4 lessons from my recent conversation with @runforsomething.net's Amanda Litman: 1. Go big. 2. Change is possible. 3. Promises are made to be kept. 4. Measure your strategy.

This idea - that not all definitions of success can be measured on short term timelines - I think explains the short-term success of @runforsomething.net -- long term thinking sometimes yields short-term gains, while building something durable. I wish more leaders thought like this:

Latest @crosstabspodcast.com went up last night, featuring @amandalitman.bsky.social of @runforsomething.net talking about the need for strategic, transformational, generational change in our political leadership, and their strategy to achieve it. Listen here: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/c...

I'm starting outreach to potential guests for @crosstabspodcast.bsky.social going into the fall and would love to know: * Who do you think I should interview? * What topics would you like me to explore? * What do you wish you knew more about? @ me or email me! [email protected]

Great being on the @crosstabspodcast.bsky.social with you, @farrahbostic.bsky.social!

August is kicking my ass, but the latest ep of @crosstabspodcast.bsky.social is out, feat Michael D. Cohen, PhD, author of Modern Political Campaigns. We talk about how tech, speed & money intersect to create more professionalization of campaigns & more! Listen: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/c...

Some reflections (and then a little meander) on the latest episode of Cross Tabs, featuring @gelliottmorris.com on the latest edition of our newsletter: www.crosstabspodcast.com/p/representa...

Do you like direct links to actual episodes? Here's the link to our latest, featuring Strength in Numbers author/founder @gelliottmorris.com podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/c...

Coming up in the feed, my latest interview with @gelliottmorris.com about his latest poll from Strength in Numbers, and his vision for pollster-led poll-based journalism. Subscribe to the show here to get it in your feed: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/c...

“You can’t vote your way to democracy.” In this episode of Cross Tabs, @anatosaurus.bsky.social explains why mobilization—not persuasion—is what wins, and why too much message testing is just expensive copy editing. 🎧 podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/c... #Messaging #Organizing #CampaignStrategy

New episode featuring @aedwardslevy.bsky.social talking about the importance of designing for - and looking for - nuance in survey data. Subscribe at www.crosstabspodcast.com for updates on new episodes and more.

Latest episode is available on your podcast players! Featuring @farisyakob.com talking about whatever this economy is now. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/c...

Patrick Ruffini's research identifies a crucial evolution in consumer psychology: today's customers remain loyal to brands they perceive as "fighting for" and "delivering for" them, not just "caring about" them. For businesses, this distinction matters tremendously. Learn more: buff.ly/g3Zj7pK

Unpredictability is destroying business playbooks faster than any recession could. Unlike recessions with predictable consumer patterns, wildly shifting policy changes are paralyzing strategic planning. Farrah's latest Substack post discusses why a recession would be better: buff.ly/7G3n1jR

Patrick Ruffini spotted something that most analysts completely missed in the 2024 election: a massive consumer realignment that defied every major forecast. Smart business leaders should take note: market segments are blurring in ways that create blind spots in consumer research. buff.ly/g3Zj7pK

Educational background is now one of the strongest forces shaping American politics. In the latest Cross Tabs, Farrah talks with Patrick Ruffini about how working-class voters across all races are shifting toward populist candidates: buff.ly/ol81rWB

"These people are making policy decisions." Civic tech expert Dan Hon highlights how tech professionals with government system access aren't just implementing tools, they're making consequential policy choices without proper oversight: buff.ly/zN90gZm

What happens when tech execs try to “fix” government without understanding how it works? On the latest Cross Tabs, Farrah talks with civic tech expert Dan Hon about Elon Musk’s DOGE, Silicon Valley's flawed approach to public services, and why "efficiency" isn't always effective: buff.ly/zN90gZm

What truly drives consumer behavior? Lauren Goldstein reveals it's not rational cost-benefit calculations but symbolic attachments. Successful brands are those who create emotional connections and align with consumer values rather than focusing solely on product utility: buff.ly/AIQDcmO

Change Research's Lauren Goldstein recruits fresh participants for every poll using targeted digital ads and direct text invitations, connecting with traditionally underrepresented groups without payment incentives—an important note for leaders gathering business intelligence: buff.ly/3DRZf4j

Change Research's lead pollster Lauren Goldstein is challenging research norms by focusing on the WHY behind opinions. Her approach incorporates open-ended questions that reveal motivations, interpretations, and personal stakes—making research not just accurate but actionable: buff.ly/BVNtPLE

Most Americans support abortion access, even some who identify as "pro-life." Why don’t polls always show that? On our new episode of Cross Tabs, Change Research’s Lauren Goldstein, PhD breaks down how open-ended questions, fresh samples, and nonpartisan framing reveal deeper values: buff.ly/XK7A8fR

If you're already a fan of Cross Tabs Podcast, you know the audio version is packed with smart conversations and sharp takes. But if you're only listening, you're missing part of the experience. Every episode is also on YouTube — same guests, same insights. Check out the archive: buff.ly/GTMtoZK

Ever feel like politicians use polls as a smokescreen to dodge real action? Farrah's latest Cross Tabs post reveals how leaders cherry-pick data to fit their narratives, dismissing the public's true sentiments. She argues that this tactic erodes trust and stalls meaningful progress:

“Create a brain trust and bring everybody into one strategy.” In this clip from Cross Tabs, Rachel Bitecofer calls out fragmented comms in Dem orgs and reminds us that message discipline & reaching new audiences is key for any org, from campaigns to corporations: buff.ly/2ES7aag

Behind every viral trend is an invisible architecture of influence. Online misinormation expert Renee DiResta highlights how audiences often consume content without understanding the economic incentives driving influencers and algorithms in this clip from Cross Tabs Podcast: buff.ly/BQ5meq2

The line between advertising and propaganda has never been more blurred. Renee DiResta calls out the contradiction in how platforms position themselves: selling targeting capabilities to advertisers while simultaneously denying their role as persuasion engines: buff.ly/C9oC2jV

What happens when social media conversations misrepresent majority opinion? Renee DiResta tackles the "majority illusion" problem where online discourse can create a distorted picture of public sentiment--which affects every brand and industry. Listen to the full cast to learn more: buff.ly/hqoSS9S

Democracy depends on trust, but lately, more Americans are quietly questioning whether their voices truly matter. Farrah’s newest Cross Tabs post thoughtfully examines why voters are losing confidence in our democratic system, and why we can't assume democracy will self-correct:

Bottom-up messaging beats top-down when it comes to politics. Renee DiResta explains how successful GOP campaigns amplified authentic user content rather than imposing centralized messaging, developing more effective communication to their base that led to their victory: buff.ly/DFN3Cfn

Algorithms shape how information spreads online, sometimes with dangerous results. In this clip from our new episode, Renee DiResta explains how Twitter’s recommendation system helped terrorist groups recruit. Leaders must understand these risks to avoid missteps: buff.ly/mnqyfeE

Who tells you what to think? Tune into our latest epiosde to hear misinformation expert Renee DiResta explain how social platforms' business models value engagement over truth, and offer practical recommendations for resetting online norms beyond simple calls for media literacy: buff.ly/0P45kvs

Half of Americans see religion’s declining influence as negative, while only 13% view it as positive. Pew Research's Laura Silver unpacks this complexity on Cross Tabs Podcast, exploring how attitudes shift between broad beliefs and real-world applications: buff.ly/rJBKz0n

Religious nationalism is rising across the globe, with some surprising patterns emerging from cross-national research. In this episode of Cross Tabs, Farrah speaks with Pew Research experts Laura Silver and Jonathan Evans about their groundbreaking study on religious nationalism: buff.ly/aUBs45g

"What matters is the optics." In a media environment where perception trumps policy, Rachel Bitecofer argues that Democrats are losing the messaging war despite their behind-the-scenes efforts. Lots of valuable insights for any organization facing crisis communication challenges: buff.ly/sdX5XRs

Campaign messages aren't what candidates say at rallies. They're what appears in paid advertisements that reach tuned-out voters. This fundamental insight from Rachel Bitecofer explains a critical messaging failure in Kamala Harris's presidential campaign: buff.ly/sdX5XRs

"If you hate the current U.S. economy, the reason you hate it is because the Republican Party invented it." Rachel Bitecofer doesn't mince words when discussing economic messaging on the latest Cross Tabs Podcast, noting the need for a change in messaging strategy to reach voters: buff.ly/eBoVq79

Approval ratings have hit historic lows for Democrats despite Republican extremism under Trump's administration. How is this possible? On our new episode of Cross Tabs Podcast, political scientist Rachel Bitecofer joins Farrah to help explain the paradox: buff.ly/eBoVq79

Nearly half of Democratic voters disapprove of their own party representatives in Congress. In this episode of Cross Tabs, Farrah speaks with political strategist Rachel Bitecofer about Democratic Party messaging failures and what effective opposition looks like in 2025: buff.ly/eBoVq79

Actions speak louder than rhetoric. When leaders call something an existential threat but respond with business-as-usual behavior, they signal it’s not urgent. If leadership lacks urgency, why should anyone else believe the crisis is real? More from Mike Podhorzer on Cross Tabs: buff.ly/3D7SXSB

Is democracy just about holding elections? The Declaration of Independence insists on genuine consent of the governed, yet many feel unheard. If elections don’t translate public will into action, are they enough? Let’s rethink what real representation looks like: buff.ly/3D7SXSB

The power of collective action cannot be overstated. History shows us a revealing pattern: would-be authoritarians immediately target both media control and labor union dissolution upon seizing power. Our latest episode with Mike Podhorzer looks at how power is amassed and used: buff.ly/3D7SXSB

Predicting the future is overrated -- what matters is understanding change as it happens. Farrah brings a refreshing perspective on research and public opinion to this season of Cross Tabs, focusing on helping organizations make better decisions amid constant change: https://buff.ly/3EXvy6I

Who invented the tools we use to study public opinion? And why did so many emerge from media, the military, and politics? In this season, we'll dig into the sometimes unsettling origins of social science, and how its methods shape business, government, and culture today: https://buff.ly/3EXvy6I

Federal statistical agencies play a crucial role in collecting data for the public good, and the misuse of that data is unacceptable. Our current episode of Cross Tabs with Connie Citro of Amstat highlights the importance of these agencies: https://buff.ly/4aTmxaR

Power isn’t just about making decisions, it’s about shaping the reality those decisions are based on. Who asks the questions? Who controls the data? Who decides what counts as truth? Farrah's latest Substack post explores this dynamic and what We The People can do about it:

Why can't the private sector just collect all the data we need? Connie Citro explains why government statistical agencies are irreplaceable for providing objective, comprehensive data that serves everyone in this clip from Cross Tabs episode 4: 'The Nation's Data in Peril': https://buff.ly/4aTmxaR

Sometimes the best way to demonstrate value is to take something away. Statistical expert Connie Citro shares a remarkable story from the Eisenhower era when canceling the economic census revealed just how crucial federal data collection was to American businesses: https://buff.ly/4aTmxaR

Did you know the U.S. Constitution established data collection as a cornerstone of democracy? Data expert Connie Citro shares how our nation's founders recognized the vital importance of gathering accurate information for peaceful power distribution and economic oversight: https://buff.ly/4aTmxaR

Over the past few weeks, the federal government has started removing key public datasets from its websites that Americans have a right to access. Our latest episode with data expert Connie Citro explains why that data is essential and what happens when it's at risk: https://buff.ly/4aTmxaR