I recently went one-on-one with Bill Burton. Bill served as National Press Secretary for President Barack Obama’s re-election campaign and then as Deputy White House Press Secretary. Bill is the founder and CEO of Bryson Gillette.
Adam: What are the best lessons you learned from your experience on presidential campaigns?
Bill: One of the most important lessons I learned is that information is only as valuable as who you share it with. On a presidential campaign, you are often sitting on insights that matter a lot, whether to senior leadership, a state team, or a policy group like national security or the economy. If you are not making sure the right people have the right information at the right time, you are not doing your job. Campaigns move too fast and the stakes are too high for information to sit in one place. Success depends on sharing it well.
Adam: What are the best lessons you learned from your time working in the White House?
Bill: Working in the White House brings a different level of intensity and responsibility. The hours are not necessarily longer than a campaign, but the work is more concentrated and the stakes are higher. When you are speaking on behalf of the United States, your words do not just reflect one person or one organization. They send signals to Congress, foreign governments, industries, and the public. You learn very quickly that your words matter. That level of responsibility is stressful, but it is also an incredible privilege.
Adam: What are the keys to effective communication? How can anyone become a better communicator?
Bill: Clarity and authenticity matter most. If what you are saying is not authentic to you or to the organization you represent, it will not land. And if it is not clear, people will not understand it. The best communicators stay true to who they are and make sure their message is easy to follow for the audiences they care about. When you combine authenticity with clarity, you give people something they can believe in and act on.
Adam: Who do you consider to be the best leaders you have been around and what did you learn from them?
Bill: President Obama stands out. What impressed me most was not just how smart he is or how well he communicates, but how hard he works. He would take home hundreds of pages of briefings, read them, mark them up, and come back fully prepared. He knew the material as well as anyone. That sets a tone for everyone around you.
I have also been impressed by leaders like James Talarico in Texas. He brings a level of clarity and authenticity that feels different from what we have seen in Democratic politics for a long time. He is willing to communicate in ways that are not typical for the party, and that willingness to be direct and genuine is powerful.
Adam: What do you believe are the defining qualities of an effective leader?
Bill: Effective leaders have a clear vision for where they want to go, the courage to stand up for what they believe even when it is not popular, and the willingness to do the work. That means understanding the issues, listening to the right people, and putting in the time to get things right. Leadership is not just about instincts. It is about putting in the effort behind those instincts.
Adam: How can leaders and aspiring leaders take their leadership skills to the next level?
Bill: You get better by pushing yourself beyond what you think you are capable of. I think about my son when he started playing football. He told me that if he had known what the practices would require, he would not have believed he could do it. But once he did, it changed how he saw himself. Leadership works the same way. You have to look for opportunities to stretch, develop your voice, and take on things you are not sure you are ready for, especially when it is in service of something bigger than you.
Adam: What are your three best tips applicable to entrepreneurs, executives, and civic leaders?
Bill: First, stay curious and be willing to take smart risks. That is how you grow.
Second, lead with empathy. People need to feel understood if you want them to trust you.
Third, communicate through clear and authentic stories. People follow what they believe in.
Adam: What is the single best piece of advice you have ever received?
Bill: The best advice I ever got came from my dad. Never give up. It is not over until it is over. When I was applying to college, I was promised a scholarship that did not show up in my financial aid package. I thought my plans were falling apart. Instead of accepting it, I wrote letters to the dean, the president, and others. They ended up reinstating the scholarship, and I was able to go to the school I wanted. That stuck with me. Things are often not as final as they seem if you keep pushing.
Adam: Is there anything else you would like to share?
Bill: Having worked in politics, government, the private sector, and now running a business, the older I get, the more I realize that the most important thing is the people you care about. Your work should be in service of your family and your relationships. It should not be the other way around. When you get that backward, you risk making the most important parts of your life secondary to something that is just work.
