Tag Archives: branding

Tuesday Truths 2015 edition v20

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It’s almost impossible to think that we’re heading into summer and the return of the intern rotation. I’m looking forward to having an intern start with me in the next couple of weeks so you may see a guest post geared to their peers.

  • I believe in positive reinforcement as well as tackling issues that may be seen as weaknesses. Harvard Business Review did an article on how companies have increasingly drained women’s ambitions. The environment for promotion is less inviting with a focus on behavior that leave women less motivated. One of my first reactions is that we need more female mentors. If you’re a female with management experience,  I hope that you will make the time to support those women who need a helping hand.
  • How to throw around some swagger without looking like a douchebag or a more appropriate title, “How to Promote Yourself Without Looking Like a Jerk”. Like we always say to candidates. your narrative (bio) needs to be compelling and so does the manner in which you talk about your achievements.
  • No matter where you may be in your career, these 5 tips can help boost your career. It’s a great reminder to stay connected with your network! What other tips have you done to help your career?
  • I’ve been working a lot more in the field of leadership and realizing that a person’s state of mind is so important to achieving your goals. When I have moments of doubt, I remember some very basic tenets to remind myself about the Why because those doubts turn into clarity. Learning technical skills or specializing a particular field can certainly bring you success but it’s personal development that brings mental dexterity to evolve and adapt to ever changing situations.
  • Which leads me to how you get to influence people when you’re not perceived as an expert. If you don’t have a lot of experience, you can begin by working with your peers and your network to get testimonials of your abilities or work with a more experienced person in your field who can provide you with credibility. What other tactics have you used?

Thanks for reading/sharing – please feel free to subscribe if this has been helpful!

— 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

Tuesday Truths 2015 edition v9

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March is roaring like a lion and will probably go out like that with the end of the quarter (at least, I hope so!). Gotta get that cash money 🙂 The last two weeks of the month will especially be challenging with numerous back-to-back fundraisers so the Tuesday Truths may be a tad abbreviated but it will still be fierce!

Let’s get to reading!

  • After several months of doing an e-mentoring program, I’m thisclose to actually meeting my mentee face-to-face this week. We live in different cities and have crazy work schedules but it will all be worth the time to meet in person. As I was reading this article about the 5 types of mentors you need, I started to ask myself, which one fits my style. I realized that I take on a different style dependent on who I’m mentoring but in most cases, I’m a Coach and a Connector. What kind of style do you need in your repertoire?
  • I’ve always believed that the more I made my boss’ life easier, it would result in a better work environment. As a consultant, I know that I need to be prepared with all the possibilities aka solutions that will help my clients attain their goal(s). Here are 2 unusual ways to impress your boss so that you can get ahead.
  • Everyone talks about personal branding and how it affects your future, but oftentimes we don’t know how to craft that image. It’s such an internal process and it’s HARD to make yourself stop and think about how you want to be perceived. You might have a sense of what that looks like but it’s challenging to articulate. It requires honesty and a true assessment of your strengths and weaknesses. You can also take a few cues here.
  • I gotta give it up for my Latino colleagues as they navigate the evolving political environment. They’re hustling to get the respect that they deserve and 2020 is going to be a year when communities of color can once again stand and be counted. Check out the article from NBC on the Latino Victory Project.
  • When Patricia Arquette won her Academy award and talked about equal pay, a lot of the progressive community were supportive of her talking about the issue to a mainstream audience. The post awards show comments made by Ms. Arquette brought a firestorm from a great deal of underrepresented constituencies. As a woman of color who was raised by a Caucasian father and an Asian American mother, my lens is a slightly different perspective. I try to check my own attitudes to see what my Asian American colleagues/friends are saying so that I can better educate myself to situations where I don’t have experience. In that circumstance, I think when allies are showing support, it’s good to understand how to best provide that kind of support.
  • Who doesn’t want more self confidence? Everyone has ways to pump themselves up. I’m usually in high heels and most people think of me as taller than my actual height because they’re so used to seeing me a certain height so when I sprained my ankle a few years ago and had to wear flats, everyone was taken aback that they were looking *down* and not eye level. My wardrobe is my armor and it gets me in a mental space so that I can be the hostess with the mostess when I do my fundraisers. People expect me to be engaging and warm so my wardrobe gets me ready to tackle the day (I’m more an introvert than an extrovert so talking with people really requires me to conserve energy when I most need it). Here are 5 researched ways to improve your self confidence. Tell us what you do in the comments section!
  • There was a time when a few friends were unhappy with their job situations. Even I have gone through it myself. I hate to complain and when it takes a portion of my time with my friends because those complaints are sucking all the life out of you, then there really needs to be a change. So what do you do if you’re unhappy with work? Life’s too short to be spending that kind of energy.

Thanks for reading/sharing. If you think this has been worthwhile, please consider subscribing!

— Madalene