One of my absolute favorite things to do professionally is training aspiring advocates. For me, there is no replacement for stretching the relationship building muscles and helping folks understand just how natural it can be to stand up for their cause. The trainings I do almost always center on the importance of practical application becauseContinue reading ““What do I do when…?””
Tag Archives: advocates
3 Ways to Put the US House Speaker Contest in Context
Our task as advocates is to not get caught up in the drama and the theatrics. Those are beyond our control. What we can control…
What to Say When You Don’t Know the Answer
This week I got to do what I love most in my work – train aspiring advocates. And this time, that training session was focused on an exceptionally bright, and engaged group of college students. What they lacked in direct experience with political issues, they were eager to make up for in vim and vigor.Continue reading “What to Say When You Don’t Know the Answer”
The Do’s and Dont’s to Survive Political Division and Help Your Cause Succeed
As I’ve chatted with advocates and volunteers since the most recent US election, one thing is clear: no one really knows what to expect in 2023. Many Americans are looking around and scratching their heads. Even those who were pleasantly surprised by the outcome are coming to the realization that we dialed up two moreContinue reading “The Do’s and Dont’s to Survive Political Division and Help Your Cause Succeed”
Stories from Congress: the one where a guy handed me a spine
Yes. He handed me a spine. I’ll say that again. Yes. A spinal cord. A protester once handed me a spinal cord. There I was, offering a friendly smile, and the guy hands me a model spinal cord – thinking he was about to embarrass me into agreeing with him on an issue. You haveContinue reading “Stories from Congress: the one where a guy handed me a spine”
A Beginner’s Guide to Building Credibility: Stop Using This One Word if You Want to Win Champions to your Cause
Effective advocates hunt for opportunities to build their credibility.
Need a boost for your sense of optimism? Start here
“I want to know how you can be so optimistic.” I don’t know why, but this has become a common thread in my conversations lately. As I’ve been briefing advocates on the current political landscape, and helping friends make sense of the recent election, a thought like this almost always creeps into the conversation. UntilContinue reading “Need a boost for your sense of optimism? Start here”
How Do We Hold Politicians Accountable?
There are no short cuts, no easy buttons, and no magic formulas to get the job done. All our field promises is an infinite game of changing players that offer new challenges each and every day.
Making Sense of, And Moving On From, the 2022 Midterm Elections
By a bit of good luck, I’ve been reading Originals by Adam Grant in the last few days. As a book about original thinking, personal development and change-making, it might not immediately strike you as a relevant read at election time. But here I am, finding myself gleaning important reminders at a time when soContinue reading “Making Sense of, And Moving On From, the 2022 Midterm Elections”
Keeping Your Head on Election Day
But Election Day isn’t a finish line – it’s a starting block. It’s the anticipation of the starting gun for a foot race. It’s getting into position to act. Successful advocates distinguish themselves by realizing that, and visualizing how they’ll react when the starting gun fires.
Part of the Possible 