Advocacy 'Smarts': Ombudsman Risk Management 101

Professional ombudsmen (ranging from news and government ombudsmen to health care and university ombudsmen) gathered from across the globe to attend the 2011 United States Ombudsman Association Conference in Jacksonville, Florida last month.   

Families for Better Care Executive Director Brian Lee shared tips on how to enhance advocacy while minimizing program or personnel risk.  Some strategies included:

Continually educate those around you about the role and responsibility of an ombudsman-many issues ombudsmen tackle are controversial and have the potential to become toxic, so it is important to brief and prepare superiors, colleagues and subordinates about possible challenges rising over the horizon.

Identify advocates who can speak for you when you can’t-partner with national, state, and local organizations that share similar goals, use those relationships to propel your slate of issues.

Know when to compromise-being an advocate is a tough job fraught with danger and pitfalls, so be prepared to adjust strategies in the short-term to advance long-term goals while never sacrificing your principles.