Tag Archives: networking

Tuesday Truths 2016 edition v15

With Congress returning today, we’re moving full steam ahead with a plethora of fundraising events. Time to raise that money! I’m also looking forward to being on a Mentoring panel this week for the Young Leadership Network (YLN) for the Association of Government Relations Professionals (AGRP). I’ve done this in previous years and it’s a fun way to meet people in the government affairs industry. What projects/events are you most excited about this week?

Here’s Tuesday Truths!

  • Having Congress gone meant that I had time to do work and to assess how my year is going so far. I’m not a fan of “being busy” and I’ve made a more conscious effort to pursue other opportunities that are more aligned to my professional goals. If you don’t take the time to reflect on whether you’re living a life of value, then you’re missing out on times when you can be leading a fuller life. Coasting is not my nature so whenever I feel a little complacent, I know that it’s time to mix it up. I’ve always been a believer in creating my own luck!
  • Which leads me to there are less than 9 months before the end of the year!!! That crazy feeling that time is slipping away is REAL! Here’s how you can get a handle of reaching your goals. I’m a big fan of calendaring EVERYTHING – gym, personal appointments, health appointments and scheduling my life around those things so that I know if I’m really giving myself a chance to achieving work/life balance.
  • We’ve all got Decision Elves lurking in our everyday lives. It’s a risk to do anything in politics – you never know if the candidate you’re working for is going to win or if the incumbent you have is going to lose. Life has a way of figuring it out for you and it’s that mental game that you must play to see if you can handle the older version of yourself reflecting on the challenges you’re facing now. Everyone has a level of risk that they’re willing to take – do you fly off the deep end or play it safe? You can’t make everyone happy with your decision but for one person: YOU. Knowing of others who have risked it all and made it through is good for acknowledging the possible. Take a moment to figure out what you’re really willing to risk.
  • Decision Elves are related to the Choice Fairies. We all make choices in life in how we want to spend our time. It’s called prioritizing. You always make time for the things that are most important and that is ultimately a choice. My ability to improve my French is solely based on how often I commit to practice and I mean in a whole hearted way; not “the I’m busy reading the same sentence from my French novel a million times because I’m distracted and not really reading”. As I start to work on a project that means I’m helping an organization shed its excess to reach a tighter argument on why prospects should financially support them, it also highlights for me what excess I want to shed so that I’m running a more efficient life that puts into place the foundation in achieving my goals. Hmmmm…pretty powerful stuff when you start recognizing that shedding the excess really does bring you to the core of yourself.
  • I hear that a lot of you want to start your own consulting business one day and that’s fantastic! You’re probably one step ahead of me because you’ve started thinking about your business plan. If you haven’t then here’s a template on the how to’s. I’m going to use it to see if I can actualize my Korean spa. Find a mentor and network like crazy!
  • Whenever I do trainings, I’m always fascinated with learning all the new technology and the psychology of a voter. Polling certainly outlines the potential of a race and how certain pressure points are affecting voters’ choices in candidates. With states doing all kinds of different things in this election, it was interesting to read the forecast of election 2016 from this perspective.
  • In an effort to highlight more people who have created their own luck, I want to share profiles of people who inspire me to be as fierce as them – in business, in community, in life. I hope that their work ethic, drive and passion spur you to make your dreams into reality. Today, I’m highlighting Annie Choi of Found Coffee in Los Angeles. I’ve only met Annie once and it was through a mutual friend. I later learned that a work colleague of mine is also a patron of Annie’s coffee shop and that Annie’s sense of community is felt everyday (whether she’s there or not!). Annie and I became friends over Facebook and I’ve had a lot of fun observing her life with her team and her customers. You can read more of Annie’s story here. If you’re a fan of coffee and baked goods, you’ll want to visit the next time you’re in the LA area! Is there an inspiring figure you want to share with us? Let me know!

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

— Madalene

 

 

Tuesday Truths 2016 edition v14

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How fun is it that today’s post coincides with my birthday?! I’m taking a day to re-evaluate, reflect and re-energize. I think most people would consider the numerical value of my life as “middle aged” and although it’s just a number, I know that I have a lot of life still to live and learn. Whatever experiences that I’ve gone through, whether they’ve been positive or negative have brought about tremendous life lessons. I look forward to continuing this journey with you and sharing how we can make the most of life’s adventures!

Here’s Tuesday Truths!

  • This is basically the story of my life! As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, “I’m a Jill of all trades and a Master of nothing” and yet, I’ve managed to carve out a life that does a bit of this and that to make a professional career. So what happens when you recognize that you’re not good at anything particular? You create the totality of your portfolio to something that defines your success.
  • There’s definitely awkwardness when we’re going to networking events or receptions or just about any place where it’s required of you to meet people (maybe that’s why I’m an introvert!). I always believe that with a fair amount of practice and preparation, you can eliminate or at the very least, reduce the amount of awkwardness you face when you’re meeting people for the first time. Here’s a really great outline of what not to do as well as what you can do.
  • I’ve talked before about how staff can manage their bosses and how effective it can be to making your career (Devil Wears Prada). As a Gen Xer, I sometimes serve as a bridge between the Baby Boomers and the Millennials and regardless of where you fall into the spectrum, it helps to know that the tools used to manage your boss pretty much works in every instance. Are you a Millennial and your boss is a Baby Boomer? Learning about their preferred tools of communication is how you’re going to get in front of them and become a trusted ally. Same goes for the Baby Boomer working for the Millennial. It all comes down to communication and how best to message your point of view. I have donors who prefer to FAX me donor cards – they have the ability to go online and process their information but they CHOOSE to do it via fax. You know what? I love it! I’m going to take their money and it doesn’t matter to me how they want to give it. I still get it at the end. Being flexible and willing to provide the options to communicate how they see fit is where I’m going to meet them. It’s what is easiest for them, not me and just like your boss, you want to make life easy on them and in turn, they’re likely to do the same for you.
  • I believe in all of these things and I have to remind myself that it’s OK to not have all the answers. I’m certainly not the smartest person in the room and although I work by myself quite a bit, I also recognize that collaboration requires communication with a variety of personalities and leaders who can push individuals to throw out their best ideas demands that we teach leaders to create a safe space. I was doing a training in Philadelphia a few years ago with 2 other colleagues and while we were conducting the training during the day, we were also working at night to create content for our client. So we’re talking long hours and trying to be creative when we already put in a full day of work. We locked ourselves into a hotel room and just hashed out different scenarios. My colleagues were younger than me and I knew that I didn’t have the perspective of what people in their age group would want to see. Knowing my vulnerabilities and acknowledging them helped us to frame the objective. As a result, we were able to timeline a goal and get the project completed. It was my job to get all the possible ideas to reach the goal and set the deadlines to accomplish the tasks. What’s also important is giving credit to everyone because ideas that are equally invested and accomplished (good or bad) makes for a stronger team.
  • A really great article on identifying traits in people so as to better read them. I associate some of these types to the elected officials I work with and as a result, I have a better understanding of how they operate. It gives me a better sense of how I can present information to get the results that are more positive for me. Just like you can read people, they can also read you so whatever public persona you exude, don’t send mixed signals because then it creates confusion and you’re less likely to get people communicating with you in a style that you prefer.

Thanks for reading/sharing and let me know your thoughts in the 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 2016 edition v7

Photo credit via

It has been brutally cold the past few days and we got some more snow! I’m ready for Spring and in fact, we’re almost close to 30 days to the 1st day of a new season!! In the meantime, let’s snuggle up with Tuesday Truths (if you’re reading in a warm climate, send some of that sun and heat my way!)

  • I was at a meet and greet the other night and was asked, “What gets you up in the morning?” and my response, “Going to the gym”. It sounds a little wacky but knowing that I start my day with exercise, helps me to get the rest of my day in order. The physical exertion allows me to channel frustrations, anxieties and negative energy so that I can face the rest of the day with adrenaline and excitement about my morning accomplishment – pilates, quakes and shakes, TRX – I’ve already met a commitment to take care of myself so the day only gets better. What do you do to provide yourself self-care? Here are some suggestions to make sure you do what is necessary to take care of yourself.
  • Need help to build a habit? We’ve discussed breaking it down into small manageable steps so that you can see improvement every day. I am nowhere near perfect and I try to create an environment that allows me to succeed in achieving my goals. It’s not easy but 5 minutes a day and cues to get you to the next step can be game changers.
  • Living in DC, there are so many parties, networking events, meet and greets and general receptions that put you in front of a lot of strangers all the time. There was a time when I would walk into a room, scan for the closest food buffet and open bar and hunker down. Those days no longer exist and I end up barely getting hydrated with water and nibbling on a crudité because I’m focused on talking with those around me. This translates to a ton of time being spent on banal conversation along with those that really make a connection. It’s important to remember that any of these conversations can lead to something else. So how do you prepare so that you can have great connections? Let’s learn from Ari Shapiro, NPR’s cohost for “All Things Considered”.
  • A lot of my readers live in the Washington, DC area where the largest employer is the federal government, but how many of you know about the GS code that determines the qualifications needed for a job as well as its equivalent pay scale? Insider baseball.
  • There are days when I’m just not feelin’ it and those are the days when I know that I need to pull through with the best of my ability. I know that I can’t let the negative control my actions so I focus on the “glass half full” aspects of the day. Circumstances can put a damper on how you approach a situation and that’s where I fight for parity, but your attitude can get you mentally focused for the challenges ahead. If you walk in with a less than rosy disposition, you risk setting yourself up for failure.
  • When I was a child, I skipped a grade and that put me in the position for a very long time as the youngest person in the room. That also included when I was in professional environment and being the youngest person along with being the only female in the room with growing responsibility brought on a small case of “imposter syndrome”. Am I as qualified as the others to have an opinion, let alone seem like the expert in this subject? Don’t get me wrong, I still have a lot to learn but the years that have passed since I was a young staffer have turned to decades and I’m still around doing what I do.

Thanks for reading/sharing! Got words of wisdom you would like to share? Put them in the comments!

— Madalene

Tuesday Truths 2016 edition v6

I’ve had a hectic personal schedule of late and with the professional piece of my life also going full steam, it can be challenging to remember where I’m supposed to be and continue to stay organized! I heavily rely on outlook and google calendar to check and re-check my schedule so that I don’t double book. My to do list is on Trello and articles that I want to read later for the blog or for my own education are dropped into Pocket. What useful tools do you use to keep organized?

Here’s Tuesday Truths!

  • In my intro, I talked about how life is getting a bit chaotic. People comment on my ability to go to the gym and the honest truth to it is that I will become an angry person if I don’t sweat out my anxieties and push my physical limits. It’s good for me and it’s good for others around me to not have so much negative energy emanate from my being. That being said, I schedule my work activities and then schedule my gym work outs around them. I know that my evenings are generally tied up with fundraisers/work obligations and it’s nice to have some spontaneity in the evenings to catch up with friends should an opportunity occur. Who wants to spontaneously ask me to meet them for breakfast at 8am – really no one! I’m also a morning person so I get antsy when I wake up in the morning and there’s no exercise waiting for me. As of late, I’ve had a bit of trouble waking up for my 7am sessions. I usually wake up before my alarm and lately, I’ve been slightly startled when the alarm plays the lovely sounding Hawaiian music I chose to begin my day. All of this being said, I was reminded of my priorities when Randi Zuckerberg talked about choosing between work, sleep, family, fitness, or friends. I made a strategic decision to reduce my workload (it may not appear that way to others!) in that I would only work on projects that I was totally committed. If I had any doubts that I was doing the project for different reasons, then it was rejected. I was making room to do other things, such as my French lessons and even though I haven’t done as much as I would like, I know that it’s more a mental shift than the excuse of not having time that tells me that I should focus on work more than my other interests. I recently spoke with a friend who is starting her own consulting firm and we discussed it’s the feeling of guilt of not being accessible when others are working traditional 9am-5pm work hours. Those of us who have the flexibility should use it and those of you who don’t, I hope that creative scheduling lets you choose how you want to prioritize without the guilt.
  • Last week I shared the story about how the U.S. Senate was run entirely by women during one of the days of the snow storm that hit DC and it reminded me about how women have always had to fight so incredibly hard to get to our positions. It can be a double standard for us and even more so when you’re talking about women who are from underrepresented communities. We are often judged by our appearance and it’s society’s definitions that tell us what is deemed appropriate for our gender. There are days when I sigh in frustration and days when I want to tear it all down, but fortunately I get my act together and help where I can. This opinion piece by Catherine Rampell describes the daily lifetime(!!!) challenges that exist in a woman’s life and you start to wonder, when will it end?
  • I’ve been working with a few women who are at different points in their lives: a recent college graduate, a woman who has taken time off to raise a family and is now looking to return to a professional career, and an experienced political operative who is transitioning to another geographical area and wants to create a new network for herself. All very fascinating people who have one very similar goal: to work in a career field that allows them to enjoy their work and get paid for it! I didn’t have a career path other than find a job in politics after I graduated from Tulane. There was no grand scheme to be the next “fill in the blank” or the where are you going to be in 5-10 years plan. As a person who has had a career for 20 years now, it worked itself out – YAY – so it’s possible to not have a plan and still make a living! It doesn’t sound very together but if you want to get it together, you may want to read this handy guide. As I was reading it, I realized that I was really in the area of “accept that I’ll keep changing” mentality. I’m certainly not the young whippersnapper I was in my 20s and I’m OK with it.
  • I’ve said multiple times that I started my own firm because I didn’t want a boss. After spending years working for someone else, I realized that I had the ability to do things on my own. I didn’t want the structure of someone else’s creation. I worked in the hospitality industry for a James Beard winning chef as a front of the house manager and I learned so much, including the fact that I didn’t want to experience life at someone’s else discretion. It takes a lot of risk to dive off the deep end and swim – lots of people do it and find that it’s not for them. That’s completely a personal preference. To really understand your motivation about your career choices, you really need to ask yourself 2 very important questions. Keep coming back to the answers and you may find yourself in a career that was always meant for you.
  • Deep breaths – this one is a doozy. I break things down into incremental steps. I do it everyday when I fundraise because if I didn’t, I would be overwhelmed in the enormity of my goal. I’m sharing this article about mastering the art of setting goals in 4 steps. Each step is HUGE! I’m not ready to take this tact for fundraising but I may be ready to do it for a different project in my own life. Let’s be audacious together!
  • There are a lot of readers of this blog who are fighting the good fight in the land of nonprofits. It is a place that pulls at your heartstrings and during the good times, leaves you fulfilled and at the worst of times, makes you wonder if you’re clinically insane (#amiright?!??). It is a place where efforts to do good can sometimes but thwarted with the challenges of just running the place – can I get an “Amen” on the fact that I’m sure that a lot of you are working 3 different job descriptions under one job title and getting paid for the job description a step below you. This infographic gets it all right with the myriad ways that nonprofits lose their talent. Perhaps it’s best to check in on your own organization’s grade for each section and see how you’re doing great and how you can improve.

Alright folks, that’s it for this week – thanks for reading/sharing and let me know of your triumphant tales!

— Madalene

 

 

 

Tuesday Truths 2016 edition v3

We’re experiencing an arctic freeze here on the east coast and all I can think about is warming up! If you got any spare sunshine and balmy temperatures, please send them my way 🙂

Here’s Tuesday Truths!

  • In the course of several informational interviews and mentoring sessions, I often get asked about how to reach out to a contact that has been out of touch. Of course, it’s challenging to keep up with everyone. Generally, it’s a good idea to have a kitchen cabinet of sorts to let people know of your career updates (it takes a village to get anything done!) so if possible, all the key people in your professional life should be a part of this list and it’s not so awkward to reach out to them when you have an ASK. If you haven’t had a chance to incorporate this as part of your professional updates, then here are tips to make it less awkward.
  • I tend to think in teams; whether it’s a small team of me +1 or if it’s a team of 100 and we’re all in service to an agreed upon goal. Getting feedback from past team members shows me why they liked working in this kind of atmosphere. They felt that we were all in it together. I may have been the leader but everyone felt that they were leaders with their own purpose to meeting the goals. When things don’t go the way you want (metrics are not met etc), you need to learn how to course correct and that means having tough conversations with people of the team to see how we can all learn from these kinds of situations. You don’t have to be a hard@ss to get your point across and when I’ve had these kinds of conversations, I take responsibility in how I may have played a role in the current situation.  Here’s how nice women can get ahead when asking the right questions.
  • With the start of the new year, there’s always a sense of optimism and sometimes that can carry us through the 1st week, the 1st month, the 1st quarter but oftentimes, it can wane and when you need a moment to get yourself back into focus, you realize that you can overcome low points of your life. Using these tips can help you move forward and feel like it’s the start of something new again.
  • A video to remind you about how you should define success! A common theme for success is its definition and by that it means however YOU define it and not allowing anyone else to tell you otherwise. #truthbomb
  • I’m a big believer in the WHY – Why is it important to do mundane tasks to achieve a bigger picture! This helps me to better understand and become more invested in my goals. Become enthralled with the WHY and you’ll recognize what’s really important to you.
  • The art of listening and speaking, otherwise sometimes known as having a conversation. It can be casual or it can be in a professional setting but no matter what, it’s important to actively listen and be in command when you speak.

Thanks for reading/sharing and get a friend to subscribe!

— Madalene

 

 

 

Tuesday Truths 2016 edition v2

The weather has shifted in DC and we’re experiencing a bit of a chill, but we’re prepared to get out to our respective State of the Union watch parties this evening. It’s the end of an era as President Obama will be delivering his last State of the Union of his presidency. I’m sure that it will be a bittersweet moment for everyone who has worked in his administration and who helped to get him elected. In the meantime, let’s get to Tuesday Truths!

  • As I mentioned in an earlier post, I had a reader who was in a dilemma about having a colleague take credit for her work so I offered a few articles to help in resolving the situation. Do you have any additional suggestions?

“What Should I do When my Boss Takes Credit for My Ideas” by Art Markman

“What to Do when Someone Takes Credit for Your Work” by The Muse

“How to Respond When Someone Takes Credit for Your Work” by Amy Gallo

  • As I begin my 14th year as an independent political consultant, the dynamics of the political consulting world continues to change with a rapid pace as corporate entities and campaigns begin to intertwine. For those who are interested in reading about how those relationships work, let’s pull back the curtain!
  • I’ve gone down the rabbit hole reading the weekly newsletter for “NonProfit with Balls” – hilarious, poignant, irreverent honest to goodness truth. If you work in non-profit land, seriously consider signing up for the newsletter because Vu (the author/creator extraordinaire) TOTALLY gets us. His most recent post deals with self care and as an advocate for it, I really understand the need for it but also have told my staff that part of this business involves going to events that aren’t necessarily considered our scope of work but it helps to get the rest of our professional lives moving. I go through it myself, “Do I really need to be at this event?” and I get a flash forward of the outcome and start to question if it means more to stay out another hour+ or go home and start watching my favorite shows on demand. I usually go out, not of FOMO because I can see that it will help to build better relationships when I need to make a call to ask for something down the line.
  • On the flip side of using self care judiciously, it’s important that we’re in this for the long haul and when you’re feeling less than 100%, it’s good to assess if you’re doing these necessary steps for your self care.
  • Recently I had a conversation with a female colleague about her career and her recognition that she needed to tout her own accomplishments more. If you’re feeling stuck and you’ve determined that you need to get unstuck then these 10 tips to get unstuck and move your career forward need to be front and center of your daily life. Above all else, know your value!
  • I know that my readers are confident individuals, but there will be times when self doubt creeps in and you’ll just want to snuggle up with your comfortable blanket and call it a day. When that happens, get your self confidence on track with these 8 tricks.

As always, thanks for reading/sharing and tell a friend to subscribe!

— Madalene

 

 

Tuesday Truths 2016 edition v1

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Happy 1st Tuesday of 2016! I’m such an optimist and even more so when it comes to “fresh starts”. If you’ve read the blog long enough, you’ll know that I’m an advocate for constantly evolving and not waiting for a particular time to get started but when you add the blank canvass of a new year, everything aligns to moving forward! I hope you’re having a great “fresh” start!

Here’s Tuesday Truths!

  • Last year, one of my closest friends decided to quit her job as the Chair of her department at an elite university to move to Africa and join the Peace Corps. Was this the right move? Only she can answer that question. She went through a lot of soul searching and preparation to reach this decision. I applaud her for leaving the comforts of the US (the ability to easily communicate your wants/needs, knowing the difference between luxuries and necessities, and going to a place where there isn’t a visible safety net of friends/colleagues willing to help in time of distress, but I’m sure that she will build that over time) and for putting her desire of living a life that she values first. I think I’ve talked about I’m not a fan of the word “disrupting” but there are times when it is quite applicable and in this situation, it completely applies. What do you need to disrupt your own existence? How does this change your course of action? Questions that can really motivate how you value your life!
  • When I talk with my friends/colleagues and they ask me how I’m doing, there are times they wonder if I’m the same person from the FB version of me. I always try to stay positive but you know, I like to keep it real when I’m with people IRL. Whether work is being a total drag or life is throwing me a curveball, I always try to find ways where I can keep a positive attitude (thank goodness for my multiple gym memberships!). Lucky for YOU, I’m sharing an article on how to improve your mental health! What do you find helps to give you peace of mind?
  • As a believer in “there’s no better time than now” to do something, I’m constantly calendering things so that I can take the time to assess. Why not do that when you’re putting your more mundane items into your calendar? Checking on your sleep, exercise and whatever else that will help in making yourself more productive? Here are 6 ways you can get to a better version of you and don’t forget, we’re not perfect so whatever incremental changes you make is considered a win – one foot in front of the other!!
  • Can you tell that there’s a bit of a theme going on in this post? Personal development through growing/disrupting/or whatever you wish to call it is all about living a life that you designed. There are circumstances that you can’t control but eventually, you create your life. There will be sacrifices and tough decisions but there will also be triumphant celebrations and milestones. Here’s one way that you can design your personal growth. Do you have others that you want to share? What do you want to learn so that we can provide that as a resource? I got an email over the holiday break from a reader about a colleague taking credit for the reader’s work. That’s a douche-y thing to do but alas, we gotta deal with those kinds of situations so I’ll be sharing those articles next week. Email me or leave a comment on what you think you need! I’m happy to share and let me know what you would like to share about your experiences with this community!
  • The DNC AAPI Engagment Desk along with the Asian American Action Fund and America’s Opportunity Fund announced a networking event to connect political campaign operatives/professionals to review job seekers’ resumes and talk about political opportunities in 2016 on January 26th. Get more information here and if you haven’t already, submit your resume for review for America’s Opportunity Fund’s AAPI Pipeline Project.

Thanks for kicking off 2016 with me and for reading/sharing and subscribing!

— Madalene

 

 

 

 

 

Tuesday Truths 2015 edition v52

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WOW! 52 posts for each week of the year! I decided last year that I would make a commitment to do a weekly blog for work and there were days when I thought that I had nothing to share and that it was repetitive, but your comments and emails really encouraged me to keep posting. Thank you for helping me reach my goal and I’m looking forward to another 52 posts for 2016.

Here’s the 2015 final edition of Tuesday Truths!

  • I decided to take a review of the Top 5 most popular articles so here’s the round-up:

The Tyler Harber story which outlined the first time a political consultant was charged with coordination between a SuperPAC and a political campaign;

The 8 things I’m too Old for;

2 Surprising Ways You can Impress Your Boss;

Ways for you to Build a Meaningful Career;

and a tie between What to do when Your Assistant is Making your Life Harder and Four Fashion Designers who are Making a Mark on How to Dress for the Office.

  • There are a few things that I would like to incorporate into my weekly routine (where it becomes more of a daily practice) and one of those things is to meditate. I find that since I started taking my pilates classes, my breathing has changed to help with something strenuous and that includes when I’m working through a challenging conversation or calming my nerves after a negative interaction. I also know that when I have intentional breathing at night, I fall asleep faster so prioritizing the time to meditate will be part of my own self care in a very busy election year. If you’re a staffer on Capitol Hill, it can be a fast paced environment that doesn’t allow for a lot of solitary moments but there’s a group that meets at least once a week to help find a more reflective time during those busy moments.
  • We’re headed into the home stretch of the holidays and that can sometimes mean that we’re dealing with a lot of stress related to work, family and other sources. There are 3 things you can do to help manage your stress so that you can handle any day like a champ!
  • I am horrible when it comes to scheduling my “networking” time – the time where I have to spend doing drinks/coffee/meetings for the sole purpose of getting more shiz done for my goals. I’m down with meeting others to help them but when it comes to me, I would much rather hunker down and enjoy my French reading assignment, hell – I’ll even do the grammar assignment (I take private French language lessons so homework > hanging out at a social activity). I schedule according to my triage method (which I’ve talked about multiple times on this blog – search triage). I’m an introvert so social activities drain me and being over scheduled doesn’t allow for me to take a breather to recharge. I’m continuing my commitment to under schedule into 2016 so if you only see me online, don’t take it personally!
  • The last post is about readying your mind. I’m a glass half full (of champagne) type of gal so whenever I’m in a Debbie Downer mood, everyone gets a little worried about me. There may be a handful of people who ever hear me talk negatively (I hate being annoyed and I get annoyed with myself about being annoyed – it’s an ugly pattern) so when I need to “shake it off”, I remind myself of these tips to think positively. Most of life is about attitude and I’m my own favorite cheerleader.

Enjoy the last few days of 2015 and I’ll see you next Tuesday for the 1st edition of Tuesday Truths 2016! Thank you for reading/sharing and if you haven’t already, subscribe and tell a friend!

— Madalene