Five Distinctive Attributes
Have you ever wanted to run for office?
Running for office sounds appealing to many people, but does everyone have what it takes to do it successfully? On that note, does that individual have what it takes to be an elected official? Running for a position is the easiest step; however, staying in is the real challenge.
What does it take to run for office?
Do you have to be wealthy? Captivating? Intelligent? An outstanding public speaker? A variety of attributes make up an excellent candidate; however, if there is a need for more supply, lacking the characteristics from the following list is a non-starter for the candidate to thrive and remain in office.
1. Egocentric
It takes a healthy dose of self-confidence to run for office. However, High-levels of self-doubt drain the candidate of positive self-esteem. Furthermore, it makes it a burdensome process for the candidate's inner circle.
It takes a spoon full of self-assurance to stomach the shade launched the candidate's way and power through the hard days; believe me, there will be hard days. Those who run for office must live with the way they go in, and It is customary for emotions to run high during a campaign. However, it is the responsibility of the candidate to continue to inspire the team and, most importantly, the voters. If the candidate cannot self-inspire, is it a realistic goal for that individual to be capable of wooing the masses? And I am not negatively referring to the ego. There is a distinct difference between ego and conceit. No matter how bright you are, how many excellent suggestions you have, or how many people will benefit from you running for office, there is something that will be certain. Someone is going to be upset with you. It's part of the occupation.
Elected officials are the constant mark of complaint and repeatedly beat up by journalists (bloggers), opponents—and even supporters. Unfortunately, the ego is the only way to endure it. Fighting back with antagonizers will only hurt the campaign. No matter who the individual is.
2. Trailblazer:
For elected officials, the campaign trail is the easiest part of the process. Those who begin the quest might miss the finish line. They might get voted out in the primaries or lose support on the way to early voting. But they will sacrifice everything for the voyage. And in the end, it's still the wild wild west. The homestretch is just the start. Campaigning is physically grueling work. Just because candidates are in suits and ties( well, should be), it is essential not to forget they are a sportsman. They make due on little to no sleep, have back-to-back events, speak to hundreds if not thousands daily, and travel up and down the city, district, county, or state every few weeks. The contestant must be willing to forfeit temporary opportunities from time off, family time, and vacations until they hit their goals.
3. Level-headed
One of my favorite song lyrics is from Ben Folds.
"It seems to me if you can't trust
You can't be trusted."
Granted, this is a hard flaw to crack, and you need to be in the inner circle to be able to take notice. On that note, if you witness your candidate constantly suspicious of others and, most importantly, their team, then my advice is that you run like hell. If this person does not turn on you on the campaign trail, rest assured that they will turn on you once they get in. But for this theory to be accurate, you must ask yourself a legitimate question. Is this how the individual feels, or is this person's inner circle gaslighting them? Because I have seen this happen in both cases. I have witnessed extraordinary leaders allow those around them to hijack their emotions, and I have also noticed the candidates be the toxic ringleader in their campaigns. So it would be best if you answered this question truthfully. Because if someone is a victim, it doesn't help the situation if you tag them in the wrong category.
4. Influencer
Social Media is the trendy platform of choice; office seekers must play up this outlet, not just stomach it. Think back to how many awkward live feeds you have sat through, was it an enjoyable process, or was it cringeworthy? The last thing a politician wants to do is to make their audience uncomfortable. Therefore, it would be best to find a way to enjoy this part of the job, or it will hurt your brand. This is especially important for those elected officials that have to be away from their constituents during sessions. In addition, the candidate will be expected to inform your voters of up-to-date reports; isolating yourself in the capital is the quickest way to lose your support.
5. Coachable
Last but certainly not least is coachable. Why? Because it is the most crucial component that makes all the others work. We have witnessed incredibly charismatic and appealing candidates, but voters sniffed out the lack of humility. They couldn't last—the foundation for paving a successful elected official. The entire campaign falls apart if you still need to include this attribute. I don't believe coachable is not having an opinion, but it does mean that considering that you may not know it all. It means learning to be open-minded and stepping out of your comfort zone from time to time. My favorite candidates are the ones who seek out a variety of approaches.
The biggest mistake I have seen is for candidates to try to save face by presenting themselves to know it all. There are two things I want to address here. One, perfection is Boring!!! And as a candidate, the last thing you want to be is boring. Second, making mistakes is part of being a leader. Suppose you are not failing occasionally, then you are not in the game. In addition, when someone fails, they show a vulnerable side; their human side, vulnerability, is attractive. Now look, I'm not saying to show up on the first day on the job and purposely strike out. The idea here is to stay coachable so that when you screw up, people are more likely to forgive you because they know that your heart is in the right place. Why? Because you always took the time to listen and consider the individual's position. And here is another secret I want to share, when you think about their approach and run with it, guess what? Now that person is emotionally invested in your results. So when their recommendation doesn't work out the way they had planned, they will feel responsible, so in the future, if you do decide to go with your gut, they will be the supporters that defend you on social media or with other voters. If I decided to run for office, it would be my mission to have my supporters emotionally invested. Because, after all, we are better in Teams.
