Dave’s Winter Insights on Engagement
Winter’s here, and it’s a great time to be out in the field. From snow on the Allegheny ridges to the sharp wind across the plains to the chill of the Pacific Northwest, every season brings its own kind of beauty—and its own rhythm to the work. You see our country differently when you travel through it every season. The cold mornings, the quiet small towns and the frozen job sites all remind us how much people care about the land and what happens on it.
Of course, not every meeting feels calm or picturesque. Sometimes the passion in a public hearing fills the room. Folks raise their voices because they care strongly about things. And that’s OK. But when the room gets too loud, it’s a cue to get creative—to find other ways to communicate, listen and engage.
Good engagement doesn’t come from a script. It comes from reading the moment. Some communities want facts and figures. Others want to know who’s behind the project and what kind of neighbors they’ll be. Sometimes an email is as loud as 3 minutes at a public meeting. There’s no one-size-fits-all playbook—and that’s what keeps this work challenging and rewarding.
The best campaigns adapt. They meet people where they are—in coffee shops, at ballfields, or through local voices they already trust. Each season, like each county, brings something new to learn. And that’s the beauty of being in this line of work: the chance to see the country up close, listen more than we talk, and keep finding better ways to connect.