Seven Leadership Lessons to Learn Before the Election

The Conventions are over. The election of a new President is less than two months away. This post isn’t about politics or who you should vote for. This post is for you as a leader. For while you will likely never have your every move reported on TV, never have your tax returns a matter of public record, and never seek an office like the Presidency, there are lessons we can all learn from the process as we watch from afar. So whether you lean left or right, whether you consider yourself a political junkie or nearly apathetic, I want to give you reasons to watch the candidates, the rhetoric and the commentary over the next two months. Watch and learn. Here are seven lessons I am sure you will learn if you watch. Communication style matters. The candidates, their running mates, their spouses and their spokespeople all have different communication styles. If you watch you will see how the same messages can be effectively communicated with different styles. You will also see the candidates themselves adjust their styles based on the audience, the situation and the context. As leaders we must think about our communication strengths and our style and how both impact the reception and understanding of our messages – and we must be willing to adjust to help our message succeed. Likeability matters (more than you might think). Of course we all vote based on the approaches and plans of the candidates, right? We weigh their approaches and decide who to vote for based on our agreement with the direction and philosophy they have laid out, right? Not so much. We want to be led by people we know we like and trust: this is why the candidates’ spouses spoke at their conventions, to help us know (and like) their husbands. History says the person who wins the Presidency is the person more people liked. You will be a more effective leader when you are likable. Your direction matters; but so does who you are and how others perceive you. Having the right team makes a difference. No leader can do it alone, and both candidates have a big team supporting them. During the next two months some members of those teams will make decisions, take actions or say things that will be critical to election, or a loss. Do you have a complete and effective team? Are you using them most effectively? Strategy yes, communication first. Yes both candidates have a vision, a philosophy and particular strategies in mind. And none of it matters if they can’t communicate it. The best strategy in the world won’t make any difference if you can’t communicate it effectively. Build your strategy and then spend as much time on your communication plan. Perhaps the biggest lessons you can learn over the next two months are lessons in communication. Plans yes, flexibility first. While there are many events on both candidates’ calendars over the next 60 days, much of it will change, based on the current needs. They will use current events, polling data and more to alter their plans and make adjustments. What data do you use to signal the need to adjust? Are you willing (and able) to adjust your plans and be flexible when the situation dictates it? Practice is powerful. Over at least two days of the Democratic convention, Governor Romney spent much time preparing for the upcoming debates. And that preparation wasn’t just reading it was actually practicing the debate process. A colleague played the role of the President. Someone asked questions. I’m sure it was timed, and I’d be surprised if there weren’t cameras. All of it done to simulate real life and learn from the practice. How much real, true practice do you do for your most important activities? How would more practice improve your results? The best have coaches. The candidates are good speakers, and they have coaches. The candidates have ideas about various areas of policy, and they have coaches. You can bet they have coaches for their debate prep, how they dress, how they come across on television and more. They may be good, but they want to be the best. The areas you might want a coach in might be different, but don’t lose the message. Top performers and high achievers in any area have coaches. Do you? I don’t have a crystal ball and I don’t know exactly what is going to happen, who is going to win and what will be the critical reasons why. And I don’t know all of the lessons we will be able to glean, but I know there will be more if you watch. I’ll be watching, will you?