Organizational behavior: "the office" vs "the road"

Every organization has some version of this division: the engineers (or R&D) at the home office (or lab) versus the sales reps on the road; or, the headquarters senior management versus the regional offices. There are many variations. When these two key dimensions of an organization are at odds, it is difficult to be successful no matter how good the product is or how hot the market might be.

Presidential campaigns are no different as this intriguing analysis of the Howard Dean campaign shows:

Every presidential campaign has an ambitious strategist, a James Carville or Karl Rove, pulling the strings back at headquarters, and an unassuming body man (or woman) traveling with the candidate, a loyalist who can read his moods, cater to his needs and watch his back. And there are often tensions between "the office" and "the road." For Trippi [office strategist] and O'Connor [road confidante], the sparring began early and never let up.

Why were the strategists angry at Kate O'Connor, Dean's road companion and confidante (having been with him through his Vermont campaigns for Governor)? Well, this isn't too reassuring:

"She had the thankless job of keeping him on message. He's the kind of guy who will chat with somebody and change his opinion. She would control access, and that angers people. . . ."

Chat with someone and then change his position?

Read the whole thing.