Week 1 – Leader/follower relationships within a U.S. Senate office

During the first week of my internship with Jon Ossoff’s office, U.S. Senator from Georgia, I was able to learn a lot about leader-follower relationships in a multi-tiered and divided office. Within the office, there are 3 main teams – communications, legislative, and administrative, all of whom report to the Chief of Staff in the office. Each team though also has a distinctive set up, with the communications team involving both traditional communications, in addition to digital strategists who help run the website and social media. But perhaps the most interesting set up is within the legislative team, which I am working with as a legislative intern.

As a whole, the legislative team is led by the legislative director who helps the Senator to create a larger, guiding policy vision. In this way, they help the Senator as he strives to be a visionary leader. Beyond that though, the legislative director works closely with the legislative assistants who are each assigned to a separate policy portfolio, and who lead a legislative team consisting of a legislative correspondent and a legislative intern in most cases. Currently, the team I am working with is responsible for a broad portfolio that includes infrastructure, labor, trade, transportation, trade, and other related topics. Within this environment, I have had an opportunity to learn about leader-follower relationsahips both from within my team, but also between the legislative director and legislative team as a whole. Within my team, it is noticeable how focused the legislative assistant is on maintaining a strong relationship within our team on a personal level that helps us to work effectively as a team, which means checking in with the team regularly and building a strong relationship with both me and the LC. Altogether though, this first week has provided me with a good lesson on the importance of leader-follower relations, and what is necessary to ensure their success including things like reliable communication skills and an ability to trust each other.

Outside of the office, I have also been able to learn more about the importance of leader-follower relationships given the unique structure within the Senate and unique role of parties, and party leadership in dictating a policy vision for the overall party and incorporating the views and positions of individual senators. Altogether, this entire experience thus far has provided me with a unique lesson on leader-follower relations, and I am excited for the opportunity to continue learning more about this throughout the next couple of months in this unique workplace.