Hard Work

It’s going to be hard work, but I’m committed to being a collaborator and a solution generator to address the problems facing rural Wisconsin. I’m asking every voter in the 14th Senate District to support the Gordon for Wisconsin campaign and to choose me as their candidate so we can do the work of building a unified rural community and get things done for all of us.

I admit to being an optimist, but I am also practical. I know there will be times when I may flat out disagree with a person or a group, but even though we disagree, we have to be able to work together.

In an online edition of the Harvard Business Review, I found a summary of a model that works for people in jobs involving conflict (Stephenson, 2021). For the sake of brevity, I only hit the highlights here, but use the link below so you can read the full text and hold me accountable when I am elected to represent the 14th Senate District.

1.      Take a look inside.

2.      Be a grown-up.

3.      Respect everyone.

4.      Get past the negatives.

5.      Connect as people.

6.      Be strategic.

7.      Pick your battles.

My work in school administration has given me many opportunities to refine my skills in steps 1 through 6, so I’m ready for this. I’m also very clear on the battles that I will pick.

Healthy communities

Clean resources

Positive incremental change

I know there are more battles to be had, but others will take the lead there. My commitment is to the people and places of the 14th Senate District and a unified rural Wisconsin. When rural Wisconsin does better, everyone does better. It’s hard work, but I’m ready.

Stephenson, L. (2021, November 10). How to work with someone you really don’t like. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2021/11/how-to-work-with-someone-you-really-dont-like 

Note: I have met very few people I didn’t like. I expect to like the people I will work with in the Wisconsin legislature. But this model works just fine when we only strongly disagree.