Megan Scheid🚢

Local gov leader, public affairs strategist, community builder, mentor, Navy veteran *all opinions are my own*

[Megan Scheid🚢 @RsvlMegan]

At a department head retreat when I was 51, I learned I was the only person on our 14-member department head team whose Working Genius was Wonder.

Most of my colleagues had strengths around execution.

With Wonder, I was the one asking why.

Why are we doing this? Why now? Why are we spending that much? Why aren’t we doing the other thing? How did we get here?

I was asking questions I was genuinely curious about, but also ones I knew I’d get from staff and the community.

Yet my reaction wasn’t, “Good. The team needs someone different.”

It was closer to: Shoot. More evidence that my role won’t be seen as essential as others in the room.

I knew the work mattered. I wasn’t always sure it was valued the same way.

Meanwhile, my colleagues were getting things done. Roads paved. Permits issued. Parks built. Arrests made. Technology working. Fires out. Paychecks sent.

My results were harder to put on a dashboard.

Trust. Credibility. Understanding. Relationships.

You can be excellent at doing the work and still lose trust if people don’t understand why you’re doing it.

It took me longer than I’d like to admit to understand that asking why was part of getting the work done.

[Megan Scheid🚢 @RsvlMegan]

@Nicolascole77

[Megan Scheid🚢 @RsvlMegan]

Some people paint in retirement. I'm enjoying having. more time to write. And to share what I learned from decades of helping people communicate.

[Megan Scheid🚢 @RsvlMegan]

@Nicolascole77 Some people start Online Writing School with https://t.co/WlTBdKMdL5 taking notes.
Me: paper and pen and writing in cursive

[Megan Scheid🚢 @RsvlMegan]

Purple reigns in Sacramento! Awesome cheering in the ‘Cats in my hometown. So proud of @NUMensBball and grateful to @NUAlumni for the purple haze of revelry this week. Just doing my @MedillSchool thing telling stories @thedailynu #NCAAbasketball #northwesternu #b1gcats

[Megan Scheid🚢 @RsvlMegan]

Thanks Creative Elements for being my top podcast on @Spotify this year. I loved all 1,175 minutes of it. #SpotifyWrapped @jayclouse https://t.co/1YYMucGa7m

[Megan Scheid🚢 @RsvlMegan]

@EnglishEpiphany You lay out a solid case for how we can use the platform to enrich our pursuits instead of seeing it only as a place to air opinions. Very insightful

[Megan Scheid🚢 @RsvlMegan]

@EnglishEpiphany Very well said. The part I struggle with is how to execute when I also work full time. I’ve had to slow my shipping pace since I was giving up sleep, exercise and family time. But I remain committed!

[Megan Scheid🚢 @RsvlMegan]

If you found this thread valuable:

1. Toss me a follow for more threads on government communications, public engagement, and leadership: @RsvlMegan

2. Here’s a similar tweet you might enjoy on calculating the sh*t-to-gain ratio: https://t.co/tdr3wGi9K9
#ship30for30 #localgov

[Megan Scheid🚢 @RsvlMegan]

Sometimes we create more sh*t with our response. Pausing to make this calculation just makes life better. #ship30for30 #day6

[Megan Scheid🚢 @RsvlMegan]

Election season is tricky for government officials.

Causes and candidates can put out information that's inaccurate, outdated, or lacks context.

In the past 20 years, I've been through 12 election cycles.

To address misinformation, I use the same framework every time.

🧵👇

[Megan Scheid🚢 @RsvlMegan]

Whether to correct misinformation:

• #1: Determine how egregious the error is
• #2: Develop the full picture
• #3: Let the person know
• #4: Don't make a bigger deal out of it than it is
• #5: Ensure people can find accurate info on your website
• #6: Be a credible source

[Megan Scheid🚢 @RsvlMegan]

https://t.co/wXK4679HGJ

[Megan Scheid🚢 @RsvlMegan]

You're going about your business, giving it all you've got, achieving some wins along the way. Zero-sum'ers think your wins are their losses. Here's how to handle these folks so they're speed bumps, not road blocks on your path
#ship30for30 #winningmindset #leadershipmatters

[Megan Scheid🚢 @RsvlMegan]

Lessons from a rock that prevent you from wasting energy during the organizational change process. Hint: It's easier to move a rock when you understand its peculiarities #ship30for30 #organizationalchange #changemanagement #transformationalleadership