Tag Archives: politics

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 v19

it will be worth it in the end

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Happy Tuesday! This is an especially crazy week with a deluge of riches of AAPI Heritage month activities as well as the House returning to session, and me doing my civic duty with jury duty. Never a dull moment! I’m still working off the adrenaline from doing a Boston campaign training with the AAPI community. Great to see new faces while working with people who have been colleagues/friends for close to 20 years. If ever I wonder why I am in politics, this is a reminder of why – people! I may be an introvert but being around people who are interested in advancing the lives of the AAPI community and those who are disadvantaged or marginalized makes it worth it. So it’s nice to see that a bit of idealism still alive in my cynical heart 🙂

If you missed the announcement last week, I have a Special Guest joining us for the Tuesday, 5/26 meet-up – DSCC Political Director Simone Ward. So be prepared to get your lunch/beverage/dessert/snack from Le Pain Quotidien at Union Station (so that they don’t hate us for using their space but not buying lunch) at noon. Please RSVP in the comments section so that I can make sure we have enough space.

On to Tuesday Truths!

  • Did you realize that only 31,976 donors gave a total of $1.18 BILLION in federal dollars in the 2014 election cycle?? That’s a whole lotta of cha-ching spread across not that many people. So basically the one percent of the wealthiest one percent are political donors. See how the demographics break down through this piece from Opensecrets.  If you guessed white & male – BINGO!
  • I’m a fan of both the Outlander tv series and books but I never really expected it to be a part of the interview process, but I like where this question is headed. Time travel is not just for science fiction fans/nerds! Next time, I’ll be prepared for when I have to interview someone!
  • I hate talking with strangers as much as anyone else (OK, maybe not a extrovert) but I think back to when I was a child and I would talk with anyone who would respond and asked for stuff all.the.time (maybe that’s why I usually don’t have a problem about asking for money). As I’ve gotten older, I find it a little tedious so I need to kick myself in the butt to remind myself that there was a time when I was much more open and thought about the consequences less (they could say “NO!”). I need to think less and just dive in. My 2 cents on how to network with strangers but the Harvard Business Review may have a slightly different take 😉
  • Work smarter not harder. I try to do most of these steps but I need to stop multi-tasking and focus, focus, focus. With the clients I have I try to not get sidetracked when something comes up so that I can devote my attention to each one with the kind of purity I want as if they were my only client. I also know that I have to schedule call time for myself when I fundraise. Knowing the weaknesses is half the battle, right?
  • Be a little foolish and you may well find that you’re on the path to success. I try to face my fears by doing things that will make me less fearful (i.e. surfing – for some reason I developed a fear of water – I used to spend so much time in the pool and then I became a little mental about it so I decided that the only way for me to face it was to do something that would show me that it’s OK). Holding onto that fear can stunt your growth and hold you back from realizing that you are much more resilient than you think.
  • How to become more politically active without actually running for office? Here are a few tips from Tonia Bui and I would add that when you think you have no connections, you really do – your friends and family and people who trust your insight. The more you meet others who think that they don’t have connections, the more you’re networking to the next level. Show people how you want to be involved by your actions, not your words. They’ll see it and believe it.

Alright folks, don’t forget to comment if you’re planning on joining us on Tuesday, 5/26! If  you find these posts helpful, feel free to subscribe and share. Thanks for reading!

— Madalene

 

Tuesday Truths 2015 edition v18

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It’s the beginning of another May and luckily for me, it’s Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage month! I’m fortunate to work with my community so that we can have more representation and for others to better understand that AAPIs are also an integral part of the fabric that makes all of us American. So if you didn’t know about AAPI Heritage month, here are a few places where you can learn more about the trailblazers who have helped to make this nation more diverse, culturally richer, and my community proud.

The Library of Congress has a great section to honor the achievements of the AAPI community.

Buzzfeed did a great pictorial of their AAPI staffers showing what it means to be AAPI.

Along with AAPI Heritage month, it’s the 40th anniversary of the Fall of Saigon, otherwise known as Black April (April 30, 1975). NPR did a series of stories that chronicles the lives of American soldiers and where they lived – this story talks about a refugee family’s transition to San Diego. PBS honored the anniversary by airing “Last Days in Vietnam”, a documentary based on the accounts of a NBC reporter and a US Army Captain.

The Smithsonian has a wonderful AAPI Center where you can learn more of the AAPI experience (it’s diverse and complex) so there is always so much to learn.

**We’re on to additional Tuesday Truths!**

  • Remember when I talked about my life being in constant triage? When I’m trying to tackle a tough deadline/project, I try to remember these steps to get my mind in gear. I procrastinate like everyone else!
  • If you’re looking for more work/life balance, it boils down to managing choices. My priorities are exercise and sleep. I try to work out 4-6xs a week because I know that it reduces my anxiety and stress level. I also know that I need to sleep so that my brain functions efficiently. If I don’t get enough sleep, my ability to be coherent and articulate greatly decreases. I can both see and feel the affects of lack of sleep pretty quickly. My priorities are different than your priorities and my goals are different than yours. Some people know that I have taken voice lessons throughout my life, and occasionally I get asked if I’m still taking them and I haven’t made them a priority to make time in my schedule to take lessons. So I can’t lament that I haven’t done it because I’ve made a choice to not move other things off my calendar to make it a priority. It may seem like a it’s an unconscious decision but when I put other choices in front of others, I’ve really made a decision to pursue that particular goal, unspoken or not.
  • One way to get to your goals can be to take whatever small step is necessary for change. This seems to be directly related to getting your mental game ready for tackling that big deadline/project. Those small steps can turn those accomplishments into grand plans.
  • Networking is really never about you because the more you can connect with others willing to tell their own stories; the more you will be remembered. If you’re new to the process, here are a few things you can try. One thing I tire of but know that I must do all the time is to get my own story refined. It’s a terrific way to practice your pitch and refine your brand.
  • Summer internship time is about to start (in some offices they’re on their 1st wave already!) so if you are starting on the Hill or work with staff, here’s a great primer to help get that wardrobe question of “What do I wear?” that is also appropriate out of the way!
  • With networking on the brain, some readers asked for a way to get together in DC. So meet me on Tuesday, 5/26 from noon – 1:30pm at Le Pain Quotidien at Union Station for a brown bag lunch. I may even have a Special Guest with me! Drop a note in the comments so that I know to expect you and have enough space.

Thanks for reading/sharing and I hope to see you on 5/26!

Tuesday Truths 2015 edition v17

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It’s the last week before a district work period is upon us so we’re barreling our way through with fundraisers and donor meetings. Does it seem like all I ever do is raise money? Well, if your answer is “YES!” then you WIN – I’m not sure what you’ve won but consider yourself a WINNER! Let’s get cracking with Tuesday Truths:

  • I think like most people, I started my professional life with an idea of where I wanted to work and in a particular industry. I aligned my beliefs with working in my industry but as I have gotten older, I’ve started thinking more of how what I do affects my purpose of life. As a believer in creating your own luck, I think it’s also a result of your ability to control your “destiny”.
  • If you’re having challenges with work, it may be because you need to remind yourself of what motivates you. I pulled back on some of my projects because I realized that I was spending too much time doing things that didn’t maintain a spark in my career. Read about the science of finding that motivation.
  • My life is always about deadlines and to an extent, it’s about dealing with procrastination. My friends/colleagues would probably say differently, but I’m a BIG procrastinator. I’ve used a lot of these techniques to mentally prepare for the onslaught of deadlines and thinking of triage. Do any of these methods help you?
  • I’ve come to learn through my interns who happen to be business school majors that they learn about thank you letters but those in other programs, aren’t necessarily taught to write them. So for those who may need to brush up or just outright learn some business etiquette, we’ve got exactly 19 ones for you.
  • As much as I advocate for doing business as usual or at the very least understanding what is considered “the norm”, it’s great to see people who are innovative in breaking through the endless white noise. Check out Nina Mufleh and her creative way to get her resume noticed by Airbnb’s CEO. Which also reminds me about Lindsay Blackwell and how she used her social media network to get noticed for a job announcement at the U. of Michigan.
  • As a woman who has professional and personal goals, I feel that my definition of “having it all” is different from anyone’s goals for themselves or even what they may think it may be for me. So when asking yourself, “Is it possible?” really think about what your definition is and not compare it to someone else’s.

Thanks for reading/sharing!

— Madalene

 

Tuesday Truths 2015 edition v15

We’re back to regular programming with Congress back in session and fundraising events galore. Did you catch the #HillaryforAmerica video announcement on Sunday? Honestly, I got teary eyed watching it! It’s good to know that however cynical I’ve become through the years that I still believe in the magic of an inspirational candidate. It’s such a personal connection. The 2016 campaign will be 20 years since I worked on my 1st campaign as a paid operative.  Having seen a lot of candidates through the years, it can be challenging to find individuals who possess the ability to inspire. Everyone has a different pressure point in why they believe in someone so I hope that you never become so jaded to never let your emotions be your compass.

Let’s get to Tuesday Truths!

  • When I first started my consulting business, I was at a crossroads. I wanted more flexibility to take on projects and I wanted to be my own boss. The question was, “Am I ready?” (is there a theme here?). A lot of us go through life taking a ladder approach to our careers when we could use a different mentality to get to our dream job. At the time, I was 29 years old and I knew that I marched to a different beat. I had already taken a break from politics to pursue a different career and realized that my passion was really where I had first started. If you think you need to make a major change in your life, here are a few thoughts on how you can get comfortable with it. If you’re looking for ways to get to your dream job, take note of how you can build a path to your future success.
  • Are you feeling less motivated than usual? I have the one foot in front of the other approach. Here are a few other ways to find motivation when you may just not be feeling it!
  • When do you know it’s time to find another job? Here are some tell tale signs that can help you make the leap into a different position. I felt some or all of these behaviors when I  knew it was time to for a new gig. Most importantly was that I didn’t value my own work –  I had stopped caring about the consequences of my actions as a reflection of me and that is definitely no good if you want to keep a positive reputation.
  • Negotiating anything takes practice and you’ll want to learn that you can do it nicely without being a pushover. It’s always a good idea to be nice especially when you might be walking into a tense situation. Understanding one another makes for an easier conversation.
  • Something to think about if you’re starting your career journey or even if you’re comfortable with your career goals, is how you reconcile your ambitions with your desire to be a better person or as David Brooks calls it, a “moral bucket list”. As I continue to develop this blog, I want to continue sharing how to create “success” (from an external perspective: breaking into an industry, networking, leadership, getting a promotion/salary increase) as well as how you and I can be better individuals to our communities. With all of the machinations of politics, it can be easy to get caught up in the ambition of this industry and there are times when you feel like it’s a chess match trying to strategize how to get ahead. At the same time, we all need to recognize that once ambition and ego are stripped that we are in this business to make other people’s lives better. Accolades are wonderful but knowing your true motivations will better guide your choices.
  • Who started watching Game of Thrones again? The Washington Post did a great opening sequence and called it, District of Thrones – all of the geeks, nerds, DC-philes will love it – I did!

Thanks for reading/sharing – if you found it worthwhile, don’t forget to subscribe!

— Madalene

PS – We’ve got a Democratic campaign training in Boston scheduled for Saturday, May 9th – $50 for a one day training – applications can be found here. We highly encourage AAPIs and diversity. Space is limited. Questions? Email events@opportunityfund.com.

Tuesday Truths 2015 edition v11

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Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Hoping you’re wearing green so that you don’t get pinched (do you remember doing that as a kid or is that just something out of my own crazy childhood??). We’re changing things up a bit with an opinion piece but we still got Tuesday Truths!

Last week I was a panelist as well as the moderator for a Women’s Information Network (WIN) panel on Bridging the Generation Gap at the Workplace between Boomers, Generation X (my generation) and Millennials. It was a great interaction and we certainly created dialogue and prompted questions not only about generational uniqueness but also the layered nuances that each of us have experienced as women and to our individual experiences as women of color or as a member of the LGBT community. Intersectionality is something that we can’t ignore as all generations converge in the workplace.

With a less homogenous professional environment, we’re all navigating how to best move forward with our companies’ missions while handling office politics and a variety of personalities. How does anyone get anything accomplished? My associates are either getting younger or I’m just getting older 😉 In all seriousness, every cycle I tend to work with people who are recent college graduates and I always tell people that I’m not the perfect boss. However, I strive to create an environment where people feel that they are valued for their work.

Politics can be fast paced and expectations need to be set from the beginning. My office’s official hours are from 10am-6pm. Since it’s somewhat casual being that my house is also my office, I don’t really want anyone to have to stay past 6pm and with such a late start time (I remember working in campaign season when I had to report in at 7:30am), there really is no reason to why anyone should be late. I’m such a stickler with being on time (my definition of being on time is 15 minutes before the start time) that if you start off late with me, you’re going to get major attitude. Knowing what your manager considers important that may not be important to you, is key to making your own life easier. I say this from the get-go. You should be beating me to events and there are going to be times when you’ll beat me to the office because I’m doing things outside of the office that informs our work. If it’s the height of fundraising and we’re doing west coast events, we’re working later because we deal with the time difference and then we may have east coast events the next day where we need to be at the site by 7:30am. It can all be a blur but I recognize that everyone puts in a lot of hours and once the quarter starts anew, I want my team to feel refreshed – take a few hours off, blow off some steam and lets get back to work. I try to take my team to lunch once a week so that we all get a chance to ask questions of one another that is outside of the work setting. It’s a good way for people to socialize and to get to know one another better. I talk more about what we’re doing and why. A lot of my former staff enjoyed the lunches for the food alone but it was also a forum for them to ask questions and to learn. It also better informs me of what my team maybe facing if I’m too busy during the week to take notice of any problems. I’m not here to make friends but I’m here to empower you to have a better job performance. I liken it to being a coach. From the beginning, there’s always an understanding that staff will not be working for me long because it’s a shared goal to get you to the next place. A lot of jobs don’t have that understanding because they’re bigger and built to engage individuals to fulfill a particular function. When I worked on presidential campaigns, there wasn’t an employee manual. My role was to get my voter contact numbers in and move the needle forward. We’re not too concerned about the touchy feely aspects of managing. There were no such things as job performance reviews or a real HR department. So when it’s time to transition to a work place where those things do exist, it can be awkward.

Expectations are how partnerships are formed and team work product is evaluated. I will readily admit to when I screw up to my staff. They expect me to give them clear instructions and when I don’t, it shows in their work. Procedures and processes are very clear cut (we have memos and outlines on just about everything) so when we don’t follow them, we have created situations that will cause problems. I ask what’s not working and why. If there has been a fundamental change (a client has asked for a new procedure etc), we adapt and change the memos to reflect that so that we’re all on the same page. If you as a staffer can help create more efficient processes, your value has increased in my book. Less time working on getting something done with the same quality of work is a good thing. All that being said, I’m working in a profession that allows for a lot of flexibility. Those individuals who are at a different economic status may be working hourly positions and that is a different environment in terms of negotiating and expectations. There is no one size fits all. It gets tricky when women are advocating on behalf of women when the constituency in itself doesn’t fit into the same mold either. I respect Sheryl Sandberg’s efforts because it brings a necessary conversation but we also need to engage those individuals who don’t have the same kind of flexibility. The New Republic highlights that in the article about #leanintogether.

You see that I haven’t really talked yet about intersectionality even though it’s a topic that is just underneath it all. Generational uniqueness in communicating with one another is a challenge all into itself and then layer anything else on top of that and you have quite a pickle. How do we have better conversations so that our generational uniqueness allows us to evolve and better understand one another? Is it possible to educate? As a person of color, I grew up with an Asian mother and a Caucasian father in a predominantly African American neighborhood but I would have to remind myself that I was Asian American by looking in the mirror. Why? Because I really didn’t take notice of race and in that I had to learn about challenges and discrimination through the experiences of my friends and colleagues. I didn’t have real first hand knowledge and that is an example of the privilege that I grew up with in my life. As a result, I try to inform myself by talking with others in my community of their experiences and learn about micro aggressions/prejudices that are common. Just like we can’t pigeonhole generations, every constituency has had varying degrees of prejudice within their own constituency. This topic is never going to be comfortable but the more it’s discussed in a safe environment without judgement and fosters steps for improvement, it helps all of us to evolve.

I was asked earlier about an article that I shared about how allies can best help in this cause so I’m sharing it here and I also wanted to share a post where it helps to outline a way to which a dialogue can get started that may be a good jumping point for your own workplace. Got comments/questions – drop them in the comments section!!

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Now for Tuesday Truths!

  • Even as I try to provide a resource for those who are less experienced, I also strive to provoke thought to my peers. Here’s a good one as we start to reach a point in our lives when we begin to think about life after work: retirement! In my personal definition, it means that I will still take an active part in politics and be happy to watch from the sidelines, but it also includes time to explore new adventures and interests.
  • If you’re just starting out in your career and want a little direction so that you’re going down a strategic path, you may want to check out these steps and advice from leaders who want to share their experiences. If you’re already on your path but need help to focus or you’re feeling stagnant in your current position, these same steps can help you as well. All great advice to having a better experience in your career.
  • It doesn’t come as a surprise that I’m a huge advocate for training. I spent part of my weekend training the DC chapter of the New Leaders Council on fundraising. Having started my political career in the Training Department of the DNC, it really has affected my perspective on how training helps to engage our constituencies. A former DNC colleague of mine, Joe Fuld makes an excellent point about the future of the progressive movement and training in a recent blog post. Check it out!

Thanks for reading/sharing and if you have comments, drop them in the comments section!

— Madalene

 

 

 

Tuesday Truths 2015 edition v7

mardi gras sign

Happy Mardi Gras! If I was still in school at Tulane, I’d have today off. Instead, I’m in a congressional recess and a deep freeze so obviously, I planned incorrectly when it came to my travel schedule because it makes total sense that I should have made a trip to California for one of my clients. #poorplanning (addendum: It’s an official snow day in DC so I’m still working in my office but OPM closed the government due to the weather conditions so it’s kinda like I’m in NOLA but definitely NOT REALLY)

So instead, I’ll keep warm reading for the rest of the week!

  • I’m accustomed to doing regular check-ins with my staff, whether they be my associate or my interns. My office isn’t structured at all (my office is in my house so there’s no corporate feel, we tend to sit around my conference table aka my dining room, people can listen to my phone conversations unless I step out to another part of the house) but we have a chain of command and we have set procedures for almost everything we do. When giving feedback, it’s good to be direct but also personal so that the staff recognizes that you as the supervisor acknowledges that you are helping them improve. This kind of feedback is helpful to everyone, even if you think it’s time consuming. Sometimes you get trapped in the feeling that it’s better to do an assignment yourself than take the time to train the staff or to help them improve. Yes, it would be faster but taking the time means that you’re also learning the skill of teaching your staff so it’s a win-win. So when you find yourself short on time, use these tips to giving feedback.
  • When Jon Stewart decided that he would end his run from the Daily Show, I think there was a collective outcry (at least on my Twitter & Facebook feeds). He brought a wicked sense of humor to the news and cultural topics, but its his work style that really demonstrates his leadership skills.
  • I often am asked how I stay organized and I really don’t have a simple answer. I use Outlook calendar, a notebook, sticky notes, excel and myriad of other resources. For some reason, I manage to keep it altogether, however my fear is that I’m going to miss an event that I forgot to put on my calendar (hello anniversary!). I would like to be more efficient to give myself more ease of mind so I might try this system called Bullet Journaling and see if it gets me more organized.
  • Do you have self doubt or feel that negative thoughts dominant your thought process? It’s normal to question yourself but if you feel that self doubt is creeping this info graphic can give you techniques to combat them. YOU GOT THIS!
  • Did you know that it takes only seconds for a stranger to “assess” you in a first impression?  That includes potential employers and networking prospects. They say that there’s a science to it but I’m not sure if it’s pre-conceived notions that bring on these assessments. What do you think?
  • Which leads me to share how People are unconsciously sexist about how Women look at Work – dark colors and more masculine cuts are seen as more aggressive and forceful – qualities that are not seen as positive ones for women. My take is to wear what brings out the best in you because I aways like to say that confidence is the best accessory.
  • What does it mean to be female and young in Congress? Former Rep. Elizabeth Holtzman shares her experiences and it translates well to females who are in leadership roles. From an early age, I was usually the youngest person in the room (I skipped a grade in elementary school) so I was accustomed to being young and doing things early. It also meant that I had to be more prepared so that people would take me seriously. Anything else you would add to the list?

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

— Madalene

Tuesday Truths 2015 edition v6

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Over the weekend, I did a training for the Virginia Leadership Institute, a 501 c(3) dedicated to encouraging more African Americans to run for elected office. It was a great turnout and I really appreciate my colleagues giving their time and expertise. I love me some training! If you’re interested in getting a training organized, drop me a line or if you want to check out the training schedule for the progressive community, look into Democratic GAIN‘s calendar.

Let’s get to Tuesday Truths!

  • The start of the speculation for Election2016 has been well underway but here are some thoughts on the VP pick and what it might mean to the make up of the US Senate. It’s certainly a combination of Game of Thrones, chess & House of Cards. #politicscanbefun
  • The sexy thing to talk about in politics is the Presidential race – sure, I get it but what is REALLY sexy is the census! YES, I’m talking about a process that will happen in 5 more years (a LIFETIME) in the time warp that is politics. The census can help Democrats with redistricting and the incumbency protection program that has held the US House in place. Agree/disagree?
  • You have no idea how much I love thank you notes! To send them and of course, to receive them! I often wonder if college students are taught this exercise and with a very casual survey of my own interns, I’ve learned that the business school students are taught this very important lesson: relationships matter! No matter how casual the meeting, if you take anyone’s time, an email thank you is the LEAST that you can do and the handwritten note is certainly the way to go. You never know if that might be the reason why someone does a little more than they need to when it comes to helping you.
  • Working in politics and public policy/service, you would think that it would translate to living a meaningful life. This isn’t always the case and there are times when burnout (me included) can make you question your place in the world. I, certainly didn’t have a career path. I knew that I wanted to work in politics but I didn’t really have a plan. Fast forward 20 years and I’m an established consultant (where did the time go?). Along the way, I did have to constantly reassess my professional priorities and balance that with living life (gotta pay those bills!). So if you’re in need of a roadmap to building a meaningful career, you may want to review this article to ask yourselves some important questions.

That’s a wrap! Thanks for reading/sharing and don’t forget to subscribe! Drop me your comments below!

— Madalene

Tuesday Truths 2015 edition v4

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Winter is barreling ahead full steam so we’re bracing for some crazy snowfall up and down the mid-Atlantic so I hope everyone on the east coast is staying safe and keeping warm. It might be a good time to get in some Tuesday Truths!

  • Regardless of what level of seniority you’ve obtained, you’ll always looking to improve. That might mean taking on more responsibility so that you can get to the next level, or wanting a promotion because you’re feeling professionally stagnant from mastering your current position. As a result, there will be skills that you will need to learn. Undoubtedly, you’ll encounter moments where you will have no clue how to do something. No one wants to feel like an “impostor” but you want to appear like a competent person as you maneuver through this experience. Here are some tips on how to best fake it til you make it so that you can continue to show confidence while learning along the way.
  • My colleagues and I are always on the lookout for talent and for individuals who exhibit qualities of future leaders. How can you show that you’re a leader if you’re a staff assistant or have no management skills? One quality that I look for is when someone helps others, not just to those who are their managers but also to those who have less experience. If you don’t manage the interns, but interact with them, how do you help them succeed? Your actions, as well as attitude determines whether people can see your leadership abilities and potential so take advantage of doing more than what is your scope of work.
  • Which leads me to when you have to manage someone who you may not particularly like. There are going to be times when a you have a member of your team who you may not have hired, but you have to manage. I tend to get along with everyone as I try to respect everyone’s roles. As long as you respect my role, I can respect yours. That includes understanding my position within the hierarchy of the management infrastructure as well as my history with the principal(s). I may look like I’m in my early 30’s but I have experience that exhibits itself by my actions. Whenever there’s a team member who rubs me the wrong way, I try to remember that as a manager, I’m above the drama and it’s my goal to have the team work as efficiently as possible by tapping into the strengths of the individuals and helping them with their weaknesses. If you’re the person rubbing people the wrong way, you don’t have to please everyone and personality doesn’t necessary fit into a neat box but you should recognize that some traits can be improved upon with a bit of polish and a boost of confidence. It’s really a relationship of all three articles.
  • I am a total believer about making your own luck. Does that make me a hippie dippy/glass half full/unicorn chasing rainbows kind of gal? Perhaps but I also try to pair that attitude with a high dose of pragmatic reality. I’ve had my share of disappointment but I don’t think I was ever really disillusioned. It’s about setting a mentality that allows for failure (yes, failure because we’re not perfect) while looking towards achieving attainable measures of success.
  • Since a lot of my clients happen to be men (OK all of them are men), I recognize that as a woman, I’m giving counsel to people who trust me for my political acumen. Fortunately, I’m not the only female to provide expertise on these teams so it helps to have a welcome environment to express opinions. I’m an only child so growing up I always had my family’s attention and with an AAPI mother, I was taught to have a more AAPI attitude towards deference to my elders (if there’s ever a hierarchy, it certainly dwells in an AAPI family) so talking back was certainly a no-no. I didn’t find my voice with my family until much later in life but I always had my voice for those people outside. I’ve enjoyed reading how we can nurture our younger females so that they don’t ever lose their voice. Which also leads me to how adult women can get their male colleagues to stop “mansplaining”. I have an Irish American husband who is the oldest of 5 and when I’m at his family’s house, I have to take a break because I’m not accustomed to having such a boisterous family lovingly talk over one another – a managed chaos that comes with family habits but not one suitable to business meetings when someone (gender neural at times) hijacks an idea or interrupts you when you’re speaking. This is assuming that you’re expressing yourself with authority and doing it in a manner that demands attention. I speak at meetings only when I feel like I’m adding to the conversation. This may or may not work for you. If I feel that my assessment or summary is worthy of discussion, I don’t hesitate to initiate it when appropriate. People have noted my style as to be calm and deliberative so that when I speak, people listen. When I’m talking and someone decides to talk over me, I speak louder because I don’t allow the person to be a distraction. I work with people who have been in politics for a long time and as such, we have worked on multiple campaigns together and provide mutual respect. So don’t hesitate to demand that respect by how you present yourselves and SHUT IT DOWN when someone thinks that they can.
  • Have you ever thought about taking a life audit? I’ve done it informally throughout my career so I could assess if I was creating a life that I wanted to live and love. I have felt, at times that I wasn’t living up to my potential and made choices accordingly. One of the reasons why I started my consulting business was because I wanted to be my own boss. It’s times like these when I have had my best periods of self discovery. Although challenging, this personal journey can make a difference in how you view your life. I’ll share my results if you share yours!

Hope everyone is staying safe on the east coast! Thanks for reading/sharing and let me know your comments!

— Madalene

 

Tuesday Truths 2015 edition v3

Photo credit: Martin Luther King, Jr. quote

This week has a lot of fun things ahead and that makes my work that much more interesting. Hope you’re having a great week!

  • If you haven’t heard, ABC will be premiering Fresh off the Boat on Feb 10th and I was fortunate enough to be invited to a special screening at the Newseum. The AAPI community is nowhere near parity in seeing talent that look like ourselves but we’re making strides. It helps to have a strong grassroots community to show their support. Here are a few AAPI bloggers who certainly help the cause. To read more about Eddie Huang, the inspiration for Fresh off the Boat, read his interview about his experience of turning his life into a tv show – both poignant and hilarious.
  • From Silicon Valley to sports to recruiting local candidates, these African American leaders are taking the lead. I look forward to seeing more of their work!
  • I went through a quarter life crisis in my mid 20s and as I face my 40’s, I’m experiencing a change in my own career that isn’t quite as linear. So if you’re in your mid 30s, meet Sharon Chang, the former Chief Creative officer for 19 Entertainment (the company behind American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance) who decided that she wanted to leave that position and make a career change. If anything, experience that comes with age makes you more self aware. So if you’re feeling like you’re getting stagnant, it’s a good read to self reflect.
  • This article was written for millennials to teach them how to manage talking on the telephone but I was more intrigued about the info graphic on how to handle the calls itself (basically how to sound natural, the best time to make the calls etc). It’s a great tool for those of us who hate being on the phone (that would be me) and for those who need to be on the phone to do fundraising call time (political candidates!).
  • As a political consultant, I spend an enormous amount of time helping clients with strategy. Some of my clients have been clients for a long time so I know how to work with their personalities to reach a shared view. Here are a few tips to how you can “disagree” with your manager and get back to working towards the same goal.
  • A few months ago I was asked to do a branding presentation for one of the Capitol Hill staff associations. It is such a challenging presentation because so much of it is self reflection and requires the individual to really take the time to assess their own goals. Here’s a great step by step process that can help during that self reflection.

Thanks for reading/sharing and if you find the posts helpful, feel free to subscribe!

— Madalene