“There are two types of people – those who com into a room and say, ‘Well here I am,’ and those who come in and say, ‘Ah, there you are.'”

– Frederick Collins

I love politics! No, not the skirmishing, nor the name-calling and not the ideology. Rather, I enjoy observing and analyzing political strategy and how politicians communicate with the electorate. There are many opportunities to learn from political successes and failures and to apply them to our own business. A case in point – the collapse of Rudolph Giuliani’s campaign for the presidency.

“America’s Mayor” – Mr. Giuliani is the type of person who walks into the room and announce, “Here I am!” His campaign relied heavily on the cult of personality. This might have worked if Mr. Giuliani were selling a new book – enough people would have come out for the entertainment factor and the chance to get close to a celebrity – they might have even bought a book!

But asking people to vote for you is a very different matter. Voters are more concerned about what you will do – for them – in the future. They do not care as much for what you did in the past – your accomplishments and your years of service enabled you to get into the race. When you are asking for their vote, they want to know your plans for the future and how they fit into your plans. They also want a candidate who walks into the room and says “Ah, there you are!” Continue reading “Learning From Political Misteps” »