Life’s a Campaign: What Politics Has Taught Me about Friendship, Rivalry, Reputation, and Success by Chris Matthews was one book I expected to be trashing on this blog. At first glance, I found the idea of applying political campaign strategies to your life a tad bit Machiavellian, and figured it was meant to spawn another generation of Richard Hatch-like “survivors� (minus the naked dance).
So why read it? Because politics and business are interconnected. The most successful entrepreneurs have benefitted from political alliances, so perhaps there was something to be learned here. Moreover, it’s hard to avoid politics in any work environment. This was best described in one of my favorite quotes from Penelope Trunk’s Brazen Careerist:The New Rules for Success.
Here is a message for people who say they can’t stomach office politics: you will die a slow, painful career death. That’s because there’s no getting around office politics, and mastering it is essential to being able to steer your own career because the out-of-office corollary to office politics is networking.
Despite my original misgivings, I really enjoyed Life’s a Campaign. Perhaps because it’s similar to my last political pick, JFK on Leadership, which took lessons from a presidential campaign and applied them to business. This book, expands on that theme by having lots of lessons from lots of political figures with a little bit of Chris Matthews’ background thrown in. (By the end of the book, I have to admit I was starting to really like the guy. His life’s anecdotes were often as interesting, or more interesting, than the Presidential examples.)
Here are a few of the highlights that all entrepreneurs could use:
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From Bill Clinton – “He survived because he learned early how to take a punch.� He didn’t let what people said define him. He had an innate ability to accept that people will both like and dislike him. Clinton embodied the idea that not everyone was going to like him, and he didn’t waste efforts on those who would never like him.
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From Tip O’Neill – People don’t mind being used, they mind being discarded. Matthews’ inclusion of a favorite poem of Tip’s was schmaltzy but it worked.
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From Joe Biden – Keep good company. Early on, Biden successfully used his associations with some high ranking politicians to convince people that he belonged there.
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From Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama – People want to hear upbeat information and messages of hope.
The Bottom Line: As I read the book, I was focused on how these lessons would be applied to business or local politics where competition comes with the territory. It’s up to the reader to decide if they should apply these to their non-work life. But I’d like to think one would focus more on fun and enjoying the ride and tone down the campaigning when not focused on business.
*****
Bonus books: Want to have some fun with politics? Here are a few White House stories (notably with a chick lit twist), I’ve read over the past year. While novels, they do offer insights into the political process, so you can actually learn a few things.
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The Washingtonienne by Jessica Cutler. Based on the blog that rocked Washington, the concept and the story (and subsequent lawsuits) may be more interesting than the book itself.
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Sammy’s Hill by Kristin Gore. Liked this first effort at political chick lit.
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Boomsday by Christopher Buckley. I LOVED this book, which at times was laugh out loud funny.
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Sammy’s House by Kristin Gore. Just started, not digging it so much, but maybe because Boomsday just blew it away.
2 Responses to “The Book I Really Wanted to Hate”
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October 31st, 2007 at 3:48 pm
Do you want a free review copy of A Parent’s Guide to Wills & Trusts: For Grandparents, Too (2nd edition) by attorney Don Silver? If so, please provide your mailing address and we’ll send you a copy when it comes off press at the end of November.
Praise for A Parent’s Guide to Wills & Trusts (1st edition)
Jane Bryant Quinn put A Parent’s Guide to Wills & Trusts on her holiday gift list in Woman’s Day.
“Excellent book. What also differentiates this book is the writing itself. It is clear. It is concise. It is clever.�
-Los Angeles Times                                   Â
“A Parent’s Guide explains what parents and grandparents need to know about wills, trusts, taxes, special situations and health matters.â€?
-Senior Magazine
“A Parent’s Guide to Wills & Trusts is must reading for all parents. This isn’t just another probate/estate book. Tips on avoiding family disputes, considering tax impact and dealing with special circumstances such as divorce, second marriages and special beneficiaries are remarkably specific and contain details no other general will book offers.â€?
-Wisconsin Bookwatch
“This book is different: it’s concisely written, uses simple language and features an easy-to-understand format.â€?
-Chicago Sun-Times
“Easy-to-understand, no-nonsense approach to understanding wills and trusts…Unlike other estate planning books, A Parent’s Guide combines real-life scenarios in a simple question and answer format.â€?
-Focus Magazine
Brief book description
In an easy-to-read and easy-to-understand question-and-answer format, A Parent’s Guide to Wills & Trusts (For Grandparents, Too) spells out concisely and compassionately what all parents and grandparents need to know about wills, trusts and estate planning so they can work with their attorney to come up with the right estate plan for their circumstances.
Brief author bio
Don Silver has over two decades of experience as an estate planning attorney and he’s the author of 11 highly acclaimed legal and personal finance books. He’s also an educational consultant for The Wall Street Journal Classroom Edition Teacher Guide and a columnist who has written regularly for Quicken.com and Microsoft’s MoneyInsider.
Don has the unique ability to take technical information and make it clear, accessible and user-friendly.
Don has a BA in Economics (Phi Beta Kappa) and a law degree from UCLA. He has passed the CPA exam and has also taught at USC.
Thanks,
Sue Ann
***************
Sue Ann Bacon
sbacon@adams-hall.com
Marketing Director
Adams-Hall Publishing
800.888.4452
http://www.adams-hall.com
November 2nd, 2007 at 9:15 pm
Great post, and the book looks like one I’d probably enjoy, Diane. Certainly the angle of office politics through the eyes of governmental politics has some relevant draw in this ever-evolving election race. I liked the Penelope Trunk quote as well… I’ve learned through my career that one cannot ignore office politics, which is why it’s become a passion of mine. Thanks for sharing!