Lobbying is often portrayed as a mysterious arena where influence meets policy. But at its heart, lobbying is built on negotiation, balancing interests, crafting agreements, and building trust under pressure.
In our next episode, we sit down with Michael Koplovsky, a multilingual EU lobbyist, former senior diplomat, and professor whose career spans five continents and some of the most complex political and crisis environments in the world. From forging civil-military cooperation in war zones to advancing public-private partnerships in Europe’s political institutions, Michael has seen lobbying and negotiation at their most intense.
In this wide-ranging conversation, Michael takes us through his unique career journey, explaining how his path from diplomacy to academia and ultimately into lobbying unfolded and why negotiation has always been the common thread linking them together. He sheds light on what lobbyists really do beyond the usual stereotypes, and why their work is so often misunderstood. We explore the surprising similarities between lobbying and negotiation, as well as the subtle differences that shape how each plays out in practice.
Michael shares vivid stories from the “war rooms” where advocacy campaigns are mapped out, and from the high-level tables where policy shifts are decided. He speaks candidly about both successes and failures in lobbying, highlighting the lessons negotiators can draw from each. We discuss the challenge of negotiating when multiple stakeholders with competing interests are at the table, and how to strike the right balance between quiet relationship-building behind the scenes and formal deal-making in the spotlight.
The conversation also touches on the ethical responsibilities lobbyists carry when shaping policy outcomes, and how much of their work depends on integrity and trust. Michael reflects on how lobbying has changed in recent years, shaped by technology, social media, and even the rise of AI, and what this means for the future of influence and negotiation. Looking back across his career, he distills the single most important negotiation lesson he has learned and shares who comes to his mind when he thinks about true greatness in negotiation.
With advanced degrees in National Security, Strategic Studies, and International Relations, and years of teaching negotiation, leadership, and communication, Michael bridges theory and practice like few others can. His vivid anecdotes from political capitals and crisis zones alike offer insights you won’t find in textbooks.
Whether you are a negotiation professional, a student, or simply curious about how influence is really shaped in the political world, this episode pulls back the curtain on lobbying as negotiation in action.
