU institution officials having high functioning bullshit detectors. At the time I was 50-50 on whether it would make the final cut.  But not only did the phrase survive it also got picked up and cited in an academic publication. Those of you who have sat through my training sessions will doubtless point out that swearing scores highly on the sizzle scale for quotable language. And yes, swearing IS quotable but I don’t advise you to make it your go to for cut through quotes.

My point may not have been subtle but if you want to be influential in EU decision making, don’t sensationalise your case. It gets you nowhere. The system is set up to depress the influence of silver tongued blowhards.