When You Lose, Don't Lose the Lesson

Well, I lost my bid for the Chair of the Constitution & Bylaws Committee. I really wanted that spot and felt like I would do a good job. I also feel like I disappointed many others who also wanted me to win.

Probably the hardest thing for me is that I feel like I blew it, that I didn't do my best. Somehow, I let myself get so anxious over this election that I forgot some common sense things that normally come so easily for me. However, I remember one of my Mom's adages she shared with me ages ago: When you lose, don't lose the lesson!

So, last night I wrote down in my journal some of the following "Lessons Learned" (it could be written, "Lessons Re-Remembered"):

1. Next time, CHILL! As soon as I have decided I'm going to run, make up an action plan and stick to it. Do as much as I can not to get too anxious. Remember - anxiety is based on fear; focus instead on faith that I will be able to do my best regardless of the vote outcome.
2. Start contacting members of the committee sooner; don't wait till the day or two before the election to establish those relationships and articulate my reasons why I want the particular office. I was able to contact three of the six I needed to talk to. Maybe I wouldn't have changed any one's mind, but maybe I could have...
3. Don't nominate myself; arrange ahead of time for a supporter to nominate me instead.
4. I think I do better when I focus my campaign speeches on pragmatic things and not so much on philosophical things. There is a time and place for sharing philosophical ideals, but I'm getting the idea that a campaign speech - at least the short, right before the election kind of speech - is better received when I focus on specific actions.
5. Contrary to my normal practice, I didn't prepare an outline in advance for what I was going to say; so yes, it kind of rambled.
6. Again, because I didn't plan my speech well, I didn't include one of my main qualifications - that I had already served as a proxy to LauraLyn (the former chair) at an Executive Committee meeting, I had already worked to set up meetings and initiate discussions among the committee members, etc., all at the same time that I was actively working in my other role as Leg 56 Education Officer. The fact that Doug Cannon felt like he had to share this point with the group - after Lowell Nelson (another candidate for Chair) had mentioned the time commitment involved in the position - well, I thought at the time "Why didn't I mention that first???!!!!"
7. Again, contrary to normal practice, I didn't print out a listing of specific plans and compile the list of pending business for the committee like I had thought of doing earlier. Maybe it would have helped me get elected, maybe not. But it would have helped our committee move forward more quickly on committee business.

So, here's for the good news -

I got elected as both Vice Chair and Secretary by acclamation. So, I'll get to keep on top of committee business, help influence a more structured and communicative committee, and be able to fill in when Lowell can't attend Executive Committee Meetings.

Also - and this actually surprised me - I felt a sense of relief when Lowell was taking over the rest of the meeting after he was elected. Now why would I feel that? I've thought about it and wondered if perhaps I really wasn't ready for this position after all, but I needed to learn these lessons so I can be more effective in future elections down the road.

Also, I know that there is a difference between formal authority and moral authority. I can still be a leader and an influence for good regardless of my formal position. That much hasn't changed for me at all.

Finally, for the best part of all: I can't imagine losing to a better person than Lowell. He really will do a great job for our committee and for our county party. And the others on our committee are pretty amazing! There is definitely a sense of forward motion, activity, and desire to act according to correct principles.

So, I just have to make sure I don't let myself slump into any kind of pity party or beat myself up too much. I can focus on the things I've learned and know that they help me be more effective in the future. And I can be happy that I get to be with such an awesome group and look forward to all the work that we will get to do together. In summary, I lost, but I'm not going to lose the lesson!