Yesterday I spent the better part of five hours watching real Americans do something incredibly uncomfortable: testifying in public before a Congressional committee. This wasn’t one of those highly visible, controversial hearings where partisan hackery dominates the agenda. No, this was a hearing for a subcommittee focused on agricultural issues and they were debating theContinue reading “Don’t Confuse Your Social Media Post with Effective Advocacy”
Tag Archives: Congress
What Do I Do When I…only have one minute to make my case?
The real win in a moment like this – when you have a minute or less to talk about your issue – isn’t getting the listener to ‘yes.’ Success is getting them to say ‘I want to know more.’
What do I do when a federal agency isn’t helping me?
We are not subjects of our government. We own the responsibility of holding them accountable.
One Size Fits One; and How Schoolhouse Rock! Lied To You
A big challenge for me as I train prospective advocates is nailing down just what barriers stand in their way and keep them from taking action on the causes that are most important to them. These barriers are incredibly important for us to understand because there is no substitute for the effectiveness of a realContinue reading “One Size Fits One; and How Schoolhouse Rock! Lied To You”
Can you plan too much as an advocate?
I had to do it again this week. I had to share with folks just why I can’t stand talking points. It’s personal. At this point it’s almost as if I’m on a vendetta against bullet pointed communication in general. And before you tell me, yes, I know and recognize that this is a strangeContinue reading “Can you plan too much as an advocate?”
“What do I do when…?”
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…?””
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”
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.
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.
Part of the Possible 