There has been a spate of books about modern politics doing the rounds since before Christmas. I have bought some of them including Rory Stewart’s, Bernie Sanders’ and Alistair Campbell’s and it has taken me a while to get through them. I am reading Campbell’s now.
I’m only half way through and so will reserve judgement yet part two of the book, there are three, seems to have as much relevance to business as to politics. It covers resisting cynicism, being a leader, a strategist, learning confidence and acquiring persivilience ( a word the Campbell has coined). All well and good yet there is also a chapter called ‘Develop a Campaign Mindset’ and it was this that had particular resonance for me and what I do.
To quote the book ‘The belief that change can come, and that you as an individual can make it happen, is essential to what I consider to be one of the most important insights I can offer you: campaigning is a mindset.’
A mindset that I seem to possess. Thinning back over the last six or seven years of CyberNorth, my work life has been a constant campaign. Perhap it has been true of my whole career yet much of my time when I was employed was filled with managing being part of a large organisation.
What have I taken to be meant by a ‘Campaigning Mindset’? Always thinking about the overall objective, considering every opportunity as an opportunity, telling a consistent story, expanding my contacts to spread the message, looking for ways to engage new audiences and develop new leverage, this is what it means to me.
Even now my mind wanders to what next. Many of the things that we are working on now have taken years of focussed attention and campaigning to come to fruition. Those that we are mulling over may take many years to see the light of day.
If you want to change the world then this is the way it is. Reading ‘But What Can I Do’ has made me realise that I have a ‘Campaigning Mindset’ and that I could probably do more with it now that I know. Now for the rest of the book.
Thoughts from a Guerrilla Worker 