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Tuesday Truths 2016 Edition v33

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I’m back in the office after taking a few days off to visit with family up and down New England. Lots of driving the past few weeks for me so I’m happy to relinquish the car for at least a few days and be still. While I was “off”, I was also notified that my information may have been hacked due to the security breach at the DCCC (fun times!) and lo and behold, I started getting random phone calls (like disgusting racist ones) and lots and lots of spam texts and emails. Needless to say, I spent the majority of one morning changing passwords and dealing with the crazy. This definitely is not when #politicscanbefun 🙁

Here’s Tuesday Truths!

  • This has been such a crazy year in politics. I can’t wait to see the results and how political scientists will assess the environment for the history books. As a political science major in college, we learned of the historic pendulums that led to the dominance of the Democratic and Republican parties and to live during a time with so much history being made, I enjoy reading about people’s experiences on the campaign trail. MSNBC/NBC Reporter Katy Tur discusses her adventure covering the Trump campaign and it is WILD! Major props to her and to all of those who live the road warrior life.
  • If ever there’s a time when I need inspiration to live a more authentic life, I see Baddie Winkle as my spirit animal. She’s a BADASS and I would want to live my life as freely as she lives hers. She has no problems being herself. At 88 years young, she has lived a lifetime where she can give zero F*cks so, why wait?

Thanks for reading/sharing and drop me a note in the comments!

— Madalene

 

 

Tuesday Truths 2016 edition v27

Hope everyone had an enjoyable 4th of July holiday! I took the weekend off and ate my way through Boston while visiting with family. We’re into a new quarter and yes, I have fundraisers scheduled for this week! We only have 2 more weeks before Congress recesses until after Labor Day so there’s a lot to be done before the elections come at us full force! I’m doing a Facebook LIVE for one of my clients (America’s Opportunity Fund) on Thursday, 7/7 at 2pm Eastern to talk about how to get into government affairs and lobbying with Irene Bueno so check it!

Here’s Tuesday Truths!

  • Really great read from former Lt. Governor Kathleen Kennedy Townsend on “What Should a Powerful Woman Look Like?” and in my mind’s eye, I think of someone who is a person of color (thank you President Obama) and also a woman. As I mentioned earlier, I was visiting in Boston when I heard someone say that in 2060, Chelsea Clinton’s son, Aiden would be eligible to be President (not verified just a repeated statement) and I couldn’t help to add that her daughter, Charlotte would be eligible before then as she’s the older sibling. Why do people always think that boys can be President when girls are thisclose to seeing a female get elected? Just like I hope to see more African Americans become President, I hope to see an Asian American as well and MORE WOMEN!
  • In the same vein about image vs reality, former NY Congresswoman Liz Holtzman has talked about her experience being a young woman in the 70s elected to the US House of Representatives (which I’ve shared with you in a previous post) as well as her journey of life as the US Senate candidate in NY and later, District Attorney and Comptroller. She’s a pioneer for all of us and I hope to never hear it’s “not a job for a woman” as a reason why a woman isn’t qualified for any position.
  • I get asked out to coffee a lot (I don’t even really drink coffee, ask me out to tea and we’re getting somewhere!) because people want “to pick my brain”. Where did we get this gross (let’s be honest, the visual isn’t that great) expression? It’s a term that we fall back on because we hear/use it so often for ourselves and with others. If you’re looking for advice, why not just ask for it? There are times when you just don’t know anything enough to ask specific questions because you haven’t been exposed to it. Better yet, when you ask for the advice, also offer to do something so that the person who you’re seeking advice from can see that you’re resourceful as well as understanding of that person’s time. Whenever you can have a win/win then you’re helping to achieve everyone’s goals.
  • We’re in the final stretch of an administration and what does that mean for all those people who are political appointees or staff whose bosses lost their re-elections? It means polishing up those resumes and getting ready to see who wants to hire you after working in public service. Here are tips you can use if you’re interviewing or hiring after the elections.
  • When in meetings, it can be challenging to get a point across when there are people or even a single individual, who likes the sound of their voice. I personally hate meetings because the consequence is that I usually get shackled with more work and they can go on and on if there’s no set agenda. I like my meetings in and out. Let’s get to doing! Alas, often times that’s not the case so you’re in a meeting where everyone feels compelled to talk and talk and talk some more. Yet, your boss has brought up a subject that you think you can provide valuable input – what do you do? Here are the 3 questions you can ask yourself to see if this opportunity is one where you should speak up or remain silent.
  • I have had many an intern work in my office so I’ve seen a lot and I remember one of the craziest things I’ve ever had to do when I was an intern was wear hosiery. Lucky for my interns, they don’t have an antiquated dress code to follow. What they do understand is that part of the reason that I never had casual Fridays when I interned on the Hill because I worked for a MD congressional member who could easily come into the office on Friday and since we lived in a more conservative time, the dress code reflected that kind of atmosphere. We understood that even though we were interns, we had to dress that way because it was part of the office culture and that summer, I spent a lot of money on white hosiery (don’t ask me why they had to be white). I bring this up because I read an article where a group of interns signed a petition and sent it along with a proposal to their manager on having more leeway with the dress code. Kudos for taking initiative, however not a good idea since the entire group was fired. In my office, when Congress is in session, it means we’re in business attire. You may not have appointments, but I might send you out to pick up a check or we might have a last minute meeting and that reflects on my brand aka my firm. My office has seen me start the morning with a more relaxed outfit and as we move into the day, I’ve changed to more appropriate attire to fit the meeting or event. Having a better sense of what the office conveys in its image also means understanding things as simple as its dress code.

Thanks for reading/sharing – let me know your thoughts by commenting!

— Madalene

 

Tuesday Truths 2016 edition v26

Can you believe that we’ve now hit the half way point of the year? This being the 26th post of a weekly blog?! WOWZERS!

Guess what? We’re also 2 days away from the end of the quarter and it’s got me all

money money

So you can tell what’s on my mind: “I got my mind on my money, my money on my mind” – Youngbloodz

Here’s Tuesday Truths!

  • How happy am I that I get to share my good friend, Tanya Tarr‘s interview for Forbes@Women with none other than former Texas State Senator and all around ROCK STAR Wendy Davis with all of you??? Ms. Davis is dropping knowledge on the art of negotiation. What does she say that’s aligned with my own beliefs? Know your value! #getit (P.S. I can’t wait to see what other fascinating stories and interviews Tanya shares with us in the future – follow her!)
  • We’ve talked about the Power Pose and how your non-verbal actions can provide insight on your internal dialogue (confident, anxious, nervous etc) so here are a few suggestions of how you can engage your body and hand gestures to appear more bold and confident. I have video of myself when I’ve given speeches or lectures and I’m a full on hand gesturer. I can’t help it! I never realized that there are people who put in hand gestures as part of their presentations to create emphasis. I gesture when I speak ALL. THE. TIME. even when I’m on the phone and the only time when I stop myself is when I’m taking notes. I recognize it’s because I’m comfortable speaking on the subject matter and when I’m doing presentations, my hands are part of my speaking presence. Now that I’m doing more video, I try to keep my gestures to a minimum so that it’s not distracting to the viewers. Always a work in progress!
  • I’m working with a mentor on her cover letter and my advice is to find your strengths and translate that into how it can help the organization where you’re applying. Personality is essential, even in a cover letter that can be as dry as a burnt piece of toast. Do you know how many of these things get reviewed on a daily basis?? Formulas are good in the sense that it helps to articulate pieces that you should highlight. What are the key things that people expect you to say in your letter? It’s up to you to jazz hands the shiz out of it so that hiring managers will remember why they picked your resume out of all the others. We’ve talked about how you can control your narrative. At this point, you are a blank piece of paper and when you submit your resume for consideration, you are giving people the best version of yourself. Do you know the saying, “It looks good on paper?” well this is a prime example. It can be tedious and most of all, you are forced to be your most creative and most insightful. If you only spend time in going through the motions, you won’t get very far. Here’s a great list of ideas of how you can share some of your best moments.
  • Change, regardless if it’s chosen or forced upon you can be a transformational moment. How you take that challenge can bring great rewards if you build upon the idea of always creating community and goodwill. I always tell people that it’s more important to help others first because it’s a nice thing to do but in addition, should there ever be a time when you need assistance, people will come to your aid. It’s the same with donor relationships. Donors don’t want to feel that the only time you come to them is to ask for money. I really enjoyed reading the story of Sree Sreenivasan because he lives the principles that I like to share. You have the ability to control the narrative of your own story – whether it be good or bad. Whatever way you want to share your changes is up to you.
  • We all got fears. Fears of not meeting expectations; fears of public humiliation; fears that we are not worthy; many of them can be rationalized and many of them can’t – are our friends drinking the kool-aid and encouraging us even though they think we’re going to fail? Well let me tell you, we always need a reality check and those friends who can be supportive while also walking through all of the scenarios with you to make sure that you have thought of the pros and cons are who you need in your corner. Do you know who else you need in your corner?? YOU!!! You, my friend need to look in the mirror and trust in yourself. Let me go full circle back to the previous article about Sree. We are not perfect and we can’t be great at everything. Do not let fear be the barrier that keeps you stagnant. You will soon realize (like me!) that 20 years of being in the business that you always wanted to be in has happened (that’s a good thing) and it’s OK to transition into something else that you find meaningful. Don’t give anyone the ability to judge your decisions. That is a gift that you’re giving when you allow people’s opinions to matter. I give that gift to friends that I trust and to people who I admire because I know that they’re looking at for my interests. They will challenge me and will make me question my decisions not for the sake of being dickwads and I give them that opportunity because I know that they care and will support my decision. #YOLO
  • Women have to work twice as hard to get elected to Congress and to overcome gender bias. It’s incredibly important to have female leadership in elected office and it’s scientifically proven! With that in mind, if you’re looking for ways that you can be a part of a community that supports females running for office, here’s my list:
  1. Identify as a progressive/Democratic woman of color, especially of Asian American or Pacific Islander descent then visit, America’s Opportunity Fund (AOF). There’s a network called The Power of She. (full disclaimer, I’m the Executive Director of AOF).
  2. In the history of the Women’s Information Network (WIN), there have been quite a few women who were members who later became elected officials so the organization has a good track record of supporting from within. (full disclaimer, I’m the Advisory Council Chair of WIN).
  3. The grand dame of pro-choice Democratic women is Emily’s List. Their investment in pro-choice female candidates is off the charts. They have trainings and their endorsement is quite a feather in your cap.
  4. There’s also Ignite, Emerge, Running Start, WeLead, Women’s Campaign School at Yale University, and I know that I must be missing many others. If you have gone through a training or know of other resources, please share so that we can have a more comprehensive list. We never want any female to not know of places where she can go to get the training she needs to run for office.

That’s it for this Tuesday – we hope you enjoy the rest of the week! Thanks for reading/sharing & if you haven’t subscribed, then I hope you will do so today!

— Madalene

 

 

 

 

Tuesday Truths 2016 edition v13

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As you read this little ditty, I’ll be flying to the west coast for a few days on work travel. People are out and about on Spring Break so although I’m a bit joyous that I get a time-out from fundraising events, the work still continues. When Congress returns, I’ll be going full steam ahead with a barrage of fundraisers, #tistheseason #politicscanbefun

So whether you’re mushing it up in Iceland or drinking a beverage that has an umbrella in it, here’s Tuesday Truths!

  • We know that diversity is a key issue for all aspects of life. Having a seat at the table is important to bringing a different perspective and to highlight challenges and triumphs. What’s also critical is that women and minorities tend to be penalized when they try to help in that process through their hiring practices. The Harvard Business Review explores the implications of having those kinds of attitudes.
  • One of the many reasons I enjoy being a part of the Women’s Information Network (WIN) is that it gives like-minded women a safe space to be women and to share their knowledge and expertise with other women. We’re one another’s cheerleaders. It’s long been known that the “old school” method of networking in the boys’ club was via poker, golf, and men’s dinner clubs. As more women join the ranks of senior leadership, they’re creating spaces that allow us to embrace all of the attributes of female empowerment. Yes, we’ll mix with the boys, but let’s remember that it’s OK to spend your work life also socializing with other women. With that in mind, Shelley Zalis conceived the idea of a Girls’ Lounge, the equivalent of the Boys’ Club so that women could “pair and share”. Read more of her efforts here.
  • One of the things that I’ve learned through the years is that courage manifests itself in a variety of ways. I know my fears and although not fully conquered, I know what I have to do to overcome them: to face them and not allow them to own me. Believe me, I still weigh the risks (such as when others tell me that I’m going to get eaten by a shark every time I go surfing), but I know that I do myself a disservice by not doing the things that scare me. It makes the rest of my life that much less fearful.
  • Normally on an election year, I tend to focus solely on work. It’s work, work, work, work, work (thanks Rihanna!) and everything else goes to the wayside. I realized that every other year is a fiercely intensive time in my life and even more so when accentuated if it’s a Presidential year. I create my own stress because I’ve left everything else to wither. My health doesn’t necessarily wane because I recognized that I needed to exercise and get enough sleep so that I could continue to function in an optimal condition. So I decided that I needed to give myself goals that would test my commitment to myself and to my future self. I added private French lessons and although there were moments when I really questioned my sanity in taking on this additional task, it forces me to take action in another area of my life. It’s a lot easier to focus solely on work when you decide that nothing else should matter and that’s not how life works. If you really want to be a whole leader, you need to recognize the other aspects of your life because those aspects also matter to your team.

Thanks for reading/sharing and leave your comments below!

— Madalene

Tuesday Truths 2015 edition v50

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This may be the last week that Congress is in session so there are last minute and well planned events on the books. I hope that you’re enjoying the holiday season and the promise of the soon to be new year.

Here’s this week’s Tuesday Truths!

  • Who doesn’t look for more efficient time management strategies? I’ve been using 1/2 hour increments to get projects done or to “think” on the creative aspects of my work. Here’s an excellent version of how you can create a similar scenario from a Google email request.
  • There’s always a risk in sharing ideas and presenting a project in its raw state to get feedback. You’re exposing yourself to criticism and commentary however the results of that feedback provide meaning to your creations. Using that information can better define the relationships between what is it that we do and the audience to which that work is created. Learn more on what to do with feedback from your work.
  • I like to promote diversity. As a woman of color, I like to see diversity throughout the leadership in organizations I support. Having worked in government and now working to help elect people who represent the U.S., I’d like to see that representation reflected in the halls of Congress. Unfortunately, the reality is that Capitol Hill is a very white place. Statistics show that communities of color comprise of 36 percent of the country and yet, African Americans hold less than 1% in the senior staff positions of the U.S. Senate. Organizations such as APAICS, CBC Foundation and the CHCI are working to get more diversity into staffing positions which leads to more opportunities and exposure.
  • I have to give a shout out to one of my former staffers, Chris Chan on his role at the Democratic National Convention Committee as Deputy Chief of Staff. After he served his time in my office (I actually kicked him out as part of my Empty Nest program), he went onto the Denver Convention in 2008 so this will be his 3rd convention since he also went onto working at the Charlotte Convention. Kudos to your progress! Of course, I can’t forget my good friend and fellow WINner Cynthia Jasso-Rotunno, who was hired to be Senior Advisor and Director of Government Relations – looking forward to all of the great work you’ll be doing! Read more about the new hires for the Philadelphia convention team.

Thanks for reading/sharing and for subscribing!

— Madalene

Tuesday Truths 2015 edition v48

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I hope everyone is having a great start to December! I like this time of year because it reminds me to be better – not just with others but also to myself. I don’t believe in resolutions because I always think that there’s nothing like the present to make improvements. I hope you have a productive month reaching your goals and milestones.

Here’s Tuesday Truths!

  • For me to fully focus, I need to clear the mental “to-do” list and see the horizon of progress. I think I’ve mentioned that I tend to triage so that things that are the most important, bubble to the surface first and therefore, get addressed. To have clarity, it’s important that you’re doing it with a clear head so empty all of the things that are distracting you so that you can find your own focus.
  • When you’re facing a challenge and think you’re at the end of your mental toughness, you’ve only used 40% of your will power so you’ve got a lot left in the tank!
  • In the discussion of Millennials this article shared that there is a profound impact on how financial support affects their ability to build their own personal assets. This is especially true with millennials of color and this financial disparity is also connected with race. As a result minority millennials are having a difficult time getting ahead.
  • I think I run a pretty tight ship in my firm in that I have procedures that illustrate how to do pretty much everything for each of my clients. One of the things that I try to provide for my team is feedback not only related to their current positions but also to their own professional goals. What have they identified as their weaknesses that they need to improve? What habits/behavior have I noticed that I could help them to correct? How can we create opportunities to strengthen those skills? Reading this article has really formulated what I try to put into action – radical candor – the combination of caring for people and being direct. This also applies to me and my team’s feedback of how I can help them. I also recognize that the best version of myself involves my routine of going to the gym – my team always thanks me for it because I’m a nicer person when I get my frustrations out by sweating it out. One of my favorite reads!
  • Every job has some level of stress and some of that stress can’t be controlled. If you work in customer service, you can’t control if the person who you’re trying to help was late leaving their house to get to work and irritated from traffic. You can only control your own behavior. So if you’re in need of finding ways to reduce stress at work, you may want to act upon these tips.
  • I’m getting ready to hit a more tropical locale for a work trip where it’s island cocktail for some of my events. If you work in an environment where business casual is the norm, here’s an article that illustrates what business casual really means.

Thanks for reading/sharing and if you haven’t already, feel free to subscribe!

— Madalene

 

Tuesday Truths 2015 edition v41

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One of my favorite times of the year is just getting started – fall temperatures with crisp weather and the excitement of GOTV. It’s really difficult for me to think of campaigning into Election Day when the weather doesn’t involve stepping over crunchy leaves and wearing scarves and gloves while doing honk and waves. It seems unseasonal to be wearing shorts! What are your favorites for the season?

Let’s get rolling with Tuesday Truths!

  • As we talk about the women’s movement, it’s becomes increasingly important to discuss intersectionality and how it affects perspective. In industries such as tech and politics, where the ratio of men to women is rather appalling, companies are making strategic decisions to increase diversity. They’re touted for their approach to include women, but don’t take into account that life also involves other communities of color. It’s understandable to think that the issue can be viewed as insurmountable and that any stride in diversity is seen as a win, but to not address that intersectionality in diversity also adds to the challenge.
  • A history lesson for my AAPI brothers and sisters who may not be aware of the civil rights leadership of our African American brothers and sisters. It’s due to their struggles that we, as AAPIs enjoy those civil liberties.
  • For all of my friends and colleagues who work on the Hill, I salute your service to this country. The environment of being overworked and understaffed while doing your jobs would make most people quit, but it’s your dedication to improving this country that may drive your get-up-and-go attitude. Think Congress is dysfunctional? It can be but it’s still on the frontline of the biggest policy issues of the day.
  • And….we circle back to the reasons WHY people stay in positions in organizations that they hate. Not every day is going to be a GREAT day at work. Sure, it’s fantastic if we have a streak of those kinds of days all the time, but the reality is that we have ups and downs to the work day/week but if you find that the work environment is toxic and causing way more stress, think about why you’re actually staying in your job. Don’t let peer pressure determine where you work.
  • We end on one of my favorite topics – fundraising! Yes, it’s a pain to do and yes, half the battle is motivation but there’s a strategy to all the phone call mayhem. Here are a few ways to identify donor psychology. Sometimes I feel like I’m a part time therapist 🙂

Thanks for reading/sharing and please don’t forget to subscribe!

— Madalene

 

 

 

Tuesday Truths 2015 edition v32

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Mixing in a mini-break along with work travel is a nice combination in the summer. I get to visit with some of my favorite people while raising money so it’s a win win for everyone. I readily admit that I’m not the best vacation type person. I don’t like to have things hang over my head when I’m supposed to be relaxing and when I check out, I really want to check out! My type of work isn’t life or death so not answering my emails immediately isn’t going to set up catastrophe, but I feel like it might. Occasionally, I need to remind myself that it’s OK to take a day off now and then. It’s good to take the time to re-charge! #noguilt

In the meantime, Tuesday Truths!

  • I thoroughly enjoyed reading Mindy Kaling’s first book and with her new book, there has been a lot of promotion. She recently did an interview with Glamour and it was a valuable lesson in building self confidence. It’s nice to see that we share the same philosophy! I’m looking forward to reading more.
  • Do you need a primer on how to get a job on Capitol Hill? I get lots of those questions and this comprehensive list can really get you focused. Another idea is to look at your own natural constituency. I’ve had people talk with me who are Latina/o or AAPI and I tell them to look at the organizations that help to promote diversity. You want to use every natural advantage!
  • There is scientific proof on the ideal length to vacation. In case you’re wondering, it’s 8 days – do you think that’s long enough or do you need more to re-charge? When I take vacationing seriously, I usually travel a great distance so my real vacation time is about 8 days because the days at the beginning and at the end are my travels days. My longest trip has been about 2 weeks when I went to Australia but I’m more known for my crazy let’s leave on Thursday and get back to DC on Monday when I go to Hawaii.  I don’t recommend it for everyone 🙂
  • If you don’t have time to get to a vacation, you can find ways to make your life a little more idyllic when you try to push out negativity. If you work in a stressful environment, there is only so much you can do to brace yourself so maintaining your mental health is key. Here are ways you can counteract those moments and keep your spirits buoyant!
  • An interesting perspective in working towards your goals is to think about the struggle that you’re willing to endure. It takes a great deal of strength to weather and knowing what pain and sacrifice you’re likely to experience makes you more aware of what it takes to reach those goals. What do you think?
  • Stepping into a role with more responsibility? Get a promotion and not sure how to handle the more challenging aspects? Here’s a checklist not only to think about what deliverables you can produce but also how you can maintain self care and professional development.

Thanks for reading/sharing! If you haven’t yet subscribed, please feel free to sign up!

— Madalene

 

 

Tuesday Truths 2015 edition v30

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Last week for the House to get it together before they recess until after Labor Day!! Lots of things to do but first and foremost on my list — a BIG thank you to all of the readers/sharers/subscribers!!! Thank you for continuing to be a part of this community as we learn how to create a more well rounded society, professionally and personally. I enjoy reading the articles with you and hearing from you as you share your experiences (feel free to comment – we all benefit from them!). Knowing that you think the blog is timely in your own lives means a lot to me and I hope that I can be there for you as you create a life that you want to live! So, thank you for creating this community!

Tuesday Truths are ready to go!

  • I recently had a discussion about dressing for success and recognizing that each industry has their standard “uniform”. Although I work in politics and government, I don’t work directly in those fields where my de rigeur attire is a charcoal/black/pick your dark shade conservative suit. My professional attire is bit outside of the box so I have more flexibility in what I choose to wear. I also have the benefit of age and although I may not initially appear to be my age, my demeanor and attitude carries beyond what is considered “age-appropriate”. One of my best friends used to work in the House leadership and we could always spot her in a crowd on C-SPAN because she shunned the usual colors for more vibrant ones when she worked the House floor. She has also taken this attitude with her on her move to the west coast in a work place where she’s below the average age and everyone seems to own at least 10 pairs of khakis. She has no qualms in being herself and letting her work be on display even when she’s wearing a print dress.  There are times when we want to blend in – I remember the days when I was an intern on the Hill and worked for a Democratic member in leadership. At the time, the standard practice was to wear white hosiery (!!) and skirt suits. Yes, I complied and yes, I questioned my ability to find my own voice. As actresses fight for more substantive questions on the red carpet beyond “Who are you wearing”, it’s important to not take yourself too seriously when you express yourself in a professional environment. So I’m glad to see that Silicon Valley female executives are ripping up the play book about what to wear! What would you most want to get rid of out of your work closet?
  • Do you need to learn how to overcome the awkwardness that sometimes comes with networking and/or talking with strangers? Hate to tell you, but the only way to overcome it is to practice! Here are a few techniques that you can use along the way!
  • Millennials have become the largest demographic cohort, surpassing the Baby Boomers and as my fellow Generation Xers take the helm of management, this article shares a few ideas of how Millennials can get promoted. I’d enjoy hearing what Millennials have to say about these suggestions. Knowing that this is a broad generalization is a given but also acknowledging that there are differences in work style and how on a generational level, we value them can help us better understand each other’s motivations.
  • I only started fundraising in the AAPI community 11 years ago so although that seems like a long time, it really isn’t in the history of identity politics. As a Democrat, I didn’t necessarily identify with my constituency when I started working in politics nearly 20 years ago. My first and last name don’t identify my AAPI origins, if anything it identifies my German ancestry and only when I started doing AAPI fundraising, did I add my Vietnamese middle name so that people could see that with my email signature, you were probably communicating with an AAPI. This Roll Call article by Stuart Rothenberg analyzes the struggles that Republicans have with identity politics while National Journal columnist Josh Kraushaar writes about how diversity can be just as messy for the Democrats.
  • I recently met up with a former colleague who was a feeling a bit stagnant. Being that she is over a decade younger then me, I told her to relish in a less chaotic schedule. My friends and I would be even a bit jelly of her free time! I’ve come to realize that my life can be overly scheduled and a lot less spontaneous, but that’s not really the point – the point is that every thing that we do, no matter how mundane can lead to success. Taking the time to see opportunities and “recognizing the good” will ultimately pay off. This article was really interesting to me as it also taught me the “Seinfeld Solution” – have you heard it of it and yes, it’s named after the comedian Jerry Seinfeld!

Thanks for reading/sharing/subscribing – Don’t forget to drop me your comments!

— Madalene

Tuesday Truths 2015 edition v14

If you’re a staffer on the Hill, I hope you’re enjoying recess. I’m taking this time to get ready for another set of events come next week. That calendar is sure filling up! Not only am I booking fundraisers, I’m also booking campaign trainings! I’ve got one coming up in May in Boston and another one in June in Seattle, so if you’re in those cities or would like more information to pass along, let me know! I’m also planning on more skills specific campaign training as well (think fundraising, communications etc). The organization is geared towards AAPIs but we’re good Democrats and as a result, if you want to work in the progressive space, we’re happy to train you! We also encourage diversity so that our talent pool is reflective of the country so if you’re interested in getting more information, subscribe to the blog and you’ll be the first to know!

Let’s get to Tuesday Truths!

  • I am a one woman shop right now. I decided to “ease back” on my work load but yet, I feel like I’ve started down a path where I’m going to need to be hyper organized so that I don’t let things slip through the cracks. Productivity is the name of the game and these tips are making me more aware of how I’m hijacking my own success. #gamechanger
  • I had my 20 year college reunion this past November and maybe some of these life lessons are generational but as I reflect on my professional career, I wonder if life would have been more boring if I had just cut to the chase. Lessons are learned because you make mistakes and take the road with the twists and turns.
  • OH-EM-GEEE a political life lesson learned the HARD way. Fundraising and consultants can get shady but the saga that has surrounded this story is a cautionary tale for those who are candidates and those who are consultants. A solid reputation and ethics are the only way to go.
  • Are you an in state or in district staffer who is looking to get on the Hill? Got questions on how you make that transition? One tip from the Hill Navigator – use LinkedIn – good luck!
  • Does your work define you? Some people think that this is a negative concept while others think that it’s really about integration. This also comes into play when you think about your personal branding. If you allow work to define who you are as a person, how do you want others to define you? I know that my work is based in Democratic politics, no matter what you want to say about my other skills/interests/talents, that is always going to be the core. How I choose to engage in that arena is up to me. Here are ways that you can engage your brand with your work.
  • Fellow Females! Brush up on those persuasion skills – it’s going to help you as you progress into your careers.
  • We’ve all encountered the difficult co-worker: the one who seems to grate on your last nerve. How do you contend with them and keep your professionalism intact? We’ve got a few ideas here.

Got comments? Drop them below and let me know! Thanks for reading/sharing and don’t forget to subscribe!

— Madalene