Having worked as a senate and house staffer, I have met thousands of people and interacted with many more. As staff, we must be on our toes; a desperate constituent may call, a reporter might come into the office, our boss will text us asking for the talking points we already gave them three times. In general, all of our good interactions will glean benefits. All of the bad can and should be learning experiences.

Today, with the advance of digital technology, the pace of social, economic, political disruption is accelerating. What has not changed over time: the importance and impact of leadership. You may find relevant to your service lessons I learned as an elected representative, a minority leader, co-speaker and speaker.

As with most things in life, having a plan before a crisis occurs is essential, especially for those in the public eye. A little preparation can mean the difference between professional survival and personal devastation.