Tag Archives: productivity

Tuesday Truths 2015 edition v44

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Today’s Election Day so if you’ve got local elections, go vote!

We’re weeks away from the end of the year and people starting to make New Year’s resolutions. I believe that there’s always room for improvement so why wait until the end or start of the year to change habits or to throw something else into the mix? Evolution doesn’t wait for the calendar!

  • I like to say that I’m a jack of all trades and a master of nothing because I do so many seemingly random things without much thought of how well I actually do them. I do have some proficiency in these different areas: I’ve taken voice lessons throughout my life and even when I was taking lessons, never really used them in a way to publicly showcase the work that I put into learning Italian phonetically so that I can sing opera so although not a lot of people have heard me sing in my adult years, I know how to read music and play guitar. Every once in a while, certain hobbies will take priorities over others – for now, it’s French and surfing. So what do you want to do when you realize that you have a lot of interests and not a lot of time to fulfill your learning? Here you can learn how to prioritize and focus your many interests. My mom is sometimes sad that I didn’t continue playing guitar since she was the one who “made” me take lessons but I believe that it’s just as important that I pursue interests with a broader sense of educating myself. Doesn’t matter if you’re an expert or dabbling, I think it makes the world more interesting to learn as much as you can.
  • Everyone has their struggles and life is never perfect so when you need a reservoir of patience or a reminder of how life’s struggles make you stronger, you can think of these 8 things.
  • I’ve worked with a lot of people in Silicon Valley and with no disrespect to the culture or to the people who innovate, I really dislike the word disruptive. So although this article has that word in the title, I’m still a fan of what they’re saying about being a great leader. My favorite by far about any office or work environment is creating a place where people can ask “Why?” because every thing we do has a reason and if people can innovate a better method to achieve the Why then things are going to get accomplished.
  • Did you know that you can transfer stress to others and others to you? You can protect yourself with a few strategies so that you create a positive mental barrier. Just like secondhand smoke, secondhand stress can be dangerous.
  • Just because it’s Election Day, it doesn’t mean we stop working on advocating for issues. If you need a terrific guide on the basics of community advocacy, head on over to the Campaign Workshop!

Thanks for reading/sharing and get your friends to subscribe!

— Madalene

 

 

Tuesday Truths 2015 edition v43

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I can feel myself getting sick and it really sucks because I usually don’t get sick! I have a crazy immune system so I’m hoping that this one cold is THE one cold for the winter season. Ain’t nobody got time for this!

Let’s get to Tuesday Truths minus the germs 🙂

  • We haven’t talked about branding in a while so here’s a great article that articulates why personal branding is essential to career success. The more you know your narrative and how it makes you unique to others, the more you can differentiate yourself from the pack. Blending in can be a good thing but being distinctive is also just as good.
  • My good friend, Maria Meier has a fantastic piece on her blog about “Should-ing” and why it’s important to be reminded of the difference between should and could. It’s a mighty powerful mental attitude that can help your career trajectory.
  • What is setting back women in corporate America? According to Betsy Myers, it’s the 24/7 work day. Valuing being busy vs being productive is a main highlight and finding ways to change the environment that allows women to be productive has to be recognized as a new norm in the workplace.
  • One of the best parts of my life is working with the Women’s Information Network (WIN) and meeting extraordinary women who are making a difference in this world. One such woman is Helen Babb. She and I met at a WIN event and hit it off. Read more about her journey from Australia to DC and how she’s using her communication skills to help her progressive clients.

Thanks for reading/sharing and tell your friends to subscribe!

— Madalene

Tuesday Truths 2015 edition v42

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Aloha! If you’re reading this post in real time (Tuesday, 10/20) then I’m likely flying over the Pacific or across the continental US returning to DC from a beautiful albeit short trip from Hawaii. I’ve been here since Thursday night/Friday morning and got back on a plane on Monday night to get back to DC where there are a ton of events going on so I’m super grateful to have a great team in DC helping me so that I can celebrate a dear friend’s wedding. There are times in life when work shouldn’t take precedence and being with loved ones when they’re celebrating a milestone is a true priority. I did spend part of my trip working because I’m a crazy type A personality but at least my “office” wasn’t too shabby 🙂

diamond head october 2015

Here’s Tuesday Truths!

  • As a fundraiser, I’m constantly following up so much so that I have #FollowupFridays in my office to evaluate what contributions haven’t come in yet and who I need to email/call/send a carrier pigeon to see when I’m getting those commitments in the door. As such there are a ton of other activities that require follow up in other industries (a pitch, book manuscript etc) or the day to day activities of being an entrepreneur (getting an invoice paid) so here are a few tips from pros who can help you master the art of the follow-up.
  • I’m always looking for ways to improve productivity! Here are 15 habits that we can all use – not sure about the tidy desk. I live among piles of paper.
  • Living in a “busy” culture, I try to remember to be mindful to myself and to others. The more that I think about breaking old habits, it helps me to re-focus my energy. Here are 3 ways to help set your mind on track.
  • All in an nutshell on how to ask for an informational interview, what to do to prepare for it as well as how it should go and what to do afterwards. Step by step instructions – gotta love it!
  • Since we’re getting into election season, here’s a great read on what female candidates face when they run for office. If you thought that appearance would be one of the key factors then you’re correct and the bias doesn’t really stop there.

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

— Madalene

 

Tuesday Truths 2015 edition v37

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All sort of fun this week with fundraisers and call time as we race towards the September 30th filing. I’m also excited to be speaking on a panel about Women in Politics later in the week. Any tidbits you care to share that I can pass along?

Here’s Tuesday Truths!

On any day of the week there are a bajillion networking events happening in DC. We have networking tips from experts for days but this is an absolute must read. When people ask me about my favorite networking tip, I always advocate for being helpful. I always remember those people I meet who want to help me with my projects and when I’m meeting someone, I see where we have synergy to work on programs int he future.

When reading this article, it really resonated with me because one of the things that people say about my work personality is that I’m nice. Donors mention it to me; clients talk about my style in working in teams; past staff have used it as a model to motivate their donors to action; it’s the same attitude I carried with me when I was a manager of a James Beard winning restaurant. I have such great role models such as the formidable Lindy Boggs, a leader raised in the South who also understood the aura of being a strong woman. My being nice doesn’t mean that I’m a pushover. Actively listening helps me to better understand what motivates the people I’m working with in any situation. Using that information allows me to use all the tools available. This builds a better relationship because trust is established and everyone wants everyone to win.

Having tough conversations is all part of becoming a manager or a member of leadership. Remember when we talked about being nice? Learning to have these conversations can make for a better working environment even in the toughest of situations.

One of the most challenging things about branding is that it’s a lot of internal reflection. I’ve done workshops on it and every time I feel the participants are looking at me thinking that I would have the answers for their brand. If you hire me, then yes I will have answers to your brand, but if I’m talking about the process in which YOU create your brand, then you’re going to have do some serious reflection. I’ve shared step-by-step articles, infographics to better visualize the process and I’m adding this article because ultimately, it’s always about your narrative that creates your brand. I do this all the time with candidates and when they talk with me, I always ask – “what’s your story?” and it’s not a list of the who, what, where, when variety. Know your story and be proud of it!

So now that you have your narrative, you can write an About Me page on your webpage or your LinkedIn. Here are tips that you can use to create a page that reads like it’s about you and not some random person that has your picture on it.

I’m not a fan of New Year’s resolutions because I’m always thinking about improvement throughout the course of the year. I’ve always like to say that my New Year’s resolution is to have more fun! I like to think that we always have room for a fresh start regardless of the time of year. Are you need of one? Here are a few questions you can ask yourself as you prepare to make changes.

As we’re getting into campaign season and for those who are moving into GOTV (YAY to almost E-Day!), we can always use tips for self care and to better manage the chaos that happens on campaigns. Here’s a great checklist for those campaign managers who are starting the cycle and have November 8, 2016 as their target date.

Thanks for reading/sharing & subscribe if you’re inclined!

— Madalene

 

 

Tuesday Truths 2015 edition v35

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It’s the last week of congressional recess and we’re gearing up for the start of the return of the Members from the August break. There’s going to be a rush of fundraising events for the next couple of weeks to get to the end of the September 30th filing deadline. I got a chance to get away and really not respond to emails (!!) which was really an amazing feeling. So now, I’m ready to focus and get going with my to do list. It’s not the end of summer – it’s the beginning of fall!

Today I’m saying a “See you later” to a dear friend who I have known since we were young adults in college. We’ve gone through a myriad of personal and professional ups & downs and she’s following her dream by joining the Peace Corps. As a result, she’s traveling across the world and I won’t get to see her for 28 months!! We’ll Skype and go old school and have written correspondence but without the physical aspect of giving one another a hug when we might need one. Her tenacity to accomplish this goal inspires me to reach for mine (who needs New Year’s resolutions when there are people everyday who are on their own personal journey!). I hope you have someone in your life who can inspire you as much as she does. Which leads me to 13 fantastic women who are coming to my house for dinner tonight. I’m hosting the Women’s Information Network (WIN) Executive Committee and anyone of these ladies is an inspiration. If you haven’t joined WIN yet, don’t miss the opportunity to be a part of a great organization of up and coming leaders. Find your tribe and no matter where they are and what they do, they’ll keep you engaged and reaching for your own goals.

So let’s serve up Tuesday Truths!

  • I’ve always talked about fundraising and the crazy that can go with it. It’s a constant conversation about how fundraising has changed in the 20+ years that I’ve been working in politics and the results of its evolution. With the plethora of presidential candidates, here’s an infographic of how the different types of organizations are supporting the work of their preferred candidate.
  • “Tough times never last but tough people do” – my favorite mantra when I’m feeling the struggle. Here are some other motivational inspirations to get you over the bump in the road.
  • It’s been a while since I did a post on negotiation so get a refresher or learn some new tips. Making a precise offer down to the dollar is one trick. Do you have any techniques that you care to share?
  • Not sure why you’re being passed up for a promotion? Need some ideas of how to improve your chances? Here are the 3 reasons why you’re not getting that new and improved job title. On the opposite side of “how come everyone is being promoted” is how to tune out negativity and be the best version of yourself. We talk about not comparing yourself to others and digging deep and staying committed to what makes you well, you. Looking for glory may not be the best motivation so finding your north star can help you stay true to your goals. Then there’s the happy balance! Don’t be afraid to live your dreams because along with hard work, you can find your definition of success.

Thanks for reading/sharing/subscribing!

-Madalene

Tuesday Truths 2015 edition v32

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Mixing in a mini-break along with work travel is a nice combination in the summer. I get to visit with some of my favorite people while raising money so it’s a win win for everyone. I readily admit that I’m not the best vacation type person. I don’t like to have things hang over my head when I’m supposed to be relaxing and when I check out, I really want to check out! My type of work isn’t life or death so not answering my emails immediately isn’t going to set up catastrophe, but I feel like it might. Occasionally, I need to remind myself that it’s OK to take a day off now and then. It’s good to take the time to re-charge! #noguilt

In the meantime, Tuesday Truths!

  • I thoroughly enjoyed reading Mindy Kaling’s first book and with her new book, there has been a lot of promotion. She recently did an interview with Glamour and it was a valuable lesson in building self confidence. It’s nice to see that we share the same philosophy! I’m looking forward to reading more.
  • Do you need a primer on how to get a job on Capitol Hill? I get lots of those questions and this comprehensive list can really get you focused. Another idea is to look at your own natural constituency. I’ve had people talk with me who are Latina/o or AAPI and I tell them to look at the organizations that help to promote diversity. You want to use every natural advantage!
  • There is scientific proof on the ideal length to vacation. In case you’re wondering, it’s 8 days – do you think that’s long enough or do you need more to re-charge? When I take vacationing seriously, I usually travel a great distance so my real vacation time is about 8 days because the days at the beginning and at the end are my travels days. My longest trip has been about 2 weeks when I went to Australia but I’m more known for my crazy let’s leave on Thursday and get back to DC on Monday when I go to Hawaii.  I don’t recommend it for everyone 🙂
  • If you don’t have time to get to a vacation, you can find ways to make your life a little more idyllic when you try to push out negativity. If you work in a stressful environment, there is only so much you can do to brace yourself so maintaining your mental health is key. Here are ways you can counteract those moments and keep your spirits buoyant!
  • An interesting perspective in working towards your goals is to think about the struggle that you’re willing to endure. It takes a great deal of strength to weather and knowing what pain and sacrifice you’re likely to experience makes you more aware of what it takes to reach those goals. What do you think?
  • Stepping into a role with more responsibility? Get a promotion and not sure how to handle the more challenging aspects? Here’s a checklist not only to think about what deliverables you can produce but also how you can maintain self care and professional development.

Thanks for reading/sharing! If you haven’t yet subscribed, please feel free to sign up!

— Madalene

 

 

Tuesday Truths 2015 edition v29

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This has been an intense weekend of America’ Opportunity Fund (AOF) training (9 hours straight just on Saturday!!) while watching the next generation of leaders drop knowledge of best practices and how to succeed in the fundraising profession. Training/teaching is always fulfilling in seeing how participants connect with the basics of what we’re teaching and creating a more informed corps of professionals. I also had a great time talking with the participants of a brown bag lunch series on fundraising through Democratic GAIN. New faces who stay in the business = a flowing pipeline. To cap it all off, I hosted a Women’s Information Network (WIN) dinner at my home for a program that we have called Linking Leaders. Members get a chance to network with one another while connecting with an Advisory Board member on topics that the Members get to choose. A thrilling few days and I’ve got a lunch fundraiser on deck so let’s get to Tuesday Truths!

  • One of the topics we discussed at last night’s dinner was how to gain more leadership/management skills if you don’t have a lot of opportunity to showcase them in your work environment, perhaps due to the work culture. This led to more discussion about personal branding and how to differentiate yourself from others. From wardrobe selection to work product to finding a mentor, it was a conversation that really broke down the components necessary to be successful in your career (basic career building) and how you can help others in the process. Here are a few things you can do so that you can be taken seriously as a young leader.
  • Working in campaigns, I know that there are way more things on the to do list than staff who can do them all. As a result, we rely on a team of volunteers to help us knock through the tasks. Obviously, the staff tends to work on the bigger strategic items while the volunteers help us with the items that help us in making those strategic decisions. You’ll find that you have a group of dedicated volunteers who have demonstrated consistency and straight up street smarts so delegate to them more responsibility so that you can get even more things done. The same applies to your office team! If you can’t delegate tasks, you’ll find that you’re not working as a efficiently as a team. It doesn’t mean giving up control, it means taking the time to teach your team how it should be done. It’s not going to be 100% the 1st time but the investment will create more dividends in the future. For those who are being managed, see how you can help your supervisors. It’s a matter of trust – the more I trust in myself as a manager and how I teach in addition to the person I know I’m delegating the task, I’m going to give you bigger projects. Mutual trust.
  • This is a bit of a longer read but well worth your time! There are times when you are unconsciously paralyzing your success. Recognize them and ask yourself if you can create an environment where you can overcome these obstacles.
  • I certainly take the personal branding lessons that Iris Apfel teaches seriously – with 93 years of experience, she knows how to create and maintain a brand! You don’t get to be a fashion icon without knowing how you want others to see you.
  • I got a question last night about how to better network and one of those ways is to be an active listener. You really need to be present in the conversations with the people you’re networking with because it provides for a deeper relationship. We take those types of conversations seriously when we’re talking with prospects and donors because the more people remember the short term conversation, the probability of making a connection is stronger and what is networking really about? Creating relationships! Here are ways that you can network more effectively. You’ll find that listening is the author’s first tip!
  • The power of introverts unite! Part of the dinner discussion was also how to introverts better network? As a combination extrovert/heavy introvert, I really do my best where I can prepare and know when I need to exert “more”. So if you’re in a work environment where you’re surrounded with extroverts, here are tips on how you can best navigate work situations to your advantage.

Thanks for reading/sharing/subscribing! Drop me your comments below!

–Madalene

Tuesday Truths 2015 edition v28

It’s Bastille Day and it also would have been my dad’s 86th birthday! Although he passed away when I was a teenager, my dad heavily influenced my life. I have him to thank for my adventurous palate, my healthy sense of wanting to gather friends/family for impromptu occasions (my mom was quick on her feet in pulling dinners together when my dad would bring home a party!), and he gave me a tremendous amount of confidence being an only child growing up in a multicultural family – yay for German and Vietnamese roots! I hope your week is going well and let’s get to reading!

  • Working in the rather unconventional industry of politics, I know a few things about not having supportive friends/family in my career choice (fortunately, all the people who really matter to me have all been very supportive of my decisions). It’s challenging everyday under the best circumstances so don’t let the naysayers influence your attitude or your actions.
  • Ever since I moderated a panel discussing how to work across generations, I’ve been intrigued about the dynamic between the Gen Xer and the Millennial. I work with a lot of Millennials and every year that has passed since I became a manager and have gotten older, I feel like I’m turning into the cranky neighbor, “Get off my lawn!”. There are a lot of discussions about how to attract the Millennial workforce and yet, I wonder how do we educate Millennials about the the already existing infrastructure and how to best adapt. So for those of you who fall in between the 13-34 age range, here’s how you can work with the Gen X demographic (all within the context that speaking for a group is considered widely general).
  • I often tell people that they need to have a communicative relationship with their manager/supervisor (this sounds a lot like the way millennials like to interact). Why? In my experience, my supervisors were able to see things about myself that I never saw. They were able to assess my potential and envision the things I could do as well as behaviors that I needed to strengthen. Although I’m very hands off (my staff may have a differing opinion), I’m always probing to see what my staff thinks they’re missing from their skill set as well as informing them of what I’m thinking they’re missing. This kind of feedback creates a more well rounded visual of your portfolio and it’s one of the steps that you can use to become a better version of yourself.
  • Even I need reminders that it’s never too late! I take a bit of issue on the article because success doesn’t necessarily mean that every thing you do is equated to monetary success but I get that the gist of the article is meant to inspire you. With that as an aside, remember that there are a lot of other attributes that will propel you along when you don’t have connections, training or wealth (one of them being talent!). Age ain’t nothing but a number!

Thanks for reading/sharing!

— Madalene

Tuesday Truths 2015 edition v27

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I hope everyone had a good holiday weekend! I had the great fortune to spend it with 2 very close friends visiting from out of town and it reminded me how spectacular it is to have female friends who support whatever it is I’m doing. The feeling is certainly mutual and to watch the US Women’s National Team win the World Cup together was just the cherry on top.

We’ve started the 3rd Quarter and with a few weeks left before August recess, there are a plethora of events and meetings to get us through Summer! Next weekend, I’ll be conducting a Democratic Finance Directors training in DC for America’s Opportunity Fund – if you care to apply – here’s the link – so if you want to learn the technical skills to fundraise or if you’re interested in running for office, this is a MUST do training.

  • The soccer tourney was great because I got to see a few empowering commercials featuring women who ROCK! I particularly like Under Armour’s hashtag #wewillwhatwewant and I think there’s so much meaning to that mental attitude. There are certain types of people who believe that they’re fixed beings and can’t change but I come from the “make your own luck” society and those who believe in “What You Think, You Become” are members of my tribe.
  • I’m starting to feel like I’m really focused on my female readers today so guys, I hope you hang with me/us because today is really about the sisterhood that makes everything in life less chaotic. I really do believe in exalting the accomplishments of women and here are a few women who will knock your socks off – they’re so cool for just being themselves and wanting to change the world. They’re awesome role models not just for women but for everyone!
  • I’m really digging the Hill Navigator’s column! In this one she’s talking about how you choose between policy or communications. My experience is a little different with communications and fundraising. I’ve had friends/colleagues who made the transition and my words of caution remains the same – fundraising is a dreaded task and if you’re good at it, you’ll always have a job and people will want you to stay in that field so you need to be dedicated to overlooking any finance opportunities because those will be plentiful and you know, you gotta pay those bills so hold out for the communications position that will come later in the cycle.
  • I’ve had a lot of friends who are or were unhappy in their positions and attitude in the workplace is very much related to productivity. If you’re not recognized for your talent, why waste it at a place that thinks you’re replaceable? Although, the caveat for me is that I always think I’m replaceable since I feel that is the nature of the beast of politics but moving on. So putting that aside, this list talks about how the habits one needs to display for getting promoted, but I also see it as a checklist for the environment one needs to actually exhibit these habits! Use it for your own checklist before you take a job because if the work environment allows you to grow, it will allow you to also get promoted!
  • With the summer in full swing, I do a lot of information interviews with interns (those who are still in college), entry level staffers (who may have recently graduated within the last few years) and brown bag lunches with a mix of people. I get that at this point in one’s professional career that there is uncertainty with the kind of career one wants. There are lots of questions of “If I go this route, can I switch over to something?” and as much I don’t view myself as a guidance counselor, I do understand that the decision for a career can be overwhelming. Here are a few ways you can check that uncertainty and make a few decisions on your own.
  • I’ve been in campaign environments where there were yellers – loud, profane infused yelling directed to individual(s) for their mistakes and I wear my time with those yellers as a badge of honor, however I haven’t taken to that method in my own office. Yes, I do yell and do use a lot of profanity but it’s never directed to anyone in my office. I’m usually just yelling into the air about a situation or circumstance and figuring out how I can remedy it. Those who have worked in my office know that I’m at my most dangerous when I’m quiet. My tone and demeanor when giving criticism is one of a level headed person but sometimes it causes tears because the general feeling is that my staff has let me down. I don’t think I place that pressure on them but they feel it because they know that we are a team and when mistakes happen, I take responsibility for them as well because I didn’t train my staff well enough to get the task done correctly. I genuinely respect my staff because I want them to learn and I want to learn from them (although I did have one former staffer give me “The Devil Wears Prada” dvd as a gift one year – were they trying to tell me something?). Offices that don’t have civility can create more stressful work environments and it makes a difference on the staff’s work performance. It really does count to be nice!

Thanks for reading/sharing! Subscribe so that you don’t miss a post! Feel like sharing? Drop me a note in the comments section!

— Madalene

 

 

Tuesday Truths 2015 edition v25

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

Let’s get to it!

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

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

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

— Madalene