Tag Archives: diversity

Tuesday Truths 2016 Edition v41

This has been a roller coaster ride of an election! Having worked in politics as an operative for over 20 years, this made me re-consider my profession. People already think that I work in a “dirty” business and add to it, I deal with money so that in itself connotes “pay to play” or “quid pro quo”, ideas that I do not advocate within my work (I ain’t going to jail for anyone!). The tone for this election has been unbelievable. I am reminded that in earlier campaigns, prior to email, twitter and all the other social media platforms, days when it was in the halls, pubs and parlors where people gathered, ideas and reputations were defended and propagated, a lot of unkind things were said. Politics has always been a rough and tumble profession. It’s for those who are tough skinned and determined to push forth an agenda that may not be that popular. I think of the disadvantaged and of those who are under represented. I have the privilege of working in this industry and I will do all that I can so that there are others like me bringing awareness to our leaders so that they know that people should be respected for their worth everyday. There are no 2nd class citizens and your skin color, sexual preference, gender, or religious beliefs should never be discriminated. For those who believe in the agenda that the Republican presidential nominee brings forth, I will be there to make sure it doesn’t happen. I chose this profession because I thought that I could make a difference and if that means being at the front lines to remind people that we’re all Americans, even when we don’t look a certain way, then you will find me there.

In the meantime, Tuesday Truths!

  • I spend a lot of time reassuring people. Raising money does that to you when you’re looking at an awfully BIG number to make your goals. So there are times when I need to reassure myself that I’m not smoking crack to think that my team and I can achieve a goal or that we’re just badass (because obvi, we are!). Encouragement from within means so much so when you start to hear the obnoxious voice of doubt, learn to listen to the voice that tells you that you’re more than OK.
  • So ignoring my opening for this week’s post, I know that every cycle I reach peak burnout as we collide with the deadline of Election. Adrenaline fuels my get-up-and-go vs the passion that pushes me through to see results. I also go more inward and that results in less time with friends and loved ones. When you think burnout, you think that it will happen in the older years of your life. I felt it when I had my “quarter life crisis” and my entire work ethic was well below it’s usual height. Regardless of industry, watch for the signs and hopefully all of us will recognize how to best retain people in our respective fields so that they continue performing at a level that everyone deems excellent.
  • Looking for mentors and role models can be challenging for women and for communities of color. Here’s a great resource of what to do when you need to improve in a certain area of skill. Observation is key in making mental note of how you want to accomplish tasks and be perceived.

Hope all is well in your world! Thanks for reading/sharing and if you know of someone who thinks these posts are spectacular, ask them to subscribe!

— Madalene

 

 

 

Tuesday Truths 2016 Edition v40

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Congress has left the building! We’re out hustlin’ for the last few weeks until the Election. Silly Season is in full swing and we’re up for all it (just barely!). Register and Vote, people! Here’s Tuesday Truths!

  • When you get to be 83 years young, you get to share your thoughts on what’s up with life. Regardless of how you may feel about Notorious RBG, you need to respect that she reached the pinnacle of a law career that many strive to achieve during a time when women didn’t work outside of the home, let alone work in the legal profession. She’s dropping knowledge about being a mother while also attending law school & how collegiality plays a crucial role in bringing differing opinions to the table with respect.
  • I can be on the road a lot and when I travel, I feel the pressure to bring the same kind of work hours to wherever I travel (including trips to the west coast and Hawaii) where the time difference can be killer. I’ve had to wake up at the crack of dawn (beautiful sunrises, Hawaii!) to get onto weekly conference calls because who cares that you’re on the road for another client? It works to my advantage because when I am that far away, I can usually get a lot of work done and the rest of the day is mine because the east coast has already called it a day. I come well stocked with power strips and the usual battery packs to keep my electronic devices juiced up. If you need advice on how to get work done when you travel, especially internationally, visit my friend Tammy Gordon’s post on the 7 things she learned about working abroad.
  • We know that women have a pay disparity to our male colleagues. What happens when you’re a woman and overweight? There is definite discrimination concerning weight and it’s making it more challenging for women to equalize compensation.
  • Women have a tendency to feel imposter syndrome so when you need to find confidence in your work, reach for this article. Ranging from being not afraid to ask to trusting your own vision, each individual has meaningful tips to coax the confidence that we know exists inside each of us.
  • This is one of the BEST articles on networking that I could possibly share. I’m not a high profile person and I get a ton of requests to meet from within my network (my friends and colleagues asking me to meet with their contacts or people think I would have good advice to offer). I’m more than happy to help but there are moments when I can’t even with the people who have met with me and then don’t acknowledge the time that I’ve given to talk with them about professional development. When I’m doing my own networking and I’m asking someone to HELP me, then I’m going to express my gratitude and pay for their coffee/tea/cocktail/lunch for taking the time and educating me on a particular topic. It’s not cool to be a networking parasite so heed these tips!
  • Are you an introvert preparing for a job interview? Here are 4 ways you can harness your energy to have a successful interaction. You can never be overly prepared! People sometimes ask if I feel like “I’m always on” because I joke that I hate people (seriously I don’t) but I’m an ambivert who doesn’t have a problem making small talk (I do that everyday with fundraising) but I really enjoy the company of a small group of friends and just being alone. Imagine trying to be your best self with a group of strangers in an interview? Maybe that’s why I own my own firm LOL 🙂
  • It’s not Wednesday yet but I’m looking forward to my #WCW on Yuh-Line Niou and bonus, she’s in Vogue! #AOFPowerOfShe

Thanks for reading/sharing and if this has been useful, encourage your friends to subscribe!

–Madalene

 

 

 

Tuesday Truths 2016 Edition v38

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(translation: The best way to make your dreams come true is to wake up — Paul Valéry)

We’re in the 40s and I’m not talking age! We’ve reached the 40+ days mark in the election so I’m all about people showing me the money and being the BEST collection agent possible. #WERK

Let’s get to Tuesday Truths!

  • It’s terrific knowing that there’s a woman whose in the corner of every woman who is an entrepreneur. Learn more about Frédérique “Fred” Irwin and what she’s doing to help women business owners thrive.
  • Being a woman of color raised by a Vietnamese mother and a German American father, I have a lot of memories of being surrounded by all kinds of people. To be perfectly honest, I have to look in the mirror to remind myself that I’m AAPI. My internal compass tells me that I’m AAPI but yet not completely. So the mirror reminds me and sometimes there are people who want to remind me that I don’t belong. My stories are different from those who are a different ethnic background and to read it from Solange Knowles makes me feel that we can only support one another whenever any of us are confronted with “not belonging”.
  • Also as a woman, we should be there for one another when it’s time to take credit for an idea or work that we’ve produced. The women of the White House had proximity to power but still had to work to be in the room, to have a seat at the table, or to be included in senior level meetings.
  • I loved this article so much because it really spoke to me to just do it. You can fail and you will learn so much from just the act of doing. 2009 was a great year for me in that I grew so much by doing – I took up surfing, learned to ride a motorcycle, took jazz singing lessons and sang in public – all things that didn’t necessarily directly help me professionally, but it helped me to stop talking about things and doing things instead. That also translated in me taking more risks in my work and reminded me to be invested in my work.

Thanks for reading/sharing!

— Madalene

 

Tuesday Truths 2016 Edition v35

This is it! the last week of recess and I start a bit early as I have a weekend work retreat. I’ll be in a new venue so I’m looking forward to working with the team there. As I’ve mentioned in the past, working as a political consultant can bring a variety of tasks. We do what needs to be done so that the events that we execute are as flawless as possible. It’s really not strange to think that my colleagues and I would get into a stranger’s car to ride with them 3 hours to a mutual destination because our flight was cancelled and we need to get to our event before our guests. Campaign people are generally left to their own devices and as long as our decisions are ethical and legal, we’re going to do what it takes to get the job done. This type of environment lets us really think on our feet with very little supervision. More often than not, it all works out!

Here’s Tuesday Truths!

  • Do you have dreams about having “inbox 0”? I’m pretty responsive with emails and I get a little antsy when I’m supposedly on vacation with my autoresponder saying that there will be a delay in response. I mainly respond quickly because I want it out of the way, but with anything that requires a more thoughtful response, I want the time to articulate my thoughts and that requires the most important resource, time. When you think your email is spiraling out of control, here’s how you can master your own email destiny.
  • Not every day is perfect. There are times when everything seems to be going in the wrong direction and negative thoughts start to overwhelm me. I remind myself that things can be worse and that I have it pretty good. There are always going to be obstacles in life and how we handle them teaches us how to be better people. So when you’re faced with a situation where you doubt your abilities or wonder how to get through a dark period, use these techniques to get to a more positive attitude.
  • When you’re facing challenges at work, especially in a campaign atmosphere, it can lead to a downward spiral. Managers can provide a bit of reassurance but when you’re feeling it as a supervisor, you need to pull yourself together so that you can provide a steady hand for your team. I always like to take a team effort approach to projects even though I’m ultimately responsible for the outcome. Seeing where you have obstacles and putting people who have the most skills to tackle the problem can create an environment where creativity can be fostered. Here are other ways that you can work through those challenging situations.
  • I do my best thinking in the shower. I also spend a lot of time singing so I’m probably the worst person when it comes to water conservation. Nonetheless, I think the idea of having the water wash away my doubts helps me to get to another place that allows me to walk out more confident and ready to take on what may be crowding my mind. The shower also lets me be my most vulnerable. Tears can flow and the private nature of the moment gives me the opportunity to face any negativity. I know that I don’t have a lot of time so it does limit me to wallow. It’s reasonable to question your actions and to give pause to a situation, but don’t allow those thoughts to determine your actions.
  • Sometimes it seems like I have all the time in the world because I’m reading, practicing French or just having non-scheduled time to do nothing. While all of these activities are important, I know that I also need to spend time thinking about how to move my career forward. These tips are helpful just as a reminder to myself to stretch outside the boundaries of only doing the work.
  • Communicating with people in any organization can be daunting. Group emails, reply all, should you call vs email…the list goes on and on. My philosophy is that I will communicate with you however to best get your attention. I work with donors who will only give if I fax them while I have other donors who I know will give if I text them the information. Not only do you have communication protocols outside of an organization, you have them for people who work with your organization. As technology changes, I find that younger people would rather snap then text but as with any hierarchy, communicating with your manager should be done in the way that is most comfortable for your manager. Learning to be flexible as well as establishing office protocols will allow you to know when it’s truly an emergency to respond. Travel also comes into play because team members may be in different time zones and knowing that before you communicate allows them to know that a response is OK during their business hours.
  • I always like to read how other fundraising professionals brand their organizations for donors. In political fundraising, Emily’s List taught us that there are only 4 reasons why political donors give and that kind of psychology really works in thinking about how you craft a message to donors to get them to contribute. When you’re dealing with development and working towards an individual donor program with a long term vision, you’re asking individuals to invest into a bigger picture than just an election. Here’s a great article of how you can keep your donors invested in your organization.
  • I do not pretend to know what my African American colleagues experience in their lives as women and if you didn’t realize how difficult it is for them, then you should read this article because if you’re not outraged by the time you’re finished, then there’s nothing anyone can do to help you. It’s a sisterhood that should be acknowledged and uplifted. We rise together!

Thanks for reading/sharing! Let me know your thoughts in the comments section!

— Madalene

 

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 v32

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We’re in the midst of August slumber, but that doesn’t mean that we’re not working! I have a ton of events on the books and we’re excited that we’re 90 days from E-Day! Have you signed up for a volunteer shift? I’m happy to direct you to any of the Democratic organizations that are actively recruiting volunteers 😉

Here’s Tuesday Truths!

  • Political life can bring discourse. I found this article quite interesting because it made me take a breath and LISTEN. I like to think that I can be patient, although it’s not an adjective that I would immediately use to describe myself and the ability to actively listen and to better understand someone who comes with a differing opinion requires a healthy dose of it. We move in such a fast society with social media only lending us maybe 6 seconds of attention span so the ability to listen and be aware of someone else’s perspective makes for a test of patience. Would you want to change the person’s opinion? Would you want to voice the merits of your perspective? Of course, but sometimes what really matters is that we give each other the space to be heard.
  • I give big PROPS to the Washington Post for creating a compilation of articles about women in power in DC. They highlight women in both parties and how they have grown or decreased within these establishments, how women are coming into their power through political contributions, as well as how women of color still battle everyday to be recognized. It’s a great digest of how women in DC are fighting to be at the table.
  • Being that my spouse is also a campaign hack, who I met when we both worked at the DNC during the ’96 re-election, I thought this article about finding love on the campaign trail hit close to home. I’ve always likened campaign life like being in a class. You work with people your age as well as those who have more/less experience and those relationships/friendships forged during those particularly intense moments can build a bond that would have never existed.
  • I had an opportunity to speak to a couple of interns last week about what it means to be a political consultant and the work that I do as a fundraiser. It was great to tell them about how I work to elect candidates who look more like America, but what I failed to tell them that I also do things like, order 50lbs of pork butt (and pick it up) for an annual fundraiser so that my out of town chefs can prepare their menu. I also purchase golf balls for gift bags and order catering from a specialty food truck for 100 so that I have food for my events. I’ll just let The Campaign Workshop talk about what campaign fundraisers REALLY do for their candidates 😉
  • If you’re having Democratic Convention withdrawal or even FOMO (I’ll admit it, all of the frenzy was quite worth it!) then here’s a recap from my dear friend Edil De Los Reyes (follow her on twitter!!). She worked with the Democratic Convention digital team to share stories and poignant moments during Convention and she wrote a recap of the 1st day. Thanks Edil for capturing other parts of the day so that I can see what else was happening!

Thanks for reading/sharing and if you haven’t signed up for the weekly blog, I hope you get on the party train 🙂

— Madalene

 

 

Tuesday Truths 2016 Edition v31

So a bit of context to my photo, I was sitting on the convention floor (like really sitting on the convention floor and not in a seat) watching President Clinton speak on Tuesday night and he was so close because I was in the 3rd row from the front (AMAZEBALLS!).

I’m still processing the past week’s Democratic Convention activities, mainly due to being overwhelmed with emotion and serious lack of sleep. I could have been a responsible adult and went to bed after the proceedings, but I chose to see friends that I hardly see when I’m in DC or elsewhere and stay up way too late and get up way too early. It was all worth the experience of being there and being apart of the revelry. Now that I’m looking at the calendar, the realization of it being less than 100 days to the election has hit me with full force. If you weren’t serious before now, it’s time to get to organizing!

Here’s Tuesday Truths!

  • I’ve been to 6 Democratic conventions as either part of the DNC or as part of an allied group participating in the extracurricular activities to motivate and energize people to volunteer their time and resources to electing a Democratic ticket. I’ve been emotional at each one because as much as I’m a cynic now, I was an idealist (and continue to be somewhere in the depths of my soul). Part of my journey was that I was able to find my way to the Democratic party and make my goals a reality and to stay connected to the progressive movement to make this a career. I’ve seen this Party go through ups and downs and to come out on the other side to elect the 1st African American President and to nominate a woman to a major political party. I think I have been fortunate to live my life in rose colored glasses. I was raised in a multi cultural society, where my friends from all faiths and backgrounds were seen as part of the community. I went to school in the South where the student body elected an all female Executive Committee for the Student Government, where I was privileged to be VP of Administration. To witness firsthand the workings of an institution to nominate a woman was truly astounding. We are not perfect by any means and yet, this emotion was set forth because women deserve the respect and equal treatment of our male counterparts. Geraldine “Jerry” Emmett, a delegate who casted her vote from Arizona was born BEFORE women had the right to vote. Think about it – there was a time when women could NOT vote. We had men tell us what to do and with this moment, we have a role model who can say, “You belong here.”
  • Women are constantly getting critiqued for their appearance and elected officials as well as those who work in politics are not immune to those criticisms. Male candidates have the luxury of knowing that they need to spend very little time thinking about wardrobe when they enter the political arena. All they need to worry about is if their suits fits them, if they’re well groomed. Women, on the other hand, need to worry about hair, wardrobe, makeup. Do you know how many times Secretary Clinton was admonished for her headbands?? Extra time needs to be cushioned into the schedule so that a woman can get her hair and makeup done while men can easily take the extra time to rest or prepare for the day. Wardrobe can also be symbolic of your candidate’s message. I found it interesting that there was much ado about Secretary Clinton’s white pantsuit for her nomination acceptance speech. Did she actually choose all white for the symbolism? The same question can be posed to First Lady Michelle Obama’s choice of attire for her Monday night speech, where she spoke of inclusion and diversity. Just like in the days of when I was a field organizer, you drove American cars to reflect the alliance with Labor, the choices that we make as representatives of the Democratic Party can also be seen in our choice of attire.
  • When I think of my tribe of women friends, I know that they are progressing in their careers and reaching for their goals while also holding the door open for those who come behind us. All of that and more can be said for Donna Brazile and her #girlsquad of “Colored Girls”, the name that they gave themselves ages ago. They each have inspirational stories and together, they have forged a dynamic alliance of power with one another. True example of no drama and women helping one another. They’re writing a book and it should be out by mid terms of 2018. I know that I’ll be pre-ordering a copy!
  • Were you riveted with the introduction video at the Democratic Convention of Secretary Clinton? It was the best 12 minutes to showcase the Democratic nominee at her best. Shondaland outdid themselves. I hope Ms. Rhimes thought it was better to do this than take her vacation!

Show of hands! Who went to the Convention? Was it your 1st time? Share with us your experience! For those of you who watched from home, what did you think?? How did it look on tv? Would enjoy reading your comments so drop them below!

Thanks for reading/sharing!

— Madalene

 

 

 

Tuesday Truths 2016 edition v28

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Happy Tuesday, Folks! We’re diving into the final week of session before Congress breaks for the Republican and Democratic conventions (are you going to either?). I’ll be in Philadelphia for the Democratic convention (basically the whole time and then some!) so there may be an abbreviated Tuesday Truths during that time (wanted to give you that heads up now!). If you’ll be in Philly, give me a shout and we can get together! Catch me on snap chat to see the latest: madalene.mielke!

In the meantime, here’s Tuesday Truths!

  • Being a manager/supervisor can be challenging. Are you giving your team enough feedback; are you course correcting when needed?; are you micromanaging?; are you encouraging your team when they’re doing a great job and keeping their motivation upbeat? Sooo many questions and so many ways to address issues that deal with the team perspective/dynamic as well as individual team performance. Here’s a great article on how often you should be asking for feedback. I like to check in on my team individually and see if they’re having problems as a whole and if they’re learning something new on a project. It  takes more time to get a bit deeper on an individual basis, but I think it’s worth the investment to get a sense of how individuals are connecting with the work. I think it’s so important to understand the “Why” of projects so that it doesn’t turn into a memorized procedure, but more a way of thinking. When I ask my team how to map out the steps and timeline of project, I usually ask them why are they doing it this way. Not to be a douche about it but to see how their thinking process works, as well as to get them to think the same way that I do.
  • After years of working in a variety of teams and continuing to do so today, it’s important to recognize that not everyone gets along with their colleagues. You have to be flexible and tolerant as well as realize that you’re there to do a job. Identifying the annoying co-worker and what exactly bothers the hell out of you means looking internally to see if there’s room for improvement on your end. Not exactly what you expect on how to deal with the situation (grin and bear it!) but it’s at the very least a teaching moment for you. Above all else, please don’t talk about it with your other colleagues. Office gossip doesn’t need any more fuel to the fire.
  • I didn’t go to Catholic school but I do did Sunday school as a child so I have a limited experience of spending time with nuns (other than countless hours watching The Sound of Music where nuns make very clever decisions). I get the sense that they’re matter of fact and get to the task at hand without a lot of hoopla. So if you spent a lot of time with Catholic nuns then you may have fond memories reading this article and if you haven’t had that kind of experience, it educates you on just how bad*ss these sisters are on a daily basis. They’ve got excellent tips for those who are looking for guidance on how to start your career with a level head and get things done attitude!
  • I am sometimes astonished with the fact that I’ve been working for more than half of my life already (I started working when I was legally able at 16) and in that time, I’ve discovered I’m constantly trying to challenge myself in how I get my passion and purpose to align. When I had my “quarter life crisis” and changed careers for a hot minute, I realized that although I found a fun job, it didn’t fulfill my purpose. As a result, I returned to my original career with a different mentality and that has fueled 2 very demanding sides of my life. More recently, I’ve come to a crossroads in re-assessing my life’s work. I still have a lot left in the tank so spending my time doing things that are meaningful is becoming more momentous by the day. I’m getting to the point where my life partner is thinking of retirement and how the sunset of our lives will unfold. It’s difficult for me to think about not working. I joke that my mom, who is creeping into her mid 70s and supposedly retired for years now is opening a restaurant (!!). I have worked in that industry and it ain’t easy. My daughterly concern for my mom’s choice of hobbies in her post retirement life has made me become the parent (“are you sure you want to do this?”). She tells me that she’s bored. I have a feeling that I’m very much my mother’s daughter. If you’re fortunate to have your passion and purpose align, relish in its harmony because you’ll come to realize that they’re not always the same.
  • Have you experienced Mean Girl attitudes with other women? I’ve been fortunate to have been in a work atmosphere where women have helped one another and fostered each other’s successes. I remember back to the days of high school where I had strong female friends, who encouraged each other to do our best both academically and when we competed as athletes. We had our fair share of boy troubles and such but we overcame those obstacles. This article discusses the reasons why some women don’t help other women. I’m fortunate to be involved with the Women’s Information Network (WIN) where the environment is extraordinarily empowering for women and I get to witness how young professional women develop their leadership skills with other women. They are completely welcoming and want women to have the freedom to exercise those skills. Of course, I also have my own tribe (I highly recommend creating your own community) and there is nothing more comforting than to have a group of people who are dedicated to the principles of sisterhood. I technically went to an all women’s college while I was at Tulane and I was in a sorority so a common theme of my life involved having strong women be my peers as well as role models and hopefully I can share in the knowledge that has been passed down to me.

How are you winning these days? Thanks for reading/sharing and feel free to let me know your thoughts in the comments section!

— 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 v24

Photo credit via

As I look to my schedule, I can see that my summer is well planned with lots of work projects. Fall has always been my favorite season because of the change of temperature and we’re in the heady days of campaigning. I’ve always worked in places where we’re bundling up and finishing the night’s work with whatever baseball game is on for the World Series. My colleagues who work in the warmer states, I have no idea what it feels like to campaign in shorts and it always makes me feel a bit out of place in the same way when I’m celebrating Christmas and there are palm trees around me. This is my 11th campaign season as a political operative and although technology has changed tremendously (I remember when it was 1996 and I was using a thermal fax machine to transfer phone banking information!), I know that what really matters is that you understand how your district wants to be communicated and how to message them so that they want to listen to your message. This will always be about connecting with people and talking with them in the mediums that they want to communicate, whether that’s one on one in a face to face (door to door) or by text message. Understand that people want to be heard and will engage when they see that you want to understand them.

Here’s Tuesday Truths!

  • Did you get a chance to catch my FB hangout with Tammy Gordon when we talked about the Joys and Challenges of Being Your Own Boss? If not, you can hop over to the Arum Group FB and take a look see! If you thought it was helpful, please feel free to share it! Much thanks to Tammy and her team member, Christina Giordana for taking the time to hang with me and to Arum Group Team members, Hyunju Bin and Samantha Ng for designing the graphic and for setting up all the tech pieces! #BOSS
  • One of the topics that Tammy and I didn’t cover was the juggle of having a life partner in the equation. Occasionally I will get asked this question about balancing my work and the life that I’m creating with my spouse. One variable I don’t have is children, which in itself is a totally different dynamic. I, along with my spouse made a very conscious decision early in our lives that we would not have children and I strongly believe that this decision is unique to everyone. Only you know what is best for your life and I’ve had conversations with people who have vehemently disagreed with my choice. My response to them is “You don’t live my life, I do and your choices are yours so I will also choose to not judge your decisions because I will never really know the challenges and happiness that you enjoy but I will be supportive of whatever you choose.” End of conversation. There are going to be times when you won’t have the attention span to give to your partner and as in the case of the author of this article, she didn’t have an infrastructure for her business when she fell in love. Each relationship can be intoxicating – you’re in love with your work life and in love with your partner. What kind of infrastructure/support system can you create to make it work?
  • We live in a world of busy (which I personally hate) because everyone likes to think that it’s perfectly normal to be out of control with their schedules. Don’t get sucked into the world of busy! I completely understand that the to do list can be crazy! The ability to focus on a large project can be daunting when your to do list is 10 feet long. Here are ways to be more productive. Don’t multi-task and find when you’re likely to do your best work. I know the type of conditions I need to get big thinking, which leads to big doing done. I can’t have music playing, unless it’s classical; if the tv is on then it can be the news and sometimes I can put on a cooking show on mute; no emails and no other social media apps to distract me. Most importantly, I set a timer. I estimate how long it’s going to take me to get that project done and I take that time to focus. I reward myself by checking my social media apps to see what’s going on in the world while I was working. One of the things that I need to work on is meditation. Every article that I read talks about its effects and I need to get on that train! What tips are helpful to you in being more productive?
  • I work with non-profits to help them with their fundraising and we often talk about how donors are “investors” to these organizations. What’s frustrating is that even when we speak in “for-profit” terms, we’re still working with unrealistic expectations for non-profits. If you work directly in non-profits, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND reading Nonprofit with Balls. Every time I read this blog, I find myself nodding my head and laughing while simultaneously wanting a glass of wine because I think it will make it all better. In all seriousness, it provides a serious lens to the environment that many non-profits face. Changing how we view ourselves and what we want others to know about the work that we do will hopefully educate those who think that non-profits are less serious than for-profit entities.
  • I live in the bubble of the Beltway. It’s a very privileged life and I realize that if I want to know what’s going on in the world, I need to listen to those who are not in this enclave. When I started campaigning, I would work elsewhere to see what topics were important to people who don’t live and breathe politics everyday (you know, normal people). Everyone’s financial situation is unique and learning how others live makes me reflect on what money can buy. Here are the stories of 4 women with 4 different incomes and how they afford to live their lives.
  • How much does self doubt rear its nasty head in your life? There are days when it’s screaming in mine, but I take a deep breath and listen to MY voice, the only sound that matters. I think of myself as pragmatic. There are times when I’ve tried a few things that didn’t work out and I chalk that up to finding the right rhythm to get into a groove. Did that work? No, well then let’s try something different. I grew up getting straight A’s – all the time. It’s a horrible feeling! Yes, the joy of having excelled at subjects transitions to Oh shiz, I gotta do it again next quarter, next semester, next year. The 1st time I got a B, I freaked out that my parents would be disappointed in me (they were fine). The kinds of expectations that I put on myself were making me tough and giving me habits to apply to other things outside of school, but it also made me question whether I should do something if I thought it wouldn’t be PERFECT. GAWD – I love perfect – when nothing goes wrong and everything comes out just like you envisioned. Fear of not getting something done perfectly or even done as well as your peers can lead to paralysis. Throw in self doubt and you have created a lethal dose of destruction. Self doubt got nothing on you.
  • Every day that I work in politics, I come to the realization that my job is to be part of the story telling mechanism that promotes my clients. It’s the best productive thing you can do to create a brand and solidify a reputation. When I meet a candidate, one of the 1st things I ask is, “What’s your story?”. Why? It gives me a sense of how they’re pitching themselves to prospects, donors, influencers, the media, you name it! We talk about the elevator pitch and this is essentially it. What makes you unique and what makes you memorable and above else, what makes you relatable to people who you’re convincing to vote for you, give you money, and what other asks you have of them. This also applies to your own individual narrative. You need to learn these skills to be an effective leader. Leading a team involves so much more than commanding directives and project management. It means sharing your vulnerabilities and being authentic. You value people (and brands) when they’re honest and when they’re welcoming. That can lead to admiration and respect – qualities that any brand would want.

That’s it folks – let me know your comments and like/share the post! Thanks for reading!

— Madalene