also keep us from moving up the chain of command. Don’t let fear of being disagreed with (or being wrong) keep you from speaking up. In my mid-20‘s I had to wrestle up the courage to tell a committee that an al- ready-printed document contained a line I thought was a strategic problem for us. The document was reprinted and I ended up getting hired by people who had a hand in the original copy. Several of them, in fact. Conquer- ing my fear paid off.
Ask the pros for assignments and listen to their feedback. Successful people are often too busy to ask for help. But they are often open to someone volun-
teering an extra hand. It helps if you’re specific. Ask them if they have a problem you can help solve. Or come to them with an idea of something you think needs fixing. When you’re done, ask them what they think you could do better as well as what you’ve done well. Ask yourself the same question. If you want to grow into a better strategist and into more important positions, you have to really mean it when you say you want to learn.
Get outta town. For a lot of women, particularly those with fam- ily responsibilities, it’s tough to travel. But work- ing on various campaigns in various jurisdictions
is how we build expertise and credibility. Wherever and whenever possible put yourself forward for out-of-town opportunities – and not just in the traditional campaign roles to which women are often assigned.
Cultivate your own candidates – including women. It’s no coincidence that a lack of women in the backrooms is paralleled by a real lack of women
in leadership roles in Canada. (Our record is abysmal in comparison to other countries. Look, for example, at how many women ran for and won governorships in the recent US elections.) One of the best ways to change the backrooms is to change who’s on stage. Look for women candidates to support, work for, and develop as potential leaders.
No job opportunities? Maybe you get a few minutes of their time. Not everyone who’s willing to help you learn is able to give you an opportunity to work
directly with them. If it’s not too much extra work, many experienced campaigners are willing to offer their advice, even to someone that’s on the outside. But don’t be a pest and take up too much of their time. Your job? Extract what works for you from their advice. What can you use to help you succeed? Realize their pearls of wisdom might not all be as valuable to you.
Look for opportunities to see how decisions are made. Seeing and hearing how experts think through a problem to find a solution is far more enlightening than just being told what the final decision is. If you’re not yet at the decision-making table, and if you have a chance to work directly with senior strategists or communicators, ask for the opportunity to sit in on their discussions oc- casionally and see how decisions are made. But don’t abuse the privilege. Giving you an opportunity to learn isn’t the purpose of our meetings! It helps exercise your judge- ment muscles - even if you’re not an active part of the deciding. Just make sure you’ve crossed everything else off your to-do list. Because...
People are counting on you, make sure you deliver. Don’t be so intent on impressing those who can help your career that you’re not respectful of your
equals or people you’re supervising. For one thing, they could be your boss or client one day. But others are watch- ing your working style, too. Your habits should show re- spect for the whole team, not just superiors: return calls and emails, follow through on what you said you’d do (or explain why you haven’t), deal with disagreements directly, share responsibility for failures and successes. We all want people on the team we know we can count on. When you demonstrate these skills every day - no matter how small the job - people will hire you.
As you move up, turn mentors into networks. Finding a mentor is a great way to learn and grow as a political campaigner. But can you
eventually grow out of your need for a mentor and confidant? Yes and no. A circle of people you can trust and rely on is critical to keeping grounded, confident and plugged in. Bouncing ideas around with others can help you develop your opinions and hone your argu- ments. But at the same time, it takes maturity to hold your own and not always look for advice from oth- ers. So build a strong network around you, and don’t be afraid to have your own opinion.
Marie Della Mattia is President/CEO of NOW Communica- tions Group Inc. Her first job in a campaign was silkscreening lawn signs in 1972. By 1990, she was a local campaign man- ager. These days she sticks to advertising and communications for progressive causes. She can be reached at marie@nowgroup. com .
www.nowgroup.com
December 2010 | Campaigns & Elections 45
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