Tag Archives: productivity

Tuesday Truths 2015 edition v24

Last week was really an amazing time for me because I had the honor of being given the Karen Mulhauser award from the Women’s Information Network (WIN). For those who do not know, I am an Advisory Council (AC) Board member for WIN and have been very blessed to work with such inspiring women. Here is my little love letter to them (who I also know are such great supporters of this little blog o’mine).

When I was first asked to join WIN’s Advisory Council, I was certainly delinquent in keeping up with WIN on a regular basis. I had been a speaker in some capacity throughout the years for their signature event, Women Opening Doors for Women (WODW) and had participated sporadically throughout the years in other ways. Having established a formal relationship with WIN, I was committed to meet my AC responsibilities and serve as a resource. Little did WIN know that my spending time with the WIN membership and leadership also fostered a growing desire to share whatever knowledge I had gleaned from my years of professional development. Whatever I was giving back was certainly returned to me tenfold by the women who felt that I was helping them through my AC role.

Fast forward to last week where I was not only given an award, but I was also voted to be the next AC Chair by the WIN Executive Council (the cherry on top!). I thank them for their confidence in me as WIN’s AC Chair Emeritus, Karen Mulhauser has been the AC Chair since the inception of WIN 26 years ago – it’s a new model for the organization and a new adventure for me. Karen has been such a stalwart and advocate, guiding WIN as it develops and she will continue to be a valued resource.

My fellow AC members are all uniquely qualified to be Chair and their talents serve WIN in so many ways so I look forward to working with them as WIN continues to support Democratic pro-choice women. Thank you WIN for this opportunity to serve and please know that you can count on me to support your efforts.

On to Tuesday Truths!

  • When I do my fundraising trainings, aspiring candidates always ask me what would be my one piece of advice about fundraising that they could start today even though they aren’t officially running for anything. My answer: grow and nurture your network. Sometimes it can seem unwieldy to manage a lot of contacts but having the ability to authentically connect makes for a deeper relationship. So even if your network is small that can sometimes bring more value than a broader network that isn’t very deep. Size does make a difference.
  • When you think you have nothing say when meeting someone new, here are 7 ways you can connect. I have to establish rapport everyday when I’m fundraising and so do my clients – a little behind the scenes research helps to figure out commonalities but when you’re at a conference or in an environment that may seem overwhelming, breaking the ice to allow others to talk will help get you going.
  • My political colleagues and I have conversations about emerging leaders in our fields and whether or not they “get it”. We sometimes talk about how certain political skills can be learned while others are much more innate. A big part of that is how much common sense an individual possesses. LAWDY – common sense is BIG in my book – putting the dots together and reasoning an outcome = I want you on my team. It’s just one of the factors that can trump book smart intelligence and when it comes down to a job interview, those components together can make you a great candidate for the position.
  • This is just so on point – you’ll notice that most of these leadership commandments are about individuals taking action and about helping others.
  • It doesn’t matter the type of job you have or the industry/field where you specialize there are mad skillllzzzz you need to survive as well as thrive in a professional career. Learn them, be one with them and you’ll find that they’re transferable wherever you go. The negotiating skill is KEY – if you need training, check out Tanya Tarr and ask her about an upcoming workshop.
  • People don’t think that I procrastinate, but I do! You may have read in previous posts that I mainly work in triage – bumping up priorities according to meeting my deadlines (which miraculously I seem to not blow – I will not say never!). Recognizing what motivates you can get you going as well as taking heed of the type of procrastinator you are so that you can work to make it a bit easier on yourself.

Thanks for reading/sharing – if you found this post or any of the other posts helpful, please subscribe!

If you have a comment or want to share an article that you think will be helpful to this shared community, please post in the comments section – I’d enjoy hearing from you!

— Madalene

Tuesday Truths 2015 edition v14

If you’re a staffer on the Hill, I hope you’re enjoying recess. I’m taking this time to get ready for another set of events come next week. That calendar is sure filling up! Not only am I booking fundraisers, I’m also booking campaign trainings! I’ve got one coming up in May in Boston and another one in June in Seattle, so if you’re in those cities or would like more information to pass along, let me know! I’m also planning on more skills specific campaign training as well (think fundraising, communications etc). The organization is geared towards AAPIs but we’re good Democrats and as a result, if you want to work in the progressive space, we’re happy to train you! We also encourage diversity so that our talent pool is reflective of the country so if you’re interested in getting more information, subscribe to the blog and you’ll be the first to know!

Let’s get to Tuesday Truths!

  • I am a one woman shop right now. I decided to “ease back” on my work load but yet, I feel like I’ve started down a path where I’m going to need to be hyper organized so that I don’t let things slip through the cracks. Productivity is the name of the game and these tips are making me more aware of how I’m hijacking my own success. #gamechanger
  • I had my 20 year college reunion this past November and maybe some of these life lessons are generational but as I reflect on my professional career, I wonder if life would have been more boring if I had just cut to the chase. Lessons are learned because you make mistakes and take the road with the twists and turns.
  • OH-EM-GEEE a political life lesson learned the HARD way. Fundraising and consultants can get shady but the saga that has surrounded this story is a cautionary tale for those who are candidates and those who are consultants. A solid reputation and ethics are the only way to go.
  • Are you an in state or in district staffer who is looking to get on the Hill? Got questions on how you make that transition? One tip from the Hill Navigator – use LinkedIn – good luck!
  • Does your work define you? Some people think that this is a negative concept while others think that it’s really about integration. This also comes into play when you think about your personal branding. If you allow work to define who you are as a person, how do you want others to define you? I know that my work is based in Democratic politics, no matter what you want to say about my other skills/interests/talents, that is always going to be the core. How I choose to engage in that arena is up to me. Here are ways that you can engage your brand with your work.
  • Fellow Females! Brush up on those persuasion skills – it’s going to help you as you progress into your careers.
  • We’ve all encountered the difficult co-worker: the one who seems to grate on your last nerve. How do you contend with them and keep your professionalism intact? We’ve got a few ideas here.

Got comments? Drop them below and let me know! Thanks for reading/sharing and don’t forget to subscribe!

— Madalene

Tuesday Truths 2015 edition v4

Photo credit via

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

“Opportunities don’t happen, you create them.” —Chris Grosser

I’m so Type A but there are moments when even some of these habits would drive me CRAY CRAY.

Goals vs Systems and how that leads to success. Good thing I’m into having a process.

I’m always meeting people in fundraising so having them “like” me enough so that they will return my calls or even answer an email is a priority enough for me to practice these techniques. Especially since in my line of work, it’s never about me but about those potential donors!

We’re always trying to find more ways to be productive – here are even more suggestions from folks who know how to squeeze every minute for what its worth.

This Fortune magazine article says for women to get a promotion, they need a boss who has a career focused spouse. What say you?

Want to meet CIA Deputy Director Avril Haines? Well, how about a little insight on how she got to where she is today…she also owns a cafe!

Are you unhappy with your job? Here are three ideas to get you motivated to “work”.

Hit me on the comments and let me know how you’re doing. Thanks for reading and if you find it helpful, feel free to share! Don’t miss a post by Subscribing!

 

Tuesday Truths

Expect the BS

  • With the situation in Ferguson, it reminds me that People of Color (POC) are in this together so although I have never lived the life of an African American fe(male), I do understand how the color of your skin can sway people’s perceptions/prejudices. As a member of the Asian American community, I am a fierce advocate of creating opportunities for all of us to have a seat at the table but it’s also necessary that those who have privilege, use their advantages. Do I think that my own upbringing with a white German American father and a Vietnamese mother shaped my attitudes? Absolutely! NPR’s Michel Martin captured this concept beautifully in her piece about white women using their privilege to help with women of color.
  • So I’ve been enthralled with Makers. They’ve been providing great content via twitter & this video was terrific in talking about the next generation of women using our differences as females to become leaders. Check them out and give them a follow @MAKERSwomen!
  • Learning a new word in productivity: triage.

Thanks for reading and drop me your comments!

— Madalene

Tuesday Truths

life is full of enemies

 

With congressional recess, DC is a little less hectic but that doesn’t mean that we’re not kicking butt in fundraising for our clients. Thus far, we have 13 events scheduled on 8 different days so we’re ready for September 30th to hurry up and get here. OK, not really but I’m going for momentum! #GOFIGHTWIN

  • There are times when I stop and think about why I continue to work in politics. A moment of clarity in the storm of what can be endless hours calling and emailing people to ask them for money. This constant and unrelenting pace can be daunting in figuring out how I fit into the bigger scheme of political life. I try to take a “work to live instead of live to work” mentality and these steps help with mindfulness, not only in your professional live but also in personal maturity as well.
  • I’m a procrastinator although I disguise it very well with my organizational skills (most people think I’m kidding when I describe myself that way but I’m being brutally honest!). I tend to focus on deadlines and know my limits when it comes to just how much I can procrastinate to get things done. As a result, I end up working in full on “get it done” mode and then chill out. Being more productive while also being efficient is the sweet spot of work productivity – here’s how you can do it.
  • I meet so many people in my line of work and oftentimes, it requires me to be my version of Andy Sachs from the “Devil Wears Prada” (the scene specifically where she recalls names of spouses and the last time Miranda Priestly last saw a person) to my clients. I, on the other hand, can’t recall people in my personal endeavors to save my life. The stakes are a little higher in my professional career and it’s funny when people tell me that I have such a keen memory, but yet I can’t remember the person I just met in my pilates class (sorry, whoever you are who said hi to me, but I can’t remember when I met you!). People tend to forget names and here’s why but honestly, I wish they included a few tricks in this article!
  • As a serial entrepreneur (did you know that I used to own a small catering company?), I’m always looking for knowledge from more experienced entrepreneurs. Here are 7 suggestions of people you can follow who drop knowledge on the daily.
  • I hear a lot about female competition, which is tough already when as women we’re faced with so many external challenges. It can be difficult to stop comparing your narrative to someone else’s, but I think being an only child, I already have a different mentality about doing my own thang. I truly believe that a fellow female’s accomplishments shows everyone that females have the ability and the wherewithal to get things done. So I rejoice in my friends’ successes and love to see how they’ve grown. I like reveling in their light because it encourages me to focus. Reading this article only reinforced my own personal beliefs – we can all get it girl!

Thanks for reading and hit me up with your comments!

— Madalene