Six Lessons from Three Decades

This December marks the end of my 30th year working in politics. That has led to some reflection, some of which I share here.

Thirty years ago, Andy Gordon, the incoming chief of staff to incoming US Representative Sam Coppersmith, hired me to be Sam’s director of constituent services. After figuring out that one of my uncles was his classmate at Redlands High School, and another was his camp counselor, Andy said “If I’d known you were one of those damn Loge boys I never would have hired you.” To repay his confidence, I once stranded the Congressman in a purple 1974 Triumph Spitfire (years later when telling that story, Sam said I was “too pathetic to fire”).

Below is a self-indulgent glance at the years and a few of the lessons I’ve learned.

With US Rep. Sam Coppersmith. He wrote personal holiday notes to everyone his staff.

The years.
Over the past 30 years I have served in senior staff positions for Coppersmith, two other members of the US House (Brad Sherman of California and Steve Kagen, MD of Wisconsin) and US Senator Edward Kennedy. I was senior advisor to the Commissioner of the US Food and Drug Administration at the end of President Obama’s second term, served as vice president for external relations at the US Institute of Peace, was a senior vice president at a consulting firm, had my own firm for seven years, and more. I’ve led, helped lead, and advised organizations and campaigns big and small, some of which…