For Members-elect and their aides, November is a time of relief and excitement. Although the hard fought campaign is over, now is when the real work begins – ensuring a successful transition to Congress. Fortunately, CMF offers several resources for Members-elect in setting up their offices, including our signature guidebook Setting Course, and an orientation workshop for the staff of new Members.
The next 60 days are crucial for Members-elect and their aides. Setting up a congressional office requires effective decision-making and completing hundreds of tasks. During these transitional months, CMF will highlight some of the most critical activities new Members and staff must focus on.
One of the critical first tasks is to consider the Member’s role in Congress. Successful Members recognize early on that there are many diverging paths to power and figure out which path they should take. Members who do not understand that they cannot do it all tend to fail and grow frustrated with their jobs.
In CMF’s experience, Members tend to play five primary roles in Congress. Generally, Members can “major” in one role and “minor” in another (provided they are not incompatible). Each role has specific goals/objectives and personal attributes:
|
ROLE |
GOALS |
PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES |
|---|---|---|
| Legislative Insider |
|
|
| Party Insider |
|
|
| Ombudsman |
|
|
| Statesman |
|
|
| Outsider |
|
|
So how do you know which role is right for you? When selecting a role or determining your “fit” in Congress, analyze and balance the following four factors:
- The Member’s personal strengths and weaknesses and how they match the activities of Congress.
- The Member’s mission or what the Member hopes to accomplish through his or her tenure in Congress.
- The needs of the district or state.
- Political circumstances (i.e., electoral strength, constituent expectations, future political plans, and the general political climate).
Deciding how the Member’s personal attributes will affect the congressional workplace is the most difficult step in this process. It may require detailed self-analysis and possibly confronting some painful realities, such as that the Member may not have skills necessary for his or her desired role.
To conduct an honest assessment of strengths and weaknesses, the Member should not rely solely on his or her own judgment. Instead, seek feedback from those who know the Member well.
Finally, not all Members will be able to define the right role in Congress early on. Some experience and experimentation may be needed. Members should take the time they need to figure this out while still setting annual goals for themselves and their office.
The costliest and most common mistake is not selecting the wrong role, but selecting none at all.
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Excerpted from Chapter 9, “Defining Your Role In Congress,” in Setting Course: A Congressional Management Guide, © Congressional Management Foundation.
