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? Politics may be addictive. However, your
life can be full without politics. Personal achievements
aknowledged by your friends and family can be more rewarding than
political fame..
