"Politicians are the same all over. They promise to build a bridge where there is no river." -- Nikita Khrushchev
In 1977, I took a leave from business school and returned home to Florida to run for the U.S. Congress. I was at a time in life when I read the Washington Post and New York Times front to back each day, and finally said, "Enough talk and reading. It's time for campaigning and changing."
It didn't take me long to learn that politics was not my calling. The party held positions, and if you believed differently, you were in trouble. Computer printouts dictated each speech: Different audiences meant accentuating different issues and even taking new stands on certain issues.
I returned to graduate school early the next year. My political experiences taught me one thing: You better know who you are and why you are running for office -- your story -- or you will become another no-name politician shaped by advisors, lobbyists, and the all-mighty vote. A 13-year-old girl I know captured the dilemma perfectly when she commented on entering teen adolescence: "You sometimes wonder if you are six people."
"Standing in the middle of the road is very dangerous; you get knocked down by the traffic from both sides." -- Margaret Thatcher
As our presidential election nears, listen closely for the candidates' story -- their vision of America, the world -- and the authenticity needed to make that vision a reality. What are they not willing to do for a vote? Who are they not?
I ask these questions because they are critical to your personal branding as well. If you do not know why you are here, then why should anyone follow you? If you do not communicate what you are not willing to do, then why should I believe what you say you will do?
The difference between selling and marketing is this: Marketing is knowing when to walk away from a sale. As Roddick demonstrated, some people won't like your brand of politics. The key is to surround yourself with enough supporters. And the only way to do that is to be clear about why you are in the marketplace and how you will play the game.
What are you willing to walk away from to keep your authenticity, to have your brand resonate with your story?
As this year's presidential race nears its finish, will you know what George W. Bush or Al Gore stand for, what bigger causes compel them? Will you know whether you stand for the same things? Politics is a risky business. No one wants to upset an important constituency. But just remember: If you don't decide and make it clear -- by telling your story, your compelling vision, and following it -- others will decide for you.
"We are governed not by armies and police, but by ideas." -- Mona Caird
Copyright © 2000 Dr. Mark S. Albion. All rights reserved.
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