Leadership is often described through the language of decisiveness and strength.
However, in my experience, shaped by my work in Congress, subsequent work on corporate client teams and now my role as Executive Director of the Congressional Fire Services Institute (CFSI), some of the most powerful forms of leadership are rooted in consensus building and the courage to ask.
My career began in Washington, DC, as an intern in the US Senate.
The most important lessons I learned there were simple but enduring: no task is too small, always carry a notebook and when someone asks you to do something challenging, say yes despite the fear and follow through to the best of your abilities.
These lessons, forged in the halls of Congress, have proven time and again to be foundational not only to internships, but to the broader work of public service leadership.
Michaela Campbell
When I was hired full time in the Senate, fire policy was just one of many issues in my policy portfolio.
It did not take long, however, for that work to stand out. The fire and emergency services mission is bipartisan, rooted in community and grounded in real lives and real consequences.
I gravitated towards the work and it led me to CFSI.
CFSI is an organization whose mission is straightforward in concept and complex in execution: to educate Congress and the federal government about the needs of the fire and emergency services and to educate the fire and emergency services on how to engage effectively with government so that progress is possible.
At the heart of that mission is consensus building, which begins not with answers, but with questions.
Consensus can sometimes be misunderstood as happenstance or lucky alignment of the stars.
In reality, it is deliberate and demanding work.
Consensus does not mean everyone getting what they want. It means identifying common ground, aligning around shared principles and continually recommitting to moving forward together.
Michaela Campbell
That process requires leaders to ask hard questions: What matters most? What can we agree on? What are we willing to give up to achieve a larger goal?
Asking those questions and creating space for honest answers, is what turns disagreement into progress.
This approach has shaped nearly every major federal fire policy success over the last several decades.
By advancing policy through consensus, the fire and emergency services have been able to speak with a credible and consistent voice, one that policymakers respond to.
The Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) and Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) programs are prime examples.
CFSI and our partner organizations helped create these programs, worked to reauthorize them, advocated for consistent funding and continue to engage to ensure they function as effectively as possible.
Michaela Campbell
That work requires constant dialogue, thoughtful questions, and the confidence to speak up as conditions change.
None of this progress happens without long-term engagement and a clear policy ask.
Making a policy ask is both a skill and a mindset.
Early in my career, I was often on the receiving end of requests while working in Congress, where constituents and organizations regularly sought support for funding or policy changes.
That experience taught me what preparation looks like and how credibility is earned, not just given.
Later, as I moved into advocacy roles, I became the one asking the questions and I quickly learned how much harder that is.
Working with a wide range of clients and policy teams exposed me to different approaches and expectations, while watching how other advocates made their case helped shape my own style.
I learned effective advocacy is rarely about the request alone.
Michaela Campbell
It begins with curiosity and investment in the relationships that make meaningful dialogue possible.
Progress is not transactional; it is relational.
You must actively seek out the opinions and viewpoints of others, work to build trust and recognize that meaningful change rarely happens alone.
In a world that often rewards speed and individual achievement, consensus building can sometimes feel slow and cumbersome.
Yet it works. It produces durable policy, strengthens relationships and ensures that progress lasts beyond any single moment or leader.
The saying “if you want to go far, go together” is not just a saying at CFSI. It is the foundation of how we operate.
Regardless of the challenges, it shapes how we build consensus, how we engage Congress and the federal government and how we support the fire and emergency services community.
It is not easy work, but it is impactful.
Similarly, asking the questions is difficult, but essential.
As in life, it can be intimidating to ask for what you want or need. It requires a willingness to put yourself out there in pursuit of progress, and errors are sometimes the cost of trying to move forward.
Michaela Campbell
But, if you don’t ask, you can never receive. Leadership, like advocacy, demands the courage to ask despite the risks.
As I look ahead in my role at CFSI, I remain guided by the principles that brought me here: no task is too small, always carry a notebook, say yes and do your best to follow through.
With my subsequent experience, I would add one more lesson: stay curious and make the ask.
