Post by Punk Daddy on Dec 20, 2010 8:03:34 GMT -5
The very first rule in effective campaigning is timing. Timing is critical in politics. Let’s say you are in region X and there is an election for Secretary of Defense. Now, you have been the Deputy for the last several months and are looking to take the next step up. In the meantime, the delegate of your region is well beloved and most people feel he/she has done a great job. It just so happens that the end of the delegate term coincides with the election for the Defense Secretary. The delegate decides to make a last minute entry into the race and you lose in a landslide.
In this situation, you merely had bad timing. You may or may not have been more qualified, had better ideas, or overall be a better candidate. Instead you just ran up against, what I like to call, forces beyond your control and those forces were against you. So before you enter any race, take stock of some of these factors and see if they are to your benefit or will make it more difficult for you to win.
If you are not concerned about timing you may become frustrated or pleasantly surprised when things go badly/go your way. In either case, you will not be an effective campaigner but a victim/recipient of circumstance. This course is intended to help you take control of your political campaigns and give you a leg up on your opponents.
Knowing your strengths is critical
In addition to timing, you need to have a good sense of what voters think of you and an even better sense of what they think of your opponent. Let’s start with you. If you’re not able to objectively look at your strengths and weaknesses, you will be somewhat less effective. I say somewhat because history is littered with arrogant men who were highly successful and could care less about their weaknesses. Knowing your weaknesses is great, but knowing your strengths is critical. That probably sounds different from what you’ve heard in the past but in a campaign, you’ll be focusing on your strengths and trying to downplay or downright ignore your weaknesses. Let your opponents focus on that while you focus on your strengths. Still, if you’re able to leverage your weaknesses somehow that will appeal to voters. It will also give your opponents one less issue to hold against you.
But, if you are to become a truly effective campaigner you must be able to articulate your strengths again and again and again. Your strengths should reveal the difference between you and your opponent or in cases where your opponent possesses similar strengths, you must demonstrate that you’re stronger where you opponent is also strong.
ASSIGNMENT
Please describe your greatest strengths and weaknesses in a few sentences or less. Then take what you believe is your greatest strength and describe to potential voters how this strength makes you the most qualified for position x (doesn’t matter what the position is.)
Please PM your answers to the professor. Due Date: Dec. 27, 2010
In this situation, you merely had bad timing. You may or may not have been more qualified, had better ideas, or overall be a better candidate. Instead you just ran up against, what I like to call, forces beyond your control and those forces were against you. So before you enter any race, take stock of some of these factors and see if they are to your benefit or will make it more difficult for you to win.
If you are not concerned about timing you may become frustrated or pleasantly surprised when things go badly/go your way. In either case, you will not be an effective campaigner but a victim/recipient of circumstance. This course is intended to help you take control of your political campaigns and give you a leg up on your opponents.
Knowing your strengths is critical
In addition to timing, you need to have a good sense of what voters think of you and an even better sense of what they think of your opponent. Let’s start with you. If you’re not able to objectively look at your strengths and weaknesses, you will be somewhat less effective. I say somewhat because history is littered with arrogant men who were highly successful and could care less about their weaknesses. Knowing your weaknesses is great, but knowing your strengths is critical. That probably sounds different from what you’ve heard in the past but in a campaign, you’ll be focusing on your strengths and trying to downplay or downright ignore your weaknesses. Let your opponents focus on that while you focus on your strengths. Still, if you’re able to leverage your weaknesses somehow that will appeal to voters. It will also give your opponents one less issue to hold against you.
But, if you are to become a truly effective campaigner you must be able to articulate your strengths again and again and again. Your strengths should reveal the difference between you and your opponent or in cases where your opponent possesses similar strengths, you must demonstrate that you’re stronger where you opponent is also strong.
ASSIGNMENT
Please describe your greatest strengths and weaknesses in a few sentences or less. Then take what you believe is your greatest strength and describe to potential voters how this strength makes you the most qualified for position x (doesn’t matter what the position is.)
Please PM your answers to the professor. Due Date: Dec. 27, 2010