The surest route to influencing others is through earning and maintaining their trust. As an aspiring advocate, investing the time necessary to present yourself authentically before decision-makers, can set you apart. Just as importantly, it can protect you from the topsy-turvy nature of hyper-partisanship.
But just how do we do it? Just how do we opt in to authenticity?
Stay in Your Lane
Every industry in our society is built on the principle of specialization. It’s a key pillar in capitalism. I pay for the services of a plumber, a lawyer, or a doctor for the same reason: they have knowledge, skills, and abilities I don’t. The same is true in the world of advocacy. Stick to your specialty – the issues you know and care about most.
You are never expected to be an expert on every issue. Unfortunately, many of us fall into the trap of responding to headlines and controversy – pulling us into debates where we can neither dutifully inform others, nor can we build the critical reserves of trust well need in the future.
Simply put – it’s OK to not have an opinion on every subject. That’s not your goal. Keep the main thing the main thing and you’ll go far. This kind of work takes practice – and a great deal of vigilance. But if you want to stay true to yourself in politics, it’s an important lesson.
Take Your Issues Seriously, But Not Yourself
It’s a little bit funny to see folks take on a certain air when they engage in professional advocacy. Their language changes, their style of dress becomes more conservative, and they aspire to a flawless delivery of their rehearsed talking points.
There’s a great scene in The West Wing that captures this perfectly. In it, President Bartlet is listening to a succession of advocates who each stand to call for an amendment that would ban flag burning. Each advocate seems committed to a sense of one upmanship in the pursuit of grandiloquence. Unfortunately, they’re not reading the room – they’re losing his attention in real time.
We are far more effective as advocates when we accept our flaws. A bit of humor calling out our own foibles will go a long way in growing the critical relationships we’ll need long term. Be professional, be polite, but quit striving for perfection. You’ll never get there and you’ll miss your audience along the way.
Ditch the Sarcasm and Tell Your Story
This last point is aimed at the internet activist crowd.
We expend a great deal of energy in modern politics trying to score cheap points by embarrassing opponents. It’s especially true on social media where character limits push us into language patterns that can fit on bumper stickers. In those environments, our sarcastic tendencies propel us in the pursuit of “owning” others in rapid fire debates.
If you want to spend your free time in that particular brand of malarkey, feel free. But if you want to move the needle on your issues, that style doesn’t work in the real world.
Brevity and openness is rewarded by overworked and underpaid staffers. We should be laser focused on inviting others into our lane of specialization. Your language should be natural and welcoming, not focused on being the most clever in the room and “winning” a debate.
The best way forward on this is to focus on storytelling. You don’t need to try to lay traps to snare your target. Share your story in an open, and honest way and you’ll catch more of their attention.
Remaining authentic in politics and advocacy serves you and your issues. It helps maintain your sanity and focus in a constantly changing field. It also helps your message maintain clarity along the way, making your issues more accessible the longer you’re at it.
It will be hard to shift into these approaches. They run contrary to much of our natural tendencies; avoiding gossip, allowing an imperfect version of ourselves in the room, and prioritizing winning friends instead of debates. But for the would-be advocate, these are principles that will help you gain momentum and build endurance in the field.
Part of the Possible 