Our values & servant leadership - Excellence
When it comes to leadership, values matter. In our current political climate, it is vital that elected leaders clarify their values, and live and lead on a daily basis with the courage to stay committed to those values.
At New Politics Leadership Academy, we understand the importance of modeling this truth. We make the work of getting clear about values central to our approach to training and supporting servant leaders. Our team emerged from a long process of deliberation with a list of five core values that we believe are key to servant leadership and to the work that we do. You can learn about our five core values here.
Throughout this year, various members of our team will be writing about our organizational values and how you can apply them to your service. We hope you take the time to read our posts and do some reflection on how you are living out your own core values in 2020.
by Eva Estrada
Excellence is holding yourself to the highest standard as you work to execute your mission and use your resources. The way political leaders can practice excellence is by holding themselves accountable to living out the values of servant leadership. There’s a lot riding on political representatives, and practicing excellence in all they do is key in order for servant leaders to drive forward positive change in politics.
Excellent political leaders are those who show constituents that their voices have value. They ask constituents what they need, and pay attention to the answers. Leaders who live out the value of excellence are strong advocates in the halls of power for the people and the activists that they represent. By reflecting on their personal leadership mission and understanding within themselves what they aim to accomplish through politics, political candidates are better prepared to answer the question, "why are you running?" Those who identify a goal before beginning this journey are the ones who are best prepared to accomplish it.
The most excellent elected officials I’ve worked with show up for their constituents and the people they represent — whether through dropping off hand sanitizer and masks during the middle of a pandemic or through helping others file for unemployment. They allow themselves to be vulnerable in order to shed light on issues that are important to their constituents. They’re selfless, and they bravely open up about their own backgrounds, which helps build trust and respect between them and their constituents.
Living out the value of excellence in politics can be a tough task, but luckily, it’s something that can be developed with practice. Here are some actionable tips on how to develop excellence:
Even before deciding to run for office, practice cultivating respect for those around you, particularly those whose viewpoints you may not agree with. That way, you’ll be able to do the same for your constituents.
Reflect on your personal mission, write it down, and make a plan to review it on a regular basis — monthly, quarterly, or however often is most helpful to you. We also recommend assembling a “kitchen cabinet” of trusted mentors and advisors who can give you candid feedback on how you are living up to your values during your campaign.
Demand that same respect that you practice towards others for yourself by taking yourself seriously as a community advocate. If you take yourself seriously, then others will do the same.
While you practice excellence, however, keep in mind that developing this value can be very emotionally taxing. It can be very difficult to hear people’s personal stories all day, and it’s very easy to internalize the pain of others, especially as someone who cares about the needs of your constituents. That’s why it’s important to figure out your limits — if you burn out, your constituents won’t be able to rely on you.
Apply to our Fall programs to learn more about the New Politics values, clarify your values, and see where you fit into the world of politics.