Meeting, finding common ground with elected officials critical

Publishers often neglect the critical element of building a working relationship with their elected officials until, unfortunately, they are opposite sides of a fence. 
Developing a working relationship with an elected official is not about agreeing on everything, but rather discovering those opportunities where you both share interests. And the only way to get there is by investing time to build a relationship. For many of us, that means reliving your teenage first-date jitters.

By Leonard Woolsey, TPA President

First , summon your courage and make the ask. Make it simple — coffee, a quick lunch, or just a visit to either of your offices. But every great relationship begins with a first date. 
Second, take time to learn about the person across from you. Odds are they are much like you or share similar experiences. You might even know a few people in common. And nothing develops a close relationship like shared experiences and shared family activities. At the end of the day, this is one of the greatest bridge builders. 
Importantly, this second step must be genuine. Being an elected official is not easy. The same can be said for being the publisher or editor of a local newspaper. But in the end, odds are you both share a core set of values for family and community, along with a desire to leave the world a better place. Get to know your elected officials beyond the title before their name. Doing so naturally brings you together, establishing the groundwork for a mutually respectful relationship.  
The third step is to seek out areas where you can both work together. Ask your officials what key issues they wish to tackle. Much like you, they have goals and plans. They, too, want to show results. By asking the right questions, you might be surprised to find some easy common ground. That provides both of you a foothold on building a relationship.
Finally, repeat often. In Texas, where the legislature meets every other year, you have plenty of time to build relationships with lawmakers based on shared goals rather than the sharp edges of political disagreement. Your relationship with elected officials is a critical part of your job —effectively communicating the wants and needs of your community. And the best way to do this is taking the time first to develop a working relationship.
Remember this: at the end of the day, you both serve your community. Little gets done with constant sword-clashing. The people we and our lawmakers serve expect and deserve us to have a working relationship. Waiting until you have an urgent need to establish a relationship is often too late for a positive outcome. You must do your homework – and that means putting in the time and effort this important job deserves. 
I keep in touch with my state and federal officials regularly via email, text and an occasional phone call. We know where we agree and where we don’t. At this point, we work toward finding the common interests, knowing there are and will be times when we staunchly disagree. But because of our regular and frequent communications, our relationship keeps us searching for the former.
So summon up the courage for that first date – you might be surprised at what you find and what you can get done.  
The next legislative session is six weeks away, so this is an important time to sit down with your legislators before their agendas get set in concrete and you find yourself on the outside looking in.
Make that call. Soon.