JCL Series: Political Skills and the Art of Influence with Dr Wesa Chau

JCL Series: Political Skills and the Art of Influence with Dr Wesa Chau

From Per Capita Podcasts by Per Capita Australia

October 20, 2025 · 34 min · Episode 25

About this episode

Dr Wesa Chau discusses the importance of political skills in building trust and influence, particularly for individuals from minority backgrounds.

Political skills are the skills to build trust, influence, and persuade others to support a decision within a political context. These abilities underpin effective political leadership, advocacy, and decision-making, yet they are often invisible and difficult to define. This is especially true for people from minority backgrounds who may not be as familiar with Australian cultural and political norms. As the Executive Director of Per Capita, one of Australia’s leading progressive think tanks, Dr Wesa Chau brings both academic depth and lived experience to this topic. She spoke at the October John Cain Lunch and her speech is now available on the JCL Series podcast. Visit percapita.org.au for more on our research and events. Per Capita's podcasts are recorded and produced on Wurundjeri land.

People in this episode

Guest: Dr Wesa Chau

Topics covered

  • political skills
  • influence
  • leadership
  • advocacy
  • decision-making
  • minority backgrounds
  • cultural norms

Keywords

  • political skills
  • influence
  • leadership
  • advocacy
  • decision-making
  • minority backgrounds
  • cultural norms

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Per Capita

Places: Australia, Wurundjeri land

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