Running for Office: How to Build Your “Kitchen Cabinet” and Win with the Right Inner Circle
7 min
"Every campaign is a train wreck. But the most organized and well-funded train wreck usually wins."
– Kelly Dietrich, Founder NDTC
Political campaigns are usually trainwrecks, and you’re going to need help both steering the train and getting people on board. So if you’re running for political office, one of the first things we recommend is building your own “Kitchen Cabinet”.
If you’re new to the term, we’re not talking about the pantry shelves where you store your groceries.
Rather, a Kitchen Cabinet is an advisory board for your political campaign. They’re your inner circle of people who will tell you the truth. Think of them as your sounding board or personal Board of Directors.
Whether you’re running for Congress or your local school board, you’ll need trusted confidants with different points of view. These are the people who will tell you what you need to hear, not just what you want to hear. They will be one of your most valuable resources throughout your campaign.
In this article, we’ll help you understand the term Kitchen Cabinet and walk you through how to build a kitchen cabinet with every advisor you need.
Who Belongs In Your Kitchen Cabinet?
5 Essential Roles
Your Kitchen Cabinet should include people who can offer you honest feedback, insight, and moral support. Here are the five essential roles you should fill your Kitchen Cabinet with:
The Realist: Just as every campaign needs positivity, it also needs a dose of reality. “The Realist” is someone who will provide the most objective outlook on the state of your campaign. They’ll give you an honest sense of the obstacles your campaign is facing. Most of all, they’ll help you set achievable goals and bolster your campaign’s success.
The Seasoned Campaigner: You’ll need someone who’s been in the trenches. Someone with experience in political campaigns who can bring a lot to the table. They likely will likely have insights others may not and may have valuable connections to other political operations. Just be sure the Seasoned Campaigner is willing to adopt new technology and isn’t wed to outdated political methods.
The Devil’s Advocate: You want someone who’s not afraid to argue against you and challenge your point of view. They will challenge groupthink in your campaign and ensure it’s not operating in a bubble. This can be detrimental to your campaign, so the Devil’s Advocate offers alternative and competing opinions, keeping your campaign in check.
The Moral Support: As a candidate, it’s easy to feel defeated with so much riding on your shoulders. The Moral Supporter is there to cheer you on. Their “rah rah” attitude and positive mindset will keep you focused on what to do next. It’s crucial to have them on your team to lean on, reignite your fire, and help you push through any obstacles.
The Outsider With No Campaign Experience: Someone with absolutely no campaign experience can be surprisingly helpful on political campaigns. They will think outside the box because they have no past experience or biases to draw upon. A fresh set of eyes should always be valued by political leaders. The “Outsider with No Campaign Experience” is someone who can be there to offer quality insights with surprising results.
Who Not to Include In Your Kitchen Cabinet
Surrounding yourself with the wrong people can weigh down your campaign. Here’s who to avoid:
The Monopolizer: This is the person who always feels the need to be right. But you definitely don’t want them in your inner circle. They’ll monopolize conversations and refuse to debate suggestions you don’t agree with. Worse, The Monopolizer may try to take over your political cabinet and subdue other members’ ideas. Avoid them at all costs!
The Collector: The Collector is only on board for the story. They’ve joined your team to season their own dinner conversations, Facebook posts, and private DMs. They’ll dine out on everything when you win, and their goal is ultimately self-serving. It’s not in your best interest to have them onboard.
The Backdoor Politician: This person may be using you to serve their own political ambitions. This isn’t always the case, but be mindful of the backdoor politician or seasoned operative that approaches you, especially if you two don’t have any history together. A political operative can be helpful, but others may seek to destroy your campaign from the inside.
The Dreamer: We’re talking about that person who aims too high without setting realistic goals, or the purist who lets the perfect be the enemy of the good. The Dreamer can set up any political campaign for failure. While they can be helpful at brainstorming your values or helping you see the “big picture” vision, they can often be absent from the day-to-day work of building a successful campaign. Try to staff your Kitchen Cabinet with people who help you set realistic and attainable goals, and work towards achieving them.
That One Friend or Family Member: This one can apply to many different people, including that person just who popped into your head. Any family or friends you recruit to your political campaign and Kitchen Cabinet should have your best interests in mind. They should be able to give you clear and honest feedback. Don’t ask loved ones who you don’t work well with or who you know won’t share their true, unvarnished opinion. You need advisors you can trust to guide your campaign to victory.
Final Thoughts:
Your Kitchen Cabinet Is Your Campaign’s Backbone
If you take one thing away from this blog, it’s that your Kitchen Cabinet should not be motivated by access to power, money or influence. Instead, your inner circle should be eager to help you succeed and enact the positive political change you’re fighting for.
Want to go deeper? Check out the following trainings that are great resources to continue building your campaign team:
