The Arena Map
A systems approach to regulatory strategy
I’ve been doing a lot of reading on game theory this summer. And there’s a concept I came across this week that got me thinking about the complexities of regulatory environments. What makes strategy so challenging in regulatory affairs is that we’re not playing the same game every time we engage in our work. Sometimes we’re playing checkers, other times we’re playing tic tac toe. More often, we’re playing some form of three dimensional chess. And if we’re brutally honest with ourselves, sometimes, it’s impossible to tell which game we’re playing.
Which got me thinking: on any given regulatory or political issue, it’s important to figure out which game you’re playing. And in figuring this out, it’s important to determine which arena this game is playing out in.
As I look back at the more successful engagements I’ve been involved with, the winning teams were rarely those with the most persuasive arguments, or those staffed with the most credentialed experts. They were the teams that understood, in detail, the system in which their fight was unfolding. They knew which game they were playing, and in which arena that game was being played out in.
And when I look back at the less successful campaigns, whether those I was a part of, or those I was on the receiving end of, a consistent error emerges from the rubble: these teams did not know where the real decision was being made.
I’ve seen highly capable teams lose years of market access and seen projects worth hundreds of millions stall, not because they were out-argued, but because they never understood where the real decision was being made.
The problem of invisible arenas
In theory, regulatory processes are transparent: there’s an official body, clear deadlines, and a published path to a final decision. In reality, much of the work that determines the outcome happens elsewhere—in venues not listed on any public schedule, at moments not marked on any official calendar.
This creates what I’m calling the invisible arena: the collection of meetings, pre-briefs, gatekeepers, and informal influencers that shape the official process from behind the scenes. These arenas present a big problem: if you don’t see the arena, you’re playing blind.
The Arena Map
To address this, I developed the concept of the Arena Map. It’s a one-page diagram that captures seven critical elements:
The Arena. The actual venue where the decision is shaped. This may or may not be the official decision-making body.
The Gates. The critical moments between now and the decision date where influence can be exerted.
The Gatekeepers. The individuals with the authority to open or close each gate.
The Movers and Blockers. The people who influence the gatekeepers, both in support and in opposition.
The Crowd. This is public pressure. The crowd can shift momentum and have the ability to change the game entirely.
Access Routes. The mechanisms for reaching the gatekeepers before each gate is crossed.
The Escalation Plan. Predefined steps to take if a gate closes.
Why it works
The Arena Map forces an explicit model of the decision-making system, with three direct benefits to an executive team:
Speed. You see the entire decision system at a glance, which frees you up to move quickly.
Focus. By mapping out the game, your team can concentrate its efforts where they can have the most impact.
Alignment. Everyone works from the same map, reducing wasted effort.
Adaptability. When the landscape evolve, or timelines change, you can update the map quickly to reflect the new game/system.
Risk Management. Fewer surprises and more informed course corrections.
The Arena Map only works if you treat it as a living document. It requires regular review, especially when there are major developments on your issue. And because it requires a constant review, it’s why it works best as a one-pager. Few of us have time to update 50-page strategy decks. But we do have time to update this one-pager and keep our focus.
You can pick the appropriate cadence that works for your issue and your team. When you do, ask yourself:
Is this still the arena we’re playing in?
Have any gates been added, removed, or moved earlier?
Have the movers or blockers changed?
What is the crowd looking for?
Are our access routes still the most effective ways to reach our gatekeepers?
In turn, you and your team build a habit of continuous mapping, which helps moves you from a reactive function to strategic thinking and execution.
A simple test for your organization
If your business has regulatory exposure, ask your team:
“Show me the Arena Map for our top three priorities.”
If they can produce one, you’ll have a clear view of where the real decisions are being made and how to move through them. If they can’t, you may be competing without a playbook.
Making the invisible visible
Our work can be extremely abstract. That’s the nature of the regulatory affairs space — our work is shaped by systems. The Arena Map makes these systems visible. And once we see the system, we can design our actions to move through it with confidence.
One-Page Briefing Template
To keep things simple, here are the 7 critical areas to explore for your Arena Map:
