Become Politically Well Connected
Moving up the ranks in an organization is like winning in a poker game: it requires luck and skill. Unless you are a born politician, there are a few ways in which you can help yourself move up.
Steps
- You can "get attached" to a rising star by becoming very involved in his/her operations. In this way, when the person will be moving up, he/she will be promoting you as well. Getting to know the person very closely (by understanding their views, strengths, and deficiencies) is the key.
- You can form your own small group within the party and become its leader. In this way, you can earn some respect from the party elders by showing them that you can get people to align with you. This can be a good way to assess your potential for a political advancement: if you can become a leader of a small group of people, your chances of becoming a leader of a larger group of people are good.
- Keep in mind that many people want to move up and very few actually do. Sometimes they do it by pure accident (close neighbors with an influential person). Sometimes they are noticed by influential people for their achievements in small projects. So, volunteering for projects and getting them done to the satisfaction of the more influential members is another way to advance.
- One thing to decide for yourself is what to do in the case when your personal beliefs disagree with the current political currents within the party. For example, you may believe that education should come first and medication for seniors second. Your party leaders may believe otherwise. Often, disagreement with an official party policy is interpreted as "not being able to follow the leaders", which decreases your chances of advancement. Thus, think about the effect of your agreement and disagreement on your chances of advancement and on your personal integrity.
- Set yourself some timelines. If you feel that you have spent significant amount of time and effort trying to advance and did not, perhaps there are other ventures that can fully utilize your skills and capabilities? Your life can be full without politics. Personal achievements acknowledged by your friends and family can be more rewarding than political fame.
Tips
- Being involved in politics at a young age is a great way to be noticed and to earn the respect of party brass.
