Be open to advice from anyone. But never act on advice blindly.
Candidates specifically, and campaigns more broadly, get advice from every possible corner. EVERYONE knows something you should be doing more of, less of or differently…and there are a ton of folks around you who are willing to share this free advice.
It’s very easy to get in a habit of letting this advice go in one ear and out the other. Free advice, as it’s often said, is frequently worth what you pay for it.
The problem with this approach is two-fold. First, there are likely some pearls of wisdom mixed in with the less helpful advice. Second, folks can tell when you’re blowing them off and that’s hardly a way to engender stalwart support.
Instead, here’s what you should do. Listen to their advice carefully, write it down and set aside time for your team to review the list. This doesn’t need to be an involved process but I highly recommend that it be skimmed.
In addition to showing gratitude to those who offer it, this process will help you identify recurring concerns across your electorate and be a check against potential blind spots.
Don’t take action on advice blindly but do make sure you avoid the habit of routinely discounting all outside feedback.
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