Strategies for Congressional Chiefs of Staff
You who hold everything together — translating a congressman's vision into action, absorbing pressure from every direction, and doing it all with very little public acknowledgment. You are like one of history's most compelling models of trusted service: a man named Mordecai. His story is found in the book of Esther, but his wisdom reads like it was written for a congressional office in the middle of a tough legislative session.
Mordecai wasn't a king. He wasn't a general. He was an advisor — a man who lived and worked near the center of power without holding formal authority himself. His name means "little man," which tells us something about how he carried himself. Not with ego. Not with ambition for its own sake. With steadiness, wisdom, and an unusual kind of courage.
He lived in the citadel — the ancient equivalent of the Capitol complex. In that world, citadels weren't just military fortresses. They were the nerve centers of governance. The places where rulers lived and where decisions that affected millions of people were made. Mordecai knew that environment deeply. He understood how power worked, where the threats came from, and how to navigate both with integrity.
He also raised Esther, his orphaned cousin, in that same environment. When she eventually stepped into a historic moment, she carried his influence with her. That's what great advisors do — they serve, and in some ways shape, leaders before the crisis, not just during it.
Mordecai's story has a great deal to teach chiefs of staff.
Ten Principles for Chiefs of Staff
There are ten principles drawn from Mordecai's life and actions in the book of Esther which speak directly to the challenges chiefs of staff face in a congressional context — from managing confidential information to protecting your principal to keeping your dignity under pressure.
Here's a preview of the full framework:
1. Discretion — Know what to share, what to protect, and when. Mordecai instructed Esther to conceal her identity, and she listened. Discretion is protection — of your principal, your office, you, and the mission.
2. Intentional Anonymity — Not every contribution needs your name on it. Some of the most important work a chief of staff does is invisible. Mordecai moved quietly behind the scenes, and it mattered enormously.
3. Consistent Reconnaissance — Mordecai showed up at the palace gate every single day to check on Esther. Staying informed is not optional. It's a discipline. Keep your finger on the pulse, even when nothing seems urgent.
4. Stay in Your Elevated Place — After Esther became queen, Mordecai remained at the king's gate. He held his post. Don't shrink from your role when pressure mounts. Your position comes with responsibility — stay in it.
5. Protect Your Principal — When Mordecai uncovered an assassination plot, he moved immediately to protect the king through Esther. The safety and wellbeing of the leader you serve is your key opportunity and obligation.
6. Keep Your Dignity — Haman demanded that Mordecai bow. He refused. In environments saturated with political pressure and ego, the temptation to compromise your values for survival is real. Hold the line.
7. Pray Hard — When the worst came, Mordecai tore his clothes and cried out to God in fasting and grief. Before strategy, before action, before anything — prayer. Prayer is strength. It is the foundation.
8. Keep a Paper Trail — Mordecai sent Esther a written copy of the edict. In governance, the details matter. Document conversations. Confirm decisions in writing. Protect the record.
9. Reinforce the Main Thing — Mordecai reminded Esther of who she was and why she was there: "You are one of them." A chief of staff's most important job is sometimes calling a leader back to their core purpose when the pressure of the moment threatens to pull them off course.
10. Let Your Enemies Hang Themselves — Haman built a gallows for Mordecai. He ended up on it. There is a wisdom in restraint — in refusing to match cruelty with cruelty. Stay righteous. Stay steady. Let integrity do its work.
This framework isn't a political strategy guide. It isn't a career playbook. It's a framework for serving with grace and skill - for doing this difficult, often invisible work with the kind of wisdom and character that helps you not only survive but thrive.
Looking Ahead
In the posts ahead, we'll take one or two principles from The Mordecai Framework and unpack them in depth — exploring what they look like inside a congressional office and how to practice them with real intentionality.
Mordecai didn't stay in the shadows forever. He eventually wore royal robes, walked through the city with honor, and served as second-in-command to the king himself. But none of that came without years of faithful, unglamorous work first.
Having worked alongside chiefs of staff on The Hill, I know firsthand that the work you do behind the scenes carries real weight. The pressures you absorb, the judgment calls you make at 11 p.m., the moments when you're the only one standing between your member and a serious mistake — those things matter more than most people will ever see or acknowledge.
Next week, we'll start where so many crucial moments begin: discretion — and what it truly means to protect yourself and the agenda of the leader you serve.
Stay tuned. And in the meantime, know that we are praying for you.
Subscribe to Mordecai's Dear Colleague below.