Ten immutable rules for Hill staffers

Politics is a rush. It attracts bright, energetic people willing to throw themselves into the game with long hours and a roller-coaster ride fuelled by adrenaline and caffeine. It is also likely the most personally rewarding job you’ll ever have. You’re in the middle of it all, you feel like you—personally—are contributing and making a difference. But while many young politicos successfully build experience and springboard off their time on the Hill to other real world ventures, others crash and burn—either burning out personally, or reputationally. Following are the 10 rules everyone should heed to make the most of their experience as a Hill staffer, while building professional longevity for the longer term in the wider political and policy community. 1. Treat others as you wish to be treated Politics is a small place. A funny thing about politics is that you see people again. And again. The person you may have dismissed years ago as “a frosh nobody” can come back after the next leadership race running the shots. You will come across people again, and always in different roles. Treat everyone with respect along the way. 2. Don’t drink the Kool-Aid Yaroslav Baran is a co-founder of Pendulum, a strategic communications consultancy. Photograph courtesy of Yaroslav Baran “We’re the good guys, they’re the bad guys. We are trying to save Canada from them; they’re trying to destroy it …” Don‘t fall into this trap. Everyone gets into politics for the same reason: they want to make their country a better place. Means may differ, but policy difference is a good thing. Debate is how we distill the best ideas. The more you start to believe in your own infallibility—or see political adversaries as enemies—the sooner you will blind yourself to your own team’s errors, and the more likely you’ll wake up surprised one morning after an election. 3. Maintain a wide circle of friendships and acquaintances This is the best way to not “drink the Kool-Aid.” Actively expose yourself to different points of view. Understand what other parties think and more importantly, why they think that way. At all costs, avoid an “us-against-them” worldview—the best bulwark is diversity of perspective. If everyone around you thinks the same way (no matter how they look), then it’s not real diversity. Widen your circle. 4. Take care of yourself Political life is one of long hours, skipped meals, late nights, alcohol, caffeine, and frequent receptions. It is very easy to not maintain balance and to allow your health to suffer. Exercise. Eat well. Take holidays. A healthy body and a rested mind make for better policy analysis and advice. 5. It’s not all about media glory If your boss is in the press, it’s often because of controversy. You don’t need to be a media hound to get noticed. The first rule of crisis management is to avoid the crisis in the first place. The low-key MPs and ministers who never seem to be in the press—but are where everything just runs calmly—are the ones who tend to get promoted. Be the staffer who makes that happen. 6. Arrogance is a big turn-off Marci Surkes is strategic adviser to the Compass Rose Group and the interim executive director of the Coalition for a Better Future. Photograph courtesy of Marci Surkes Ottawa is full of stuck-up youngsters in ill-fitting suits who think they are God’s gift to the world. Don’t be that guy. You don’t know everything. You are not the smartest person in the room. There is always more to know and learn. Stay humble. Keep your ears open. 7. Move around. Diversify. It is easy to stay in one place for too long. We all like comfort. That said, the people who move around to different roles are the ones who become the most valuable. The staffer who is great at both policy and communications is more valuable than a staffer who just excels at one. Layer on other skills: caucus management, House procedure, tour logistics, digital marketing, etc. Find opportunities to do a tour of duty in different roles. 8. Earnest hard work pays off Despite the politics in politics, it is very much a meritocracy. Hard work pays off. Hard work and good work get noticed. It’s not about cliques and getting in with the “right crowd.” 9. Maintain an ethical compass Stay in politics long enough and you will inevitably see a situation where someone is contemplating something you know is wrong. Be true to your gut. Unethical decisions eventually come out. Don’t be part of it. It might seem career limiting to be the one saying, “Um, are you sure?” But ultimately, those are the advisers most valued: the ones who didn’t drink the Kool-Aid. 10. Put together the best possible team If you’re a chief of staff, the best thing you can do for your boss is recruit the best policy mind to be your policy director, the best media person to be your communications director, the best logistics person to run tour, and on and on. Don’t skimp. Bring in the top talent. And surround yourself and your boss with staff who bring a diversity of viewpoints: gender, linguistic, regional, being a parent (you get the point). The ministers and leaders with the strongest and best-rounded teams end up being the most successful. Yaroslav Baran is a co-founder of Pendulum, a strategic communications consultancy. He is former communications chief to Stephen Harper, and also served as chief of staff to the government House leader. Marci Surkes is strategic adviser to the Compass Rose Group and the interim executive director of the Coalition for a Better Future. She is a former executive director of policy and cabinet affairs to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and former chief of staff to Ralph Goodale. The duo have just been named practitioners-in-residence with the Clayton Riddell Graduate Program in Political Management at Carleton University. Both also serve on the board of directors of the Parliamentary Centre, an Ottawa-based democracy NGO. The Hill Times

Ten immutable rules for Hill staffers

Politics can be a rough-and-tumble business, but there are ways to navigate a successful career without falling prey to ego and burnout, write two Hill veterans.

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Ten immutable rules for Hill staffers

Politics can be a rough-and-tumble business, but there are ways to navigate a successful career without falling prey to ego and burnout, write two Hill veterans.

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