Crafting a Compelling Narrative: Leadership Strategies for Bipartisan Partnership Building

by Matthew Levinger, Director of the National Security Studies Program, The George Washington University

 


The coming two years of the 119th Congress will be a period of significant political uncertainty. For federal contractors, this environment presents both challenges and opportunities. As the future policy landscape takes shape, questions arise about the economic strategies that will drive the federal budget and how policies like tariffs and tax cuts might impact government procurement. The stakes are high, and it is critical for federal contractors who rely on stable government partnerships to understand the complexities of the political moment. Given the narrow margins between the Republican and Democratic Congressional delegations, bipartisan collaboration is more important than ever. Business leaders must work to cultivate strong relationships on both sides of the aisle by forging a shared narrative and fostering mutual trust.

Every successful organization requires a focused and compelling strategic narrative—a shared story that motivates its listeners to take coordinated action toward a shared goal by defining the stakes of the struggle and mapping a path to success.

An effective strategic narrative has three attributes:

First, it reinforces shared values. Consider one of the greatest political stories of all time: President Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address. “Four score and seven years ago,” Lincoln declared, “our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.” In the same way that President Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address resonated with a nation divided by civil war, a strategic narrative in federal contracting must appeal to the values that resonate across the political spectrum. For federal contractors, these values include integrity, efficiency, and the shared goal of service to the nation by delivering public value. By grounding efforts in these universal principles, federal contractors can foster alignment with both lawmakers and the public, regardless of political affiliation.

 


Read the entire article in the Winter 2025 edition of Service Contractor magazine.