Critical M.A.S.S. is the minimum amount of energy it takes to start or maintain a venture. After 30-plus years in politics, we’ve boiled this down to four key areas: Members, Advocates, Staff, and Supporters.
The first and most important is Members. After all the plots, plans, schemes, and strategies, members vote at the end of the day. Forget that. Game over
Number two is Advocates. An excellent professional advocate develops relationships with everyone involved in the process. They’re a lubricant for everything that happens. Leverage their expertise to help you achieve your goals.
Number three is Staff. Think of staff like Gravity: tough to measure, but it’s an unseen force affecting everything. Neglect staff at your peril.
And finally, Supporters. Politics is a team sport, and every member has a network: a team that helps them achieve their goals. You can often leverage the relationships that the member already has with their supporters to articulate your goals. You’re not necessarily the best spokesperson for every issue that it might take to get a member to vote on your side. Find somebody already in their support network who can articulate your case, and you’ll have much more success.
That’s the mental framework that we use. Members, Advocates, Staff, and Supporters. There are others, but that’s what we use. Hope it helps you. And if you’d ever like to talk through any of your political issues, think about whether politics might solve the challenge you face.
Let us know.
We’d love to talk about these things with you.
