BPA’s Guide for eliminating “want to be” candidates for public office in the age of Covid-19
It seems like in this 2020 election cycle everybody wants to run for office. But in my previous brief experience in Human Resource and running for public office myself, I’d like to share a few observations about how not to make the wrong selection of a candidate. Of course this is not an all-inclusive list and others could add to it. However, it is a good starting guide. And although this is presented here in the negative context, just reverse each point and frame it in the positive context to find the perfect candidate.
Don’t vote or hire anybody who appears to:
- Not have any substantial knowledge, skill or ability to do the job
- Be desperate for a job
- Screwed up in their last few positions
- Have shown a propensity to violate the public trust
- Sell themselves too hard
- Be self-absorbed and full of themselves
- Have no real record of individual achievement
- Have stirred up the mess at their last few positions
- Have demonstrated a shallow intellect
- Be known as a single-issue candidate
- Be willing to settle for mediocre results
- Be all things to all people
- Be only transactionally committed to making change
- Not be able to handle their personal life
- Be anxious to kiss ass
- Show shades of a Con-Artist
- Be a perpetual candidate
- Not worked a real job a day in their life
- Talks much shit but rarely listens for real
- In most cases, judge a book by its cover.
- Be willing to subjugate their subordinates
- Not learn from negative experiences
- Be oblivious to others need and aspirations
- Have a scheming disposition
- Have shown up from outer-space with no community presence
- Be seeking the office out for revenge
- Not be able to see the big picture or has little vision
- Be seeking public recognition or adulation to the extreme
- Always be riding someone else’s endorsement or record of achievement
- Have proven they can’t judicially handle public power or influence
- Be extremely risk-averse and/or wishy-washy
- Be trying to fake it until they can make it