One question stuck with me after a week in San Francisco, and it says a lot about how public affairs teams grow (or stall). In Silicon Valley, everyone asks “𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘥𝘪𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯?” In Washington, everyone asks “𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘥𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸?” It’s a small difference, but it changes everything about the culture you build and the depth of insights you get. At the Masters of Scale Summit and in meetings with investors and builders, that first question came up constantly. 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘥𝘪𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯? Not as a test of authority, but as an invitation to curiosity — to share experiments, surprises, and the messy parts of progress. In Washington, we tend to prize knowing. And for good reason: in public affairs, credibility depends on accuracy and confidence. But when “knowing” becomes the only thing rewarded, it can stifle the curiosity that drives better strategy and sharper insight. That limits your ability to anticipate what’s coming. For leaders, that’s a challenge: are you building a culture that rewards curiosity, not just existing knowledge? For rising professionals, it’s an opportunity: the people who get ahead in this field aren’t the ones who know the most, they’re the ones who keep learning the fastest. Because in an environment this complex and fast-moving, what you know will always change. What matters is how quickly you learn, connect, and apply what’s next. That’s how innovation happens, whether you’re building technology or building impact and momentum for policy change.
Katie Harbath
2mo
I love this! Never heard it put this way and it's so right.
Lillian Federico
1mo
Well said!
I lived in DC for 5 years or so. For me, the question was always , "Who do you know?" and your value was determined by many to be how close you were to centers of power (ie, the White House).