Now that the midterm election results have come in, and the winners and losers have been announced, can we get back to what advocacy should look like?
Now that the smoke has cleared, can we put away the nice mailers and cute slogans so that we can get down to real business and address the issues plaguing our communities?
When was advocacy ever replaced with career politicians who really aren’t interested in the work of getting things done? I mean real work.
Handing out turkeys and frying fish is not going to help a family make ends meet. It is not going to secure the borders. It is not going to make our streets safer, and it won’t address the compounding issues that are happening within our schools and with our justice system.
Now, I am not knocking the handouts, but we have got to get back to advocating for the things that matter in our community, with a solid plan of action.
This recent election cycle, like many others, reminded me of what advocacy is NOT, and why career politicians with no interest in doing the work should be replaced.
Advocacy is not attacking leaders!
Advocacy is not selling untruths for selfish gain!
Advocacy is being honest about what’s happening and allowing people the opportunity to get before leaders with questions and concerns.
The problems that we are facing today and tomorrow cannot, and should not be met with constant, negative, and untruthful narratives.
It must be met with faith.
It must be met with knowledge of facts.
It must be met by those brave enough to tell the truth.
It must be met with grassroot efforts aimed at addressing issues that plague our communities, like housing, criminal justice, and social reform.
It must be met with solution-oriented mindsets that understand policies, procedures, and workflows up-and-down organizational structures.
It must be met with an actionable agenda for the coming two to three years.
It must be met with courage to bring people together in the most challenging of moments.
Let us not lend our time to people, politicians, and organizations who really have NO solutions and, to be honest, have NO track record of accomplishments outside of negative ranting and political posturing.
We need leaders who understand the challenges before us, who are willing to listen, who identify resources, and who develop action plans to get things done for a better tomorrow.
Now that the smoke has cleared, we have got to get back to what matters most, and that is…. the people. True leaders get that.
Want to know a true leader?
Over the next two to three years… Watch how they talk. Watch who they talk about. Watch the narratives they push. Watch what they DO. Track their efforts and accomplishments. If it’s more negative than positive, or more talk than action, find another leader and find another table now that the smoke has cleared.
Sharwin Wiltz-Boney is an entrepreneur, business consultant/coach, speaker and author who currently serves as President and CEO of a financial infrastructure management company that has operated in the Houston area for more than a decade. Utilizing the experience she has gained through business ventures and her very own life journey, Sharwin invites you into her Musings. Have a comment? Drop her a line at sharwin@sharwinboney.com.
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