 Too often marketplace leaders champion what needs to be done, or emphasize that something must be done but does not explain how to do what needs to be done.
This is the hour that we need to help people understand
So as leaders (anyone who has the heart to inform others is a leader) must ask how can we help people know the answers to their questions?
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 NOTE: Do you live in Michigan? If you do, here are some important dates below. If you don't, use them as a sort of example to explore in your state! These dates matter! Welcome to a HUGE year in Politics in Michigan! Here are some dates you should know. April 1, 2024 - Deadline for County Parties to submit counts for Precinct Delegates
April 16, 2024 - General Election for Special Election (2 state house seats) in Michigan April 23, 2024, 4:00 PM - Filing Deadline to run for office May 7, 2024 - Deadline to file for Precinct Delegate May 7, 2024 - Election May 12 - 18, 2024 - Police Week End of June - Absentee ballots released for August election (aka people will start voting) July 15-18, 2024 - Republican Convention, Milwaukee Wisconsin August 6, 2024 - Primary Election August 2024 - State Convention August 19-22, 2024 - Democrat Convention, Chicago End of September - Absentee ballots released for November election (aka people will start voting) November 5, 2024 - General Election We have to know what we are doing wrong if we ever want to see right results. Conservatives lose when:
 Many of our current elected leaders are doing good things, taking a stand, and getting creative. However, if those on the outside don’t hear it, see it, or read it, they won’t know it. Communication happens whether we want it to or not. WHY IT MATTERS Communication is not something you can assume someone else is doing. Well, not if you want to be a good leader, to bring change and to hold a team together. When conservatives and Republicans don’t communicate, someone or something else fills the void. Either, the Progressives (the opposition) or those who only have part truths (the conspiracy news sources for example) will flood the space with their message and their agenda. This perplexes me because as Conservatives we are the ones who advocate for solutions, hope, health, and independence. Is it that Conservatives don’t know how to message their topics? Or they are afraid of doing the work? The longer the communication void exists, the greater the silence, the more the distrust and agitation grows on the part of the concerned base. So what’s a solution? Communicate. HOW TO DO IT There are 6 easy steps to start making it a priority:
You have to be:
WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT Is communicating inconvenient? Sure. Anything excellent is not easy. But is it worth it? Well, ask yourself if you enjoy tension and misery from your voting block, your target market, and how excited they will be when it comes to re-election?
Newsflash: never treat the voting block as “all the same.” There are soem incredible people out living life who are hungry to be part of what you are doing and to hear how they can help. Yes, communications is worth the trouble. It’s something Republicans and conservatives can no longer compromise. We must make communications a priority.
EXTRA RESOURCES
 If we want to save America (and we do) and we want the conservative cause to win (and we should), we have to have a professional plan for victory which includes a marketing and communication approach.
Is your local party ready?  It’s amusing to me how the progressives whine and complain about some particular element of society until they change it. Then they experience (even unconsciously) the impact of the absence of said thing. And they stumble around pondering “hmmm what could go wrong? Why is there a problem?” I want to scream at them, “you eliminated the very thing that helped hold things together! Of course things are going badly!”
WELL IT STOPS WITH US. It’s time we stand for truth, demonstrate the benefit of truth, and smile with joy as we explain the truth. And for one, I am excited to rally a nation to say “can we start to celebrate men again?!” Following is a poem I completed in 2016. May it encourage the men and inspire the women to see how much their role matters. How do we win as conservatives? We stop allowing lies to perpetuate and with that comes the celebration of women and men and the immense need of their unique gifts so we can know a healthy society.  Politics has a reputation for being transactional. Candidates, political parties, and campaigns will do aggressive outreach leading up to an election. But when the election is over, win or lose, as soon as the clock ticks past the deadline, it’s a whomping silence.
Where did everyone go? No matter if candidates (or causes) win or lose, there is a psychological threshold that immediately goes into position. To the leaders driving the outreach and momentum, the customer, also known as a voter or constituent, goes back on the shelf. They unconsciously set everyone they have collected, touched, or built relationships with over the past few months aside and will pull them off the shelf again “when we need them next.” I’ve been in the arena for 20 years so I can speak from experience: this is a trend among the political universe and for a profession that is all about people, it stinks. So, I propose we change it but first we need to better understand it.  I’d love to walk into a kitchen, demand a gourmet cake exactly as I envision it and have the chef present it to me within 10 seconds or less. But wishes - like this - are not reality. It is physically impossible but even more-so it belittles the craft, demeans the quality and mocks the artisian’s end product. A one of a kind cake takes time and process.
Or good luck demanding a 5 star tree fort in a snap from a loving father. He loves the child too much to slap something together in a hurry and then say, “go ahead! It’s safe! Have fun!” A strong, reliable, quality fort takes research, calculations, construction, assessment, refining, and patience. To demand anything less speaks more of the requester than it does the item: they are beholden to whims and emotions and not interested in quality or security. They don’t yet understand or value the process that goes into making something of worth and stability. As conservatives, we rejoice in the growing presence of engaged citizens in the civic arena. But many are missing the greatest anchor: the process.  During World War II a realization was made by military leaders: our soldiers don’t know why they are fighting. Philosopher and author Russell Kirk, based in Michigan, was commissioned to write a book: The American Cause.
I believe its origin reminds us of our own responsibility in this hour if we are going to keep the American dream alive and its paradigm for freedom. BACKGROUND Russell Kirk is a founding member of the traditional conservative movement. He was dreaming up another book when he was commissioned to write the American Cause by friend Henry Regenery in 1956.  Conservatives believe in the individual.
Frankly, it would seem that all Americans would agree with this sentiment: an individual has value and that individual American should have the rights and freedoms to do as they see best. So wouldn’t it mean that all Americans should be conservatives?  The “esteemed” Forbes magazine published this article, 7 Reasons Why Millennial Men Are Reinventing Masculinity. It details how masculinity is being recreated, redefined, and reinvented. The idea of men reinventing themselves from warriors to billboards of woke ideology makes me want to weep.
Instead, America needs bold voices to clarify men who embrace virtuous masculinity play an important role in our lives.  (Part 1 - Read here; continue below)
ADDRESSING ESTABLISHMENT One of the other well emphasized categories is “The Establishment.” To a newcomer listening into the conversation of a grassroots criticizing The Establishment they would think it was comparable to the Nazi Regime. Instead it simply means - to many grassroots - those who have been in the political arena for longer than 4:59 minutes and who do not do things according to the grassroots’ wishes. This one is a tricky topic: So much of what is seen and heard out in the marketplace is either false (of what goes on in the inside), mis-understood, not understood with the process, or taken out of context. We hear lots of demonization of “Establishment”. To you and me it grows wearisome and very very old. However, we are leaders, so I suggest we rise above it and change the conversation: New years bring moments of refreshing, recalibrating, and refocusing. As you work to be a better communicator and to leave a greater mark on your community consider the following when it comes to your online persona:  UPDATE PROFILES:
Review all social media profiles, bios, and account settings. Do you have new titles that need updating? Old contact information that needs removed? New accomplishments you should list? CLEAN HOUSE ON SOCIAL MEDIA: It is always good to keep an eye on photos you are being tagged in online. Scroll through posts from the last few months: are there any that are outdated, in need of removing, no longer operating properly?  We forget the influence we have as citizens, taxpayers, parents, and business owners among our elected officials. For too long citizens have abdicated their role as “civic participant” and have lost the understanding of how our system of government works. It is beneficial to our wellbeing to remember: we are a nation of the people, by the people, for the people. And those who sit in local elected offices are there to represent us. So the question should be poised to all Michigan citizens: do your local leaders know where you stand on Law Enforcement?
In Michigan, there are 83 counties and collectively house over 600 County Commissioners. Each County has a board of elected leaders who make decisions on how things should be run in their individual counties. Their votes and decisions influence policies in the Health Departments, how money will be spent on parks and recreations, and to me one of the most important: they determine how well our Law Enforcement are cared for and loved.  There is pain in the arena of civic engagement. It is not all sunshine, lollypops, ease, and convenience. It hurts. It is slow. It gets personal. And at times there are setbacks.
For those who have been involved in the civic process of America for longer than 10 years, you know that there are ebbs and flows but that the high waves will calm down and the calm moments will get high again. You have to pace yourself, and keep your eye on the bigger picture. We are needed now more than ever. We cannot stay away because of the discomfort. We must admit sometimes the pain is worth it if it gets us to a better place. NEW YEAR NEW YOU So as you start this new year, committed to being involved, what are the top 2 things you can do to make a difference?
That’s it. |
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