Grassroots Advocacy Dont Gamble On Your Future 4 23 10

Grassroots Advocacy: Don’t Gamble on Your FutureCorky Kyle, MPA, CAEPresident – The Kyle GroupApril 23, 2010CALA Spring Conference – Blackhawk, Co

Good Morning Advocates • Welcome to “Grassroots

Advocacy: Don’t Gamble on Your Future”

• I’m Corky Kyle, MPA, CAE, “The Advocacy Guy”

• “The best way to protect your future is to create it” Peter Drucker

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Before We Get Started!• Program Rules

• Turn off the phone. For the next hour you are not the most important person in the universe

• Bathrooms• This is most important. They are down

the hall. Once you leave the room you are on your own trying to find them.

• Lots of Give and Take• I thrive on questions. Ask lots of

them!

• No Monolog – Want Dialog• I need communication. I need dialog

Who is the Advocacy Guy?

• Corky Kyle, MPA, CAE• 29 years as a professional lobbyist• 35+ years of management experience in

for profit companies and non-profit associations

• Degrees in Political Science and Public Administration

• Adjunct Professor –Public Administration - Ottawa University

• Published author on Citizen Advocacy and Association Management

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Will you remember this programs key points?

Problem with programs—forget 95% within a week

Average adult forgets after 60 seconds if it is not written down

What gets written down gets done!

Write down everything you want to remember!

Make The Program Sticky for You!

• Write down the program ideas that apply to your unique advocacy style!

• Think about your citizen responsibilities and write down the concepts and tools that you can use to enhance and increase your advocacy skills

• Think about who your elected leaders are. What do you need to effectively work with the people you elect. How do you hold them transparent and accountable?

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THE STAGE

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed individuals can change the world. Indeed it is the only thing that ever has”

Margaret Mead (4)

Mood of Voters?• People feel disfranchised• Have no say in how they want to be

governed• Elected officials are irresponsible• Nothing makes sense in the

governance of the state and the country

• I have no control of the quality of my life and the health of my business

• Maybe yes, maybe no! Think about it.

Lobbyist “A lobbyist is the person you hire to protect you from the people you elect!”

Corky Kyle, CAE

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What A Lobbyist Does?

• Enable citizen advocates, associations, and small businesses to directly participate in the political and legislative process

• Builds relationships with legislature and elected officials

• Provide information on issues. Becomes a resource for legislators and elected officials

• Serves as a coach, guide, facilitator in the legislative and political processes for clients

• Control Government

Democracy : Two Parts

Political• Elections• Selection of

Candidates• Electing Candidates• Selecting the people

to represent us.• Legitimize their

authority by your vote

Legislative

• Create Public Policy

• Initiate legislation• Debate legislation• Pass legislation• New public policy

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Results of the Process• The people you elect;

•CONTROL THE QUALITY OF YOUR LIVES

•THE HEALTH OF YOUR BUSINESSES

•WHY ARE YOU NOT INVOLVED!

Where the Process Falls Apart

• November election we all vote. •Feel good about voting. •We feel good about the act

of voting.•But do we know who we

have elected? Who they are and what they represent?

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After the Vote: No Job Descriptions for New

Legislators• Did you contact the newly elected

legislator(s) and invite him/her to come visit and learn about your business?

• Did you build a relationship with your legislators (4 legislators) after the election?

• Did you become a resource for your legislator on issues unique to your industry/profession?

• Did you become your legislators new best friend?

Accountability

• Constituents are responsible for the results of their legislators

• Constituents have responsibility to hold legislators accountable

• Constituents have responsibility to assure that they are adequately represented

• Voting record on issues tells the story• Vote them in or out depending on their

results (8)

Transparency• Ask them what they are doing• What has been their most important

issue they are working on?• Ask them why they supported the

issues they did?• Understand their operating philosophy

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It is up to You!• To know the people you will be electing• To know the operating philosophy of

the candidate. Does it match yours?• To research the candidate before voting• To build a working relationship with the

legislator• To train your legislators• To let them know when they are doing

a good job or a bad job. • You are responsible for the way you

want to be governed (10)

Questions

Keep the Training Going

Corky KylePresident

The Kyle GroupCell: 303-263-5422

Ckyle@TheKyleGroup.ComWWW.TheKyleGroup.com

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