We should stop calling it a vacation

This is NOT a “woe is them” post to earn your pity for elected officials. When they step into the public arena, legislators assume a certain level of public exposure. But I have a question for would-be advocates and their managers: when you’re telling your volunteers about the congressional calendar, and “a day in theContinue reading “We should stop calling it a vacation”

Be bold. Be brief. Be gone.

“Be bold. Be brief. Be gone.” It’s a phrase I first heard as a young lieutenant. Like many graduates of liberal arts colleges, I’d mastered the art of adding more than enough fluff to any presentation to fill my allotted time. But what my classroom instruction failed to convey was the lack of patience theContinue reading “Be bold. Be brief. Be gone.”

Moments of Leadership – the one where you just keep going

Going slow isn’t a failure, giving up is.

It can only go so badly…

It’s important, from time to time, for advocates to be reminded that their lobbying meetings can only go so badly. The reality of our work is that the worst response we can typically get is “no.” But sometimes that’s not the low water mark of a meeting. Over the last couple of weeks I’ve workedContinue reading “It can only go so badly…”

Prime time with POTUS

Are you planning on watching President Biden’s prime time address tonight? If not, why? Just a few years ago, asking that first question would prompt predictable responses. Viewership of those defining public moments was reliably high. But has it changed? I’d offer an observation to the administration about tonight’s address. Media has changed drastically –Continue reading “Prime time with POTUS”

Quit Apologizing for Living

I know the Thursday posts on this blog are typically devoted to advocacy. But I was caught in my tracks yesterday by a conversation with my spouse, and frankly it’s stuck in my craw. So this is a bit of a rant. In short, we were chatting about the challenges that working parents face withContinue reading “Quit Apologizing for Living”