Lessons From the Hill
I recently went one on one with Mark Bayer. Mark is former Chief of Staff in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives in a career that has spanned two decades working on Capitol Hill. Mark currently teaches scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs the same methodology he used in Congress to rapidly distill complex policies, craft strategies to advance high-profile initiatives, and concisely explain them to Members of Congress and journalists from leading media outlets. Mark has been touted in Politico for his "decades of superlative experience" serving as a Congressional staff member.
Adam: Thanks again for taking the time to share your advice. First things first, though, I am sure readers would love to learn more about you. How did you get here? What experiences, failures, setbacks or challenges have been most instrumental to your growth?
Mark: I was interested in politics from a young age (first political memory: watching Nixon resign in August 1974 when I was 5). Growing up, I talked about political issues and watched the nightly news with my family. I followed my passion through college and was fortunate to work in the U.S. Congress for two decades (which bookended my time in grad school and working as a management consultant and then as an Internet strategist at a startup).
When I left Capitol Hill after serving as a Chief of Staff in the Senate and the House of Representatives, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do next, but I knew I wanted to build something and make a meaningful impact.
In 2017, I started writing about how to combat the falsehoods coming from the White House (i.e., the straight-outta-Orwell “alternative facts”). My work was published in The New Yorker, and a talk on the subject I gave at a conference was covered in Science.
I decided to work with scientists, helping them push back on the attack on science, evidence, and real data that is warping, in my view, public policies affecting all of us - from clean air and water regulations, to worker protections and climate change response, to the government’s approach to the COVID-19 pandemic.
I never want the next great discovery or cure or technological breakthrough to be undercut or stopped just because a brilliant scientist, engineer, or entrepreneur struggled to effectively communicate about his or her work or navigate the stakeholder landscape.
A challenge that’s ended up having a big positive impact is going from a powerful position with built-in authority to starting out on my own. It’s forced me to learn new things (e.g., build my own website, get active on social media, host my own podcast) that I never had to do before.
After researching, studying, and experimenting in these areas, I’ve been able to achieve some successes. And these positive experiences have given me confidence to take on new challenges outside of work - most recently, to take up acoustic guitar for the first time because I wanted to learn something new as last year’s birthday present to myself.
Adam: What are the best lessons you learned over the course of your twenty year career on Capitol Hill?
Mark: Never let leadership go to your head: Be humble and respectful, whether you're talking to a U.S. Senator or the UPS driver who’s delivering your package. It’s the right thing to do, and it makes a positive impact on your staff/team. And tomorrow, you might not be the boss!
Stay curious: New ideas and improved ways of doing things can come from any direction. Keep learning - you’ll stay fresh, probably be happier, and build connections with people from all walks of life. You’ll enrich your life beyond measure.
Remember Newton’s Law of Motion Applies to Politics and Business: Assess the reaction to your initiatives and plans before you launch them. Think ahead and anticipate, then move.
Adam: Who are the best leaders you have been around and what did you learn from them?
Mark: My former boss, Senator Ed Markey, is able to keep staff members onboard for many years longer than the average length of staff tenure on Capitol Hill, and several reasons represent key leadership traits:
Be quick to praise a job well done, both inside your organization and outside of it
When possible, promote from within - it enables junior staff to internalize the culture, norms, and approach to the work, giving those who gradually take on more responsibility freer range to capitalize on opportunities - with self-confidence and trust from leadership - without the type of micromanaging that can undermine morale and performance
Sensational ideas can come from junior staff - Make a habit of checking in with junior staff to ask their opinions about initiatives, etc. Multiple benefits: Morale-booster, idea generator, stakeholder management.
Adam: In your experience, what are the defining qualities of an effective leader? How can leaders and aspiring leaders take their leadership skills to the next level?
Mark:
Thinking ahead, getting buy-in, following through
Not being afraid to adjust, jettison bad ideas
Recognizing, confronting, and overcoming own biases
Adam: What are your three best tips applicable to entrepreneurs, executives and civic leaders?
Mark: Start at the finish line: Begin with a vision of the outcome you want and work backwards on how to achieve it, being brutally honest with yourself about potential opportunities and risks and willing to completely change direction if needed
Co-create with your ideal customers: Shape and reshape your product or service with the market guiding you (not your “great idea”)
Learn then launch: Learn the “up-at-3 am problems” your target customers are having, rough draft a solution, and then iterate with your customers to the first generation solution before you launch.
Adam: What are your best communications tips for leaders?
Mark: “K.I.S.S. Don’t H.U.G.” (Keep It Super Simple, Don't Have Unnecessary Gibberish”: Even the most complex policies and initiatives can - and must - be described to non-experts in straightforward, accessible language that’s engaging and memorable if you want to move them forward and make change. This is a skill, and it’s not necessarily easy to do - but mastery is possible with lots of practice.
“Connect before you communicate”: This is a mantra I use authentically when I’m conveying new information to a listener or a group I want to persuade or share my perspectives on how to overcome a challenge. It means surfacing shared values and common interests before delivering the message - even if similarities may seem trivial, like a mutual love for Ohio State football, passion for playing the guitar, or friends in common. Connection is the fundamental building block for successful communication and influence-building.
Adam: How can leaders best drive organizational change?
Mark: Make the case, using objective criteria, and get buy-in from all levels before launch. Borrow a tactic from the political realm and do a “listening tour”, talking to staff at all levels beforehand so their words and recommendations are reflected in the message and direction of the change.
Adam: What is your best advice on building, leading and managing teams?
Mark: Make it safe to disagree. Be an active listener - ask lots of “why do you think that is? “How should we address it?” follow-ups. Make sure your teams are cross-functional and diverse in terms of gender, race, and culture, if possible.
Adam: What are some of the most interesting and surprising anecdotes and tidbits from your career in politics?
Mark: I had a significant role in the effort to overhaul a portion of U.S. communications law so people with disabilities could use the latest telecom devices and services (Netflix, iPhones, Youtube, etc.). This was essentially the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) for the Internet.
After a great team effort, we succeeded in changing the law. President Obama signed the bill into law in the East Room of the White House, and I had the privilege of attending the signing ceremony with my boss at the time, Congressman Ed Markey.
Stevie Wonder also was in attendance. After the ceremony, when just about everyone had left, a handful of us gathered around a piano in the foyer outside the East Room to enjoy Stevie Wonder playing and singing a new, unreleased song he was still working on about the need to protect the environment and combat climate change.
White House. Landmark new law. Stevie Wonder. One of my favorite memories.
Adam: What is the single best piece of advice you have ever received?
Mark: “Just get your nose under the tent, and you’ll be surprised at how quickly you’ll move up”.
After graduating college, I was offered a front desk admin position in Congressman Markey’s office. I was hesitant to accept - answering phones wasn’t how I envisioned my first job after college, and I wasn’t sure if it was a dead-end position. But a senior Senate staffer I connected with through my college alumni network gave me the advice above. He was right - 8 months later, I had more policy responsibilities and quickly advanced in the office.