The O’Toole Chronicles: The Lonely Business of Politics

The non-stop commotion in the lives of politicians is something that takes some getting used to. Unless you have walked a mile in those penny loafers, you can’t truly appreciate the unrelenting activity and whirling that takes place in the life of a fully engaged politician. Whether it be staffing issues, constituent concerns, campaigning, marketing, or the day-to-day duties of their office, a politician usually has a pretty full dance card. The harsh reality is in the game of politics, it is a full contact 24/7 battle that requires a total focus.

Smart savvy elected officials know that despite all the noise, and despite all the attention, there are only a few places you can go to seek out the quiet or seek out an unbiased opinion.

The problem is that often the people around you are so heavily invested with their own jobs, they are intimidated by the boss or they are too close to the action to be objective. Good friends or family members are okay, but they generally don’t know enough about the inside game to be able to address a complicated political problem, or sometimes they are angling to further some of their own political wants and it gets convoluted.

So what do you do?

I have been blessed with some close advisors and friends who have managed to keep me on the rails for nearly four decades of political activity. Some I have known for the entirety of those years, others I have met over time and have been honored to work with over the last few decades. When I was in the political game, these handful of individuals truly understood me, understood the political dynamics, and were able to give me objective and sound advice. Those in this grouping always had the greater good at heart and never put self over the issue at hand. That is a rarity that money can’t buy.

Let me tell you about one such individual who helped me when politics became a lonely place. When I was in the Senate for the first time in 2001, I ran into a younger staffer named Matt Eventoff. Matt was charged with running a large portfolio in the Senate office and, despite his young age, he was always counted on by the senior Senators for advice and counsel.

Matt is smart and objective, he never saw himself in politics too long and so he was never auditioning for his next gig. That was a huge plus. Matt was sought after by many because he was a natural communicator, he was all heart, and he knew the game inside and out. Matt provided a safe sounding board and was laser focused on your objective. Matt had no vested self-interest and he taught many of us about the art of communication and the art of doing good in a world of politics that came with it some high hanging negatives.

Matt has since left the political arena and gone on to working his magic in the corporate world where he counsels CEOs of Fortune 200 companies – his business has taken him to around the world. On rare occasions, Matt is still called upon to counsel elected officials in New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. But you will never see him receiving a paycheck for his services. He views his contributions as his way of paying it forward.

There are many adages about being at the top, uneasy is the head that wears the crown, it’s lonely at the top, etc. Those and many others are true. However, what is often not said or written about is the need to have that one voice, amongst all the noise, that makes the silence bearable. I’ve written in the past about building a great team around yourself to be successful in politics, business, and life; mostly because I’ve had the great fortune of having talented people around me. People like this don’t come around often, if you spot your “Matt Eventoff” in your orbit, keep them close – your professional and personal self will be better for it.