Tag Archives: communication

Tuesday Truths 2016 edition v29

Congress is officially out of session, the Republicans are having their Convention, we’re days away from the Democratic Convention, & weeks away from the Olympics! SO. MUCH. TO. DO. What a time to be alive!

In all seriousness, I’m writing this in advance of publishing so I’m looking forward to seeing what happens in Cleveland. I remain hopeful that everyone involved will be safe there and the same for when I join my fellow progressives in Philadelphia. Life is about optimism. If you go in with a mentality that you can’t overcome the obstacles, you’re already behind. I completely acknowledge that sometimes life hands you disadvantages and powered by tenacity, hard work, dedication and most importantly, hope, you can find a way that allows you to conquer the day. Life may seem dismal, but if you can envision getting to your goals, taking the small and painful steps everyday will lead you forward. Optimism is the key to life. #trust

Here’s Tuesday Truths!

  • I’ve realized that I’ve become a little salty lately. I’m normally salty (if you’re anti-swearing then you would not like being in my office where certain swear words are obligatory adjectives) and I always find myself becoming a little more insulated when stress hits a high. Admittedly, I haven’t been doing my usual exercise routine so that might attribute to my sassier than normal nature, however I will course correct my behavior when I start to notice that my self care is not sufficient to reaching my peak performance (personally & professionally). You have to recognize where you need to improve and strive to work on them. That sometimes means saying, “no” to things that you may feel you need to do without feeling any guilt. Taking care of yourself while taking care of others means prioritizing yourself along with all of the other people you value. You value yourself, right?
  • I’m a BIG fan of The Campaign Workshop (FOLLOW THEM!) and they recently did a post on campaign job descriptions. Perfectly timed with a recent Facebook LIVE event I did with America’s Opportunity Fund (AOF) to discuss the AAPI Pipeline Project, where we discussed the different types of opportunities you could pursue when working on a campaign. We did a word association while throwing out job titles and we were a little light in the job descriptions so this handy dandy cheat sheet is a great primer!
  • Another fantastic interview by Tanya Tarr on creating vision in negotiation with Ms. Foundation President Teresa Younger. IMO, what’s so important in this article is seeing that negotiating isn’t about “winning” and more about creating a contract that serves a mutually invested interest. As a result, EVERYONE wins and that’s what’s driving your purpose through the negotiation. Thinking of only yourself creates tension and the feeling that if I’m winning then you’re losing. No one wants to lose so let’s have a win/win.
  • If you ever find yourself in a situation where you’re in a room full of people in a meeting and you have been asked a question that you don’t know the answer, there are alternatives to responding, “I don’t know”. In addition to the suggestions provided in the article, I would suggest that depending on the situation (especially if people have been going around the room giving their opinions), you take a quick assessment of who’s in the room and crib their answer. Fake it! You can always give your own opinion to add into the answer such as, “I haven’t yet done the research but knowing that I’m in a room full of intelligent people then I can make a similar conclusion that…” You never know when an opportunity has been given to you and even if you aren’t prepared, you can still sound like you’ve given the topic some consideration. No one is going to know! Don’t give them the chance to think otherwise.
  • I have lots of females (in a variety of ages) who I mentor and I also have 6 wonderful nieces, so there’s a lot of girl power to cultivate! I think back to the days when I was a young girl and although my parents were a little heavy on the “cute” factor (I was a child beauty pageant participant), they also valued my “smarts”. My mom used to have me do math problems in the summer in her own self designed summer school. I’m not gonna lie, it was a pain, but guess what? I skipped a grade! I also went to a magnet school that specialized in math and science so being secure in my intelligence was drilled into me from an early age. With nieces coming into their tween years, I can see so much of their potential and how much it’s being nurtured through their support systems. They have the freedom to try different things and to pursue their interests without fear that they’re making the “wrong” choice. They’re healthy, vibrant, strong girls maturing into young women and with all change, there are questions of self doubt and where/how they fit in with their peers. So seeing this article from Angie Goff reminded me of how my parents raised me and I hope that other young girls are given the same kind of self confidence.
  • I work in an industry that is run on cycles. We’re extremely busy as we gear into an election so the pressure is huge and it’s all based on client work. With this kind of work, it’s quite seasonal so a lot of time in the front end is used to get new clients and to set up teams to execute the plans that we’ve created to raise millions of dollars. There is so much involved with being your own boss that has nothing to do with the actual “work” of what is considered your professional services. If you want to grow your business that means spending more time pitching and meetings related to business development. As a result, you need to train your staff to be your mini-me’s – to do the work as if you’re doing it yourself. What does all of this success equal? It can mean that work takes over your life. All of it. Personal life slowly becomes smaller and smaller when you’re hustling. One last email before going to dinner turns into a barrage of back and forth to get one thing done. One small fire turns into an inferno. It’s a balance to get to a place where you’re not overworking and with that comes a mental shift of what is really important to you in regards to your ambition. Re-assessing how and what you spend your time on means redefining your goals personally and professionally. It’s the flexibility to know that you can do what you want because you designed it that way!
  • I stumbled upon this blog post by Jane Zen because I was looking for a strong female author taking risks and I think I want to be her friend! We both surf and we both believe in the same philosophy regarding taking risks – great things could happen! Guess who shared that with her?? A 10 year Japanese surfer. Get it, kid! I think I want to be his friend too 🙂

Thanks for reading/sharing! I’ll still have Tuesday Truths next week (although slightly abbreviated) as I’m off to Philadelphia for the Democratic convention next week. Follow along on my adventures on my snapchat: madalene.mielke – have a great week!

— Madalene

 

 

Tuesday Truths 2016 edition v21

Photo credit via

What do I love about the month of May? It’s APIA Heritage Month and celebrating all the wonderful accomplishments and reflecting on the challenges that my community faces along with the solutions that we create. It’s a time to honor those who have blazed the trail for us and to recognize those who continue to do the work. It’s such a great way to see the past and look to the future.

Before we dive into Tuesday Truths, can you do a big favor and fill out the readers survey?? It will help me get you the kind of material that will be helpful to you! Thank you!

Here’s Tuesday Truths!

  • Speaking of the future, how much do I love that Asian Fortune highlighted 50 Young Asian American Stars in Politics? I’ve had the pleasure of working with a lot of the Democrats/progressives featured in this article and I consider them my brothers and sisters. They’ve got knowledge to drop and you should get to know them!
  • There are going to be times when you have doubts and wonder if you’re headed in the wrong direction. Here are a few warning signs that you can self-assess on what you’re doing and where you’re going. So if you find yourself in a situation where you need to re-invent or turn yourself around, here are ways you can course correct – no matter what age!
  • We’re headed into intern season, the time to shape a young person’s mind and professional work experience (said *tongue in cheek* but not really.) Even if you don’t spend a lot of time with the interns or the younger members of the staff, it’s imperative to learn the myriad of ways you can be a leader. Learn about these habits and how they can bring out the best in others.
  • I did a training a few weeks ago where I was recently asked about, “If the updates in technology have changed the way we do voter contact” and my opinion is that engagement is really about how others want to engage, especially when you’re thinking about targeting voters who have a high propensity to vote. It’s important to not rely on just technology to get your message out. The more traditional routes can be less sexy, however you still need to talk with people who continue to use the more traditional tools to get their information. Use Twitter and the other social media tools to your advantage but don’t let it ruin your perspective to talk with those who prefer other ways to communicate. I’ve fallen down the Snap Chat rabbit hole, so if you want to get an idea of what it’s really like to be a political consultant, follow me at madalene.mielke!
  • To really live the life you want, there is a sh*t ton of hard work you need to do to get be successful. There are so many obstacles and there are times when you’re just so exhausted that you think that you can’t possibly do anymore. Are you truly moving forward or are you achieving the steps that you need to get you to where you want to be? The doubts abound and when you need to assess your current situation, take a moment to see if you’re headed in the direction towards success.
  • Gotta give BIG props to the Honorable Geraldine Roman, the 1st openly transgender elected official in the federal government for the Philippines. #breakingbarriers
  • Before I sign off, did you do the readers survey? I’d most appreciate it!

Thank you for reading/sharing and letting me know your thoughts and comments!

— Madalene

Tuesday Truths 2016 edition v12

I had a terrific time at the NLC training over the weekend. The participants had extremely good questions asking about how fundraising in underserved communities affects your finance plan. Campaigns are constantly trying to break through all the white noise by finding appropriate messengers to serve the message in mediums that are comfortable to the intended audience. Building connections and establishing relationships are the heart of campaigns. I wish the participants much success in their endeavors and the progressive movement is fortunate to have so much diverse talent ready to serve.

Here’s Tuesday Truths!

  • Growing your network while being authentic in your actions can be a daunting task. It helps when you have an interest outside of your field of expertise and proactively tell people about it! I always say that I’m a “Jill” of all trades and the master of nothing because I keep such varied interests in rotation. The ones that stand out for me are eating (who doesn’t like to do that!) so I often get asked where to go for dining options, and my choices in wardrobe attire. When I worked as a manager of a James Beard winning chef’s restaurant, the wait staff would tell me that they could envision me as a cooking instructor (maybe this goes back to my love of teaching!) and people who ask me to help them as a stylist. Obviously all of these interests are outside of my professional expertise, but people identify these as activities where I can excel. This all leads to how you can better network as you progress in your careers. It makes life more multi dimensional and brings another flavor to your character.
  • People often call me to ask me what they need to do in preparation for a run for elected office. I always tell them that they need to massage their network. It’s also important to be  a part of different organizations and to be active as a community leader. It doesn’t necessarily mean be a social butterfly and collect a ton of business cards that never really mean anything to anyone, most importantly you if you’re trying to make meaningful connections. If you need to reset your networking goals, here are 3 tips to make your networking more successful.
  • I’m a little late to this game because I’m already a workaholic but there may still be hope for me yet. I’ve always said that people shouldn’t stay in the office for the sake of looking like they’re putting in more hours. If your work is done, then Buh Bye! This doesn’t apply if you’re an assistant and your boss is still burning the midnight oil but however way you can help in making your boss’ life easier will score brownie points. In every industry it’s a little different how people manage their work life but here’s how you can still advance in your career without being a workaholic.
  • I’m not even in this age range anymore (!!!) but I can tell you that as I’ve gotten older, I’ve also give less F*CKs about what people think (maybe a wee bit and mainly that goes to my long time friends who have always supported me in my goals). I recently visited with a few of my high school classmates (some of them who have become closer friends as we’ve gotten older and some who have been life long friends who have been with me during some turbulent years) and we were reminiscing about how much we’ve changed or stayed the same. What people thought of me then is the same as what people think of me now. I’m quiet until you get to know me and then you realize that I’m a very animated person. The saying about me is that I’m cool but not **cool** as in not very warm. My closest friends have commented that upon meeting me, I don’t necessarily come off as standoffish but I have a guard up that is seemingly hard to crack. Maturity plays a factor of how much you can change as you age, but core personality traits will always be at the heart of who you are as a person. It’s with experience, you learn to become more warm and more extroverted as deemed by circumstances (in my case).
  • Ever wonder what your salary would be if you worked as part of the senior leadership team of a presidential campaign? Look no further – here you go! Does it surprise you that the Kasich campaign is the only campaign that has a female as the campaign manager? How about in the Sanders campaign that no one in the top 10 highest paid employees are women? In the Trump campaign, no one breaks 6 figures and in the Cruz campaign, the Political Director makes $192,000 – the highest paid person of any of the presidential campaigns. #politicscanbefun
  • I know several people who work from home and for some it was their 1st time in that type of situation. They wondered if they could survive the lack of structure that goes with working from home. The physical location of my office is my home but I have staff who come to my office as if it’s an actual office building to work. So I don’t necessarily follow the norms of “Working from Home” and when I don’t have staff, I still maintain some pretty crazy hours. Campaign life doesn’t have a work from home aspect. The camaraderie that’s built working on a campaign builds a stronger rapport of trust and dependence on your team members. Here are some hard truths about that work lifestyle – what do you do if you work from home to maintain structure?
  • When you think you need to re-assess your goals to get to the next level, use these lessons to get you motivated. I’m always re-tooling productivity and trying to find ways to be more efficient. Whenever I get overwhelmed and think I can’t do anymore, I take a step back to find the small triumphs and that gets me excited to take the next step. I work in teams with my clients and we normally discuss strategy as a team but I have to execute it mainly solo so going back to the team to think of ideas helps to create a collaborative space. Knowing that I have colleagues who are supportive in the goal is important in creating a safe place to explore new ideas.

Alright folks – tell me your stories! Thanks for sharing/reading and if you thought this was helpful, tell a friend to subscribe!

— Madalene

 

 

 

Tuesday Truths 2016 edition v11

I’m looking forward to teaching my fundraising session at the NLC’s training this weekend in DC. Believe it or not, fundraising can be a FUN experience! Talking from years of practice, I really do enjoy the research portion the best and when you’ve done the work, it pays off in the call sheets and on your tally board. I bet you that most candidates think that fundraising is the least fun component of all of the campaign activities. What do you think??

Here’s Tuesday Truths!

  • When I read this article, it really struck me as the same kind of structure one uses to connect on a political level. Shared interests creates rapport and that leads to how people can solve problems together. I get a lot of calls from candidates and elected officials asking me how to connect with voters and my response is it has to be genuine and you have to have a common interest that you’re passionate about and willing to fight for everyday. That’s how voters connect with your active participation to help on an issue. How do you raise those concerns so that they’re addressed and discussed in a productive way. These tips can help your sales numbers but they will also help in creating a robust network.
  • Here’s a funny gif on the glamorous life of being a campaign press secretary. Although I have never held the title myself, I have done my fair share of pitching stories and all I can remember is screaming to myself, “If it doesn’t get covered then it didn’t happen!”. I think I’ll stick to my call sheets.
  • We’ve had posts about self doubt, imposter syndrome, self esteem and what it all boils down to is one’s mental capacity to believe in yourself. That ability manifests itself into what some people call charisma. One of the most important aspects of charisma is the ability to empathize with people. One of the reasons why I’m successful in fundraising is that I can see pressure points. My mom used to lament that I was never a master of the guitar and I’m fine with that because my ability to converse in a myriad of topics allows me to dig deeper with people in their interests when I really could care less. It’s not that I don’t care about the person, but even I can only dig deep into others’ interests when it’s not of interest to me. Remembering people’s storytelling and mental momentos really allows people to see that you were really listening.
  • I was once an assistant so I know what it means to “manage up” and lawdy, was it interesting to see my associates do that to me, especially when they weren’t doing it very well. The last thing I want to do as a manager is to do your job for you so the more you know my pressure points, the better jobs we’ll all be doing. I’m a stickler for being on time and my definition of being on time is most other people’s definition of being 15 minutes early. It doesn’t stress me out and it gives me a positive feeling that as a team we’re going to fix an last minute problems that may arise. So when staffers come “late”, I get stressed out and as a result, I get cranky. My mood has shifted and if you catch me on a day that I might not have hit the gym then you better just go hide somewhere and come back when I’ve calmed down. Knowing how to create an environment where you can get the most positive results is a win win. Getting to know managers likes/dislikes can make a tremendous difference in gaining credibility and ultimately more responsibility given to you.
  • Competing with your peers can be daunting. Am I were I’m supposed to be? She’s got a better title than me. How am I supposed to compare with someone who has their sh*z together?? Believe me, it can all be a Debbie Downer if you allow yourself to get caught into the current of self doubt. I also know what it feels like to be swept away and get emotionally tied to people because envy has reared its ugly head. It’s not pretty. It’s so much more fulfilling to feel the glory of the light when you appreciate someone else’s “shine”. My tribe of SHEros have taught me what it means to celebrate their accomplishments. They push me to DO better and to BE better. It’s awesome that they’ve been profiled in the NYT, that they exceeded their business development goals, and are rising to the occasion. When I talk about them, my male friends tell me that they sound amazing…because they are and hopefully some of that shine allows me to also push towards my own goals.
  • Most people laugh at me when I tell them that I’m an introvert. They really don’t believe me! So I concede that maybe I fall in the middle of the spectrum between the two. Needless to say, I like to be alone but I also don’t mind speaking in public. Setting up an introvert for success in a public setting means allowing us/them to prepare. Giving enough notice so that introverts can properly prepare makes the situation less challenging. So when I’m preparing for a lecture or presentation, I visualize my material and it comes naturally to me. I can talk your ear off about fundraising, leadership, branding and it’s because I’m comfortable with the subject, I can do what I’m supposed to do…talk! I like to connect with the audience and figure out what exactly they’re trying to get out of the presentation. I can always improve my energy level but I recognize that I’m not a “yeller” when it comes to showing enthusiasm. I sound fake – my ability to convey my message in a conversational way is my best form of communication and being authentic is much more important than trying to be someone you’re not. Looking for other ways you can become a better public speaker? Hop to it!

Thanks for reading/sharing and let me know what you think in the comments!

–Madalene

Tuesday Truths 2015 edition v34

Photo credit via

Are you ready for Fall? This time of the year gets me excited – Summer is coming to a close, the start of a school year and the lead up to the crazy of a Presidential year! I wonder if I will ever tire of this kind of excitement? It is a mental game – knowing that there’s still a lot to do and trying to best use the time to get everything done because even though it seems like a lot of time, it really isn’t! I’m getting ready for one last escape and upon my return, it will be managed chaos to get to September 30th. I hope you’re enjoying the remaining days of sun and fun! If you haven’t used all of your vacation time, get on it!!

Here’s Tuesday Truths!

  • Finding your power stance and projecting authority – it’s got to do with your limbs and eye contact. A friend of mine told me that my wardrobe is my armor. I have a certain aesthetic that I project when I put on my work attire and my friend is certainly correct in that assessment. I’m often in heels because I stand differently when I’m elevated and as a result, most people think of me as being a certain height. When walking into a room, I square my shoulders and remember to stand straight and walk a little taller. I gesticulate when I speak – official photos of me speaking on a panel or making remarks document my hand gestures. When I look at other principals, I see how they hold themselves and I remind myself that I’m a peer who conveys the same authority. You gotta just remind yourself to OWN IT!
  • There was a time when I was the youngest person in the room. I skipped a grade as a child and therefore graduated early and therefore, started my career a bit earlier. I have the good fortune of my momma’s genes and as a result have always skewed youngish in looks. There was a time when I couldn’t wait to turn 30 so that people could take me seriously! With these factors in mind, I had to work with lots of people who were more experienced and older than me and lead them through many of an election. We’ve got some tips to get through that experience. Remember how you did this as a young person because when you get to be middle aged and older, you’ll want the next generation to do the same for you! I really think it’s about acknowledging respect and getting input. People’s life experiences are meaningful and having institutional knowledge helps in making more educated decisions. However as the leader of a team, you’re ultimately responsible for its product so take the heat if something doesn’t work out and share the credit when it does.
  • Science proves that there are optimal times to get things accomplished. Want a raise? Ask in the morning. Need to make a difficult decision? Be sure that you’ve eaten. Make the most of your day! I am a morning person (if you follow me on twitter @madalenemielke you’ll find that I’m most enthusiastic about my morning routine of going to the gym at the crack of dawn) and I tend to get a lot of work out of the way right afterwards.
  • Isn’t this the time when people do their fantasy football leagues? I have vaguely seen my friends post about it on FB but my equally exciting version of that has been outlined by the New York Times graph of all the different staffers working on the presidential campaigns. Yes, I’m a #politicalgeek.
  • I don’t have to write often in my professional life. My life is usually spent on emails so they tend to be short and sweet. If you are interested in writing, here are 5 ways you can improve your writing. Concise and compelling seem to be the goals.
  • This is so critical in establishing and maintaining communication with your manager. Deciphering their behavior and how they absorb information will help you in keeping them in the loop. My staff has learned to anticipate my questions because they get accustomed to how my brain works and how I process the bajillion things we’re juggling. The more you understand their patterns, the better you’ll be in figuring out your own responsibilities.
  • I’m doing my best to have better work life balance. I decreased my work load so that I could incorporate other activities of interest to me. That’s definitely a privilege that most people don’t have but it’s also a conscious decision to change habits so that I can accommodate the other things in my life that are important. So although I may venture to far flung places, I probably won’t be shopping as much 😉 Here are a few habits from people who have achieved a manageable work life balance. Most people know that my Sunday evenings are spent with my immediate and extended family so I rarely accept any external invitations, unless completely necessary (work travel, friends’ celebrations). If I can’t make it on a Sunday then I also try to schedule a time during the week that I can at least see my mom. If it’s important to you, then you need to make the time for it!

Thanks for reading/sharing & if you haven’t subscribed – please sign up!

Photo Aug 21, 10 16 40 AM

— Madalene

Tuesday Truths 2015 edition v26

Photo credit via

What a weekend! I’m sitting at the Four Seasons in Seattle having my liquid diet that mainly consists of gin and tequila (let’s hope it helps me when I eventually get on my red-eye flight back to east coast Washington). Why was this such a great weekend? I made it out west to do a fundraiser and meet with folks on a client and to conduct a training for the AAPI community, PLUS it was #Pride2015 with lots to celebrate. The training cohort was phenomenal and since I’m partial to my female sisterhood, the class was comprised of all women. Do you know how elated I am to know they there are women who are willing to lead?!! Obvi, it’s not suprising that women would take the lead but it’s so exciting when I have participants from a variety of backgrounds and ages taking steps to become better educated on the process and encouraging one another to make the leap. I see a bright future for the Pacific Northwest.

AOFSEA 2015 AOFSEA 2015 2

We’re looking at the last few hours for the QTR – pray for me as I continue in collection agent mode – I might get a little cranky behind the scenes. I manage to keep my composure most of the time although my internal thoughts are similar to this clip from Entourage – LOL 😝

Excited to share Tuesday Truths!!

  • I share numerous articles on project management because these tools are helpful to me in motivating me to get my tasks completed. I hate feeling rushed so I take the opportunity to plan accordingly so that I can avoid as much of the anxiety that I associate with being rushed. Items on the to-do list can be overwhelming and fear can certainly lead to inaction but these habits can help to create an environment where you can handle a complicated project.
  • So even if you take the necessary steps to handle project management, there will be time when it still feels overwhelming. Here’s how you can take back control so that you’re in the driver’s seat.
  • I don’t have any siblings so my childhood was highlighted with lots of attention (aren’t you smart/aren’t you cute/you can do anything). As a result, I have a healthy sense of self confidence which is critical in the political business because there are lots of other people who have the same measure of self confidence and credentials. I block out the noise and compare myself throughout the years to see how the current version of me stacks up to last year’s version or my version 5/10/15 years ago. Here are a few ways you can stock up on confidence so that you can see your growth.
  • There’s been a lot of discussion of leadership and being self aware. Recognizing your leadership style or at the very least, the kind of environment you would like to have with your colleagues and managers is a start. I find that I’m a combination between a DRIVER + a DOER. I work in small teams and large ones depending on my client work so being able to understand how you fit into your teams can help with how you produce.
  • How do you voice your concerns at work? It’s a rule in my office that if there’s a conflict you need to come with solutions. I want to know how it can be solved and that you’ve taken the time to assess the situation and how it can be remedied. Whiners are not allowed!
  • Do you realize that we’ve surpassed the 1/2 year mark already??? It’s a good time for me to reflect and see where I am in my goals. I already know that I’ve given less priority on one of my goals right off the bat so I’m going to need to make adjustments to get on track. Here are 4 tips to how you can set goals that lead to success.
  • Overall I found this article to be on point with its steps on how to overcome burnout but it was a little wacky that it was sponsored by a skin care beauty line so although I try to maintain a healthy skin care routine, I’m not really sure how much it factors into achieving a more balance life – LOL – but don’t discount the other recommendations!

Alright folks – got questions you want answered or want to share any tips? Put them in the comments section!

Thanks for reading/sharing!

–Madalene

Tuesday Truths 2015 edition v25

Photo credit via

We’re in the final stretch of a full week before June 30th – really putting the follow-up techniques for fundraising into full affect. I’ll be in Seattle later this week to do a fundraiser and training so I’ll have a limited amount of time to get my commitments in the door so BGM (BUSY. GETTING. MONEY) is on blast!

Let’s get to it!

  • So you did a major belly flop with an assignment or you faced a major career disaster head on with lots of collateral damage – how do you recover and make adjustments? It’s bound to happen! I always say that I’ve been yelled at by the best in the business and it has ingrained in me how much I do not ever want to repeat that kind of F-up so that it doesn’t happen again. At the end of the day, it’s embarrassing but I find that embracing it and owning up to it paves the way for resolution. The Harvard Business Review says that there are 3 ways you can react so share with me how you’ve recovered!
  • Working in politics, I see people who are always striving towards goals, mainly dedicated to obtaining a better title (which in most cases requires more responsibilities!) but there are times when people talk about becoming elected officials and ambition seems to be the driving force. As a person who assesses risk on a constant basis for when we need to find a a path to victory, it can be challenging to encourage people to do something as risky as run for office. With that in mind, if you can make the dream into your reality against all odds, screw what others say and go for it. You have to inspire your own work, whether that be in politics or some other field. People might say that I’m an example of being out of the box because it’s certainly not normal to have a Vietnamese American female work in politics (ask my mom – she’ll definitely tell you that it’s weird but yet still be proud of my accomplishments). So even if you don’t have external cheerleaders, you’ll always have your inner voice to move you forward.
  • Sometimes it’s the simple questions that really drill down to our values and as a result, help us to become better at our jobs or find ways to improve our lives. These 2 questions can help in your reflection, but since I work in politics my career certainly addresses these questions everyday.
  • If you’ve read my blog long enough, you’ll know that I’m a big believer in making your own luck and making a real effort to defining success on my terms and not someone else’s. If you feel like you’re stuck although you have ambition and have been putting in the time, these reasons may help you find out why you’re not as successful as you want to be. While you’re at it, if you’ve been wanting to do something in a broader context of a goal, here’s how you can get started to achieving “how to build a better network” or anything else you’re working towards. Small changes everyday will build a habit that leads to substantial changes.

Give me examples of things you’ve done to help make improvements in your career/life! It would be great to hear from you!

Thanks for reading/sharing and if this post or any of the previous ones have been helpful, please subscribe!

— Madalene

Tuesday Truths 2015 edition v21

It’s a district work period for the House and Senate and we’re gearing up for a pretty event heavy June with the 2nd quarter fast approaching. Sometimes I look at the past posts and realize that I could be commenting on some kind of sports game when I’m talking quarters.  My colleagues in the fundraising profession and I have “trained” donors to recognize short term gratification by creating an environment where deadlines are just ways to get to your contribution faster (thank you FEC!). I hear so often that people are tired of the barrage of email solicitations that come with the end of the quarter that it just turns into white noise and we’re still looking for innovative ways to capture people’s attention. Engaging with people in a way that makes them comfortable so that they can decide to click on the contribute button (that’s part of what I do for a living!).

Let’s get going with Tuesday Truths!

When you need to focus on convincing an individual or a group on making change or investing into a project, here are ways to win over their hearts or their minds. Great article that really translates well to campaign style too.

The original post was intended to help those who are hiring millennials but after reading the questions, I realized that it would be good to tweak them when it comes time for an employee review. I greatly believe in investing in staff – having managers who can recognize talent in the ranks and nurturing it because sometimes individuals don’t recognize their own talent unless someone sees it first and taking the time to see if people believe in themselves enough to have people push them further than they envisioned for themselves. These questions may bring broad strokes to who a person is (it is after all, a list of questions for when you hire) but these questions can be re-visited later to see if people have the ability to change their perceptions of themselves as they continue in their professional careers.

Authenticity and sincerity are the keys to making people aware of your accomplishments as well as your weaknesses. So even though we discussed humble bragging in last week’s post, there seems to be a scientific way to talk about yourself that highlights your strengths. Interesting article, indeed!

3 life lessons that can help you become a better leader. I’m still working on getting better on each aspect. Everyday I remind myself that each small step moving forward is still progress.

A really great post on the types of people that can help you as you build your career. It seems so elementary but yet so very true to maintaining a network. It’s especially important if you’re considering ever running for an elected office.

I like that is article is about listening and the techniques you use to show that you’re actively listening to someone. It will certainly make you memorable and people will want to have your ear. Which leads me to best practices for more effective communication. Campaign professionals talk about campaigns as a conversation between the voter and the candidate – a communications model. This ultimately is a back and forth so that we can get feedback. These techniques can be helpful for when you’re communicating with your peers, supervisors or with anyone who can help get your ideas across.

Thanks for reading/sharing and if you haven’t subscribed, please sign up!

— Madalene

 

 

Tuesday Truths 2015 edition v16

We are well into the 2nd QTR of 2015 and I have coffees, meetings, lunches, breakfasts, and receptions to bring in that cash $$. It’s a wonder that people actually want to talk with me considering the number of emails and phone calls I make to tell them about upcoming opportunities. Luckily I never take anything personally and I know that it’s not about me so hearing a lot of “No’s” isn’t a morale drainer. I’m only human after all so after too many emails/calls, I need a break to re-charge and get back into action. Hope you’re having a good week so let’s get to Tuesday Truths!

  • I get asked a lot about branding and although the exercise itself is very reflective, the ability to pitch yourself is not. You can actually practice to make it more natural so that the next time you meet someone at a cocktail reception or networking event, you’ve got skillz and stories to share. We know that small talk can be mind numbing but you can turn those moments into opportunities!
  • My peers and I are often asked to meet with people from our networks and we’re usually more than happy to oblige a request because of our relationships. There are times when I wonder what people are thinking when they do ask us to meet because since we’re the ones doing the favor, wouldn’t our schedules take precedence as well as our preference to where to meet? Well you won’t fall into that etiquette conundrum when learning the art of the introduction.
  • Did you know that there’s a service that will use publicly available data sources to come up with personality profiles and provide ways that you can best communicate with specific individuals? I haven’t used the service but Crystal has piqued my attention. Talk about personalizing a pitch in an email to best suit the reader. Hitting those pressure points! If someone tries it, let me know! If we’re talking about communicating, here are ways to improve your communication skills so that you are more self aware and can best engage with others.
  • There’s going to be a time when you as a manager/supervisor will need to have some tough conversations. I know that in the years when I’ve had to manage, I’ve had to motivate and get people to realize their potential as well as to correct behavior so that bad habits aren’t created. I’m a person who tends to keep my emotions in check when I need to but on a regular basis, I’m a “F” bomb thrower and will do a quick solo tirade to express my displeasure before I gather my senses. I just like to get it out and then move on. So when it’s your turn to have those stressful conversations, use these techniques to get you through it.
  • I’m doing a campaign training in Boston and one of the challenges that Asian Americans face on the regular is the dreaded question, “Where are you from?” – “No, where are you really from?” which just means that the people who ask that question don’t really think that I’m American after all. My head starts to swivel back and forth and I get a little PG (Prince George’s) on them but I try to remember that my momma taught me right and respond in a polite fashion, instead of reverting into my high school persona of the Ice Queen. This recent HuffPo article by Mason Hsieh may teach people a more appropriate way to phrase the question as well as what does it really mean to those of us who encounter the question ALL. THE. TIME.
  • If you’re having a bad start to the week, buzzfeed is here to the rescue! Puppies, dogs, kittens, even a baby kangaroo (for the record, a joey) so if you need to take a few deep breaths while you’re stuck on a barrage of conference calls (really, not me!), you may find some happy thoughts to get you through the day!

Thanks for reading/sharing and please subscribe!

— Madalene