---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You have to build relationships and learn…"
description: "\"You have to build relationships and learn what are the things that are of interest to other members of Congress, what are the things that folks have be..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b95/sharice-davids-5888_congress_you-have-to-build-relationships-and-lear_3192898.jpg"
---

#  You have to build relationships and learn what are the…

![“You have to build relationships and learn what are the things that are of interest to other members of Congress, what are the things that folks have been taking a lead on for a really long time.” quote by Sharice Davids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b95/sharice-davids-5888_congress_you-have-to-build-relationships-and-lear_3192898.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b95/sharice-davids-5888_congress_you-have-to-build-relationships-and-lear_3192898.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b95/sharice-davids-5888_congress_you-have-to-build-relationships-and-lear_3192898.jpg)

> “You have to build relationships and learn what are the things that are of interest to other members of Congress, what are the things that folks have been taking a lead on for a really long time.”

[Sharice Davids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharice-davids/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Building relationships and understanding colleagues' interests is essential for effective legislative work.

**In simple terms:** Know colleagues' interests to work together.

Key Takeaway

Invest time in listening and networking.

Themes

politics networking collaboration

Mood

strategic empathetic

Type

advisory practical

When to use this quote

- committee meetings
- campaign events
- policy negotiations
- constituent outreach

Key Concepts

legislative strategy relationship building

Questions to Reflect On

- How can you identify genuine interests versus political posturing?
- What strategies help maintain relationships across party lines?

A Different Perspective

Relationships alone may not overcome partisan divides.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Congress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/congress/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [Relationships](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relationships/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/)

## Related quotes

> [I think what people are looking for right now is not the kind of pizzazz and pop that perhaps we thought we got in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-portman/i-think-what-people-are-looking-for-right-now-is-not-the-kind-of/)

[Rob Portman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-portman/)

> [Obviously, I am a member of Congress, and things that I say are elevated on a national level, and I understand that very clearly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-tlaib/obviously-i-am-a-member-of-congress-and-things-that-i-say-are/)

[Rashida Tlaib](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-tlaib/)

> [Why can't we digest a woman taking the lead in a love scene?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepti-naval/why-can-t-we-digest-a-woman-taking-the-lead-in-a-love-scene/)

[Deepti Naval](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepti-naval/)

> [If we're doing a class project, then I'm going to be the one talking and taking the lead. I might not necessarily put all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dak-prescott/if-we-re-doing-a-class-project-then-i-m-going-to-be-the-one-talking/)

[Dak Prescott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dak-prescott/)

> [Taking the lead, that was the hard part. To concede after that was a massive disappointment - not good enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-gerrard/taking-the-lead-that-was-the-hard-part-to-concede-after-that-was-a/)

[Steven Gerrard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-gerrard/)

> [Trace started on his way again, this time taking the lead. "She's five-four and weighs less than one-twenty. Matt can handle himself." "Says the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-foster/trace-started-on-his-way-again-this-time-taking-the-lead-she-s-five/)

[Lori Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-foster/)

> [“When fear raises it's head, don't freak, look it in the eye, ask it its name and what it wants to teach you, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/les-dossey/when-fear-raises-it-s-head-don-t-freak-look-it-in-the-eye-ask-it-its/)

Les Dossey

> [By taking the lead on the flop, I can give myself opportunities to win more money when I am strong and pick up some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hellmuth/by-taking-the-lead-on-the-flop-i-can-give-myself-opportunities-to-win/)

[Phil Hellmuth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-hellmuth/)

> [If you're not starting well and not taking the lead, then you're constantly putting pressure on yourself as a team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hughton/if-you-re-not-starting-well-and-not-taking-the-lead-then-you-re/)

[Chris Hughton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hughton/)

> [If a trip is worth taking, members of Congress should be prepared to justify paying for it out of their office accounts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russ-feingold/if-a-trip-is-worth-taking-members-of-congress-should-be-prepared-to/)

[Russ Feingold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russ-feingold/)

> [What is required from members of Congress and the public alike is a new spirit of devotion to the national welfare beyond party or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-bayh/what-is-required-from-members-of-congress-and-the-public-alike-is-a/)

[Evan Bayh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-bayh/)

> [WASHINGTON - Ever since President Obama ordered American warplanes to begin bombing terrorist targets in Iraq and Syria last year, members of Congress have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-baker/washington-ever-since-president-obama-ordered-american-warplanes-to/)

[Peter Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-baker/)

> [We have some of the most influential Members of Congress here today, and I do hope that we can get this appropriation for these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/we-have-some-of-the-most-influential-members-of-congress-here-today/)

[John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/)

> [I firmly believe that if members of Congress fail to perform their most basic duty in passing a budget, then they do not deserve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-schrader/i-firmly-believe-that-if-members-of-congress-fail-to-perform-their/)

[Kurt Schrader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-schrader/)

> [About one-half of the members of Congress are seekers for office at the nomination of the President. Of the remainder, at least one-half have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/about-one-half-of-the-members-of-congress-are-seekers-for-office-at/)

[John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/)

## More by Sharice Davids

> [Growing up with a parent in the army, I saw firsthand the challenges our service members face when transitioning to new jobs after time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharice-davids/growing-up-with-a-parent-in-the-army-i-saw-firsthand-the-challenges/)

[Sharice Davids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharice-davids/)

> [President Trump used the office of the Presidency to solicit foreign interference in our elections for his own personal, political benefit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharice-davids/president-trump-used-the-office-of-the-presidency-to-solicit-foreign/)

[Sharice Davids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharice-davids/)

> [The Stonewall uprising was a day when brave individuals took to the streets to fight back against harassment and hate, and by doing so,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharice-davids/the-stonewall-uprising-was-a-day-when-brave-individuals-took-to-the/)

[Sharice Davids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharice-davids/)

> [I've been a vocal advocate for Medicaid expansion, which is why I co-sponsored legislation to incentivize states like Kansas to expand Medicaid by starting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharice-davids/i-ve-been-a-vocal-advocate-for-medicaid-expansion-which-is-why-i-co/)

[Sharice Davids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharice-davids/)

> [I've been put down, pushed aside, knocked out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharice-davids/i-ve-been-put-down-pushed-aside-knocked-out/)

[Sharice Davids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharice-davids/)

> [I'll keep fighting every day to put pressure on Senate leaders to do what's right for Kansas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharice-davids/i-ll-keep-fighting-every-day-to-put-pressure-on-senate-leaders-to-do/)

[Sharice Davids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharice-davids/)

> [Issues affecting tribal communities have routinely been minimized and ignored.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharice-davids/issues-affecting-tribal-communities-have-routinely-been-minimized-and/)

[Sharice Davids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharice-davids/)

> [When I do martial arts, I feel like its inward facing. Like, I'm improving myself, I'm getting healthier. It's almost like mindfulness for something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharice-davids/when-i-do-martial-arts-i-feel-like-its-inward-facing-like-i-m/)

[Sharice Davids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharice-davids/)

> [Tribes don't need Congressmembers' sympathy. What tribes need is for us to properly exercise our duty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharice-davids/tribes-don-t-need-congressmembers-sympathy-what-tribes-need-is-for-us/)

[Sharice Davids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharice-davids/)

> [The Paycheck Protection Program has been vital to helping our small businesses and workers weather the coronavirus pandemic. Yet this program has operated with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharice-davids/the-paycheck-protection-program-has-been-vital-to-helping-our-small/)

[Sharice Davids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharice-davids/)

> [Having L.G.B.T. people sitting in the room while decisions are being made, and sitting there as peers, will shift the conversation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharice-davids/having-l-g-b-t-people-sitting-in-the-room-while-decisions-are-being/)

[Sharice Davids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharice-davids/)

> [Healthcare is consistently the top issue that people talk to me about, and it continues to be one of my top priorities in Congress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharice-davids/healthcare-is-consistently-the-top-issue-that-people-talk-to-me-about/)

[Sharice Davids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharice-davids/)

> [Protecting our environment and natural resources is necessary for both our planet and our economy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharice-davids/protecting-our-environment-and-natural-resources-is-necessary-for/)

[Sharice Davids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharice-davids/)

> [If we're going to tackle the skyrocketing cost of prescription drugs, along with so many other issues that are at the top of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharice-davids/if-we-re-going-to-tackle-the-skyrocketing-cost-of-prescription-drugs/)

[Sharice Davids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharice-davids/)

> [I have a talent for coming up with an analogy about martial arts training for everything. It's because training to improve your martial arts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharice-davids/i-have-a-talent-for-coming-up-with-an-analogy-about-martial-arts/)

[Sharice Davids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharice-davids/)

[Explore all 100 Sharice Davids quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharice-davids/)

## More Congress quotes

> [Well, my wife, Cathy Gillespie, worked for Joe Barton, who was running for Congress in 1984.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-gillespie/well-my-wife-cathy-gillespie-worked-for-joe-barton-who-was-running/)

[Ed Gillespie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-gillespie/)

> [We will make sure our troops have all that is necessary to complete their missions. That's why I went to the Congress last September…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/we-will-make-sure-our-troops-have-all-that-is-necessary-to-complete/)

[George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/)

> [ I can't imagine that I would be asked that by the president-elect \[Donald Trump\], or then-president \[Barack Obama\]. But it's - I'm very clear.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/i-can-t-imagine-that-i-would-be-asked-that-by-the-president-elect/)

[James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/)

> [So our focus has to be on the things that we can control, which is to take the necessary measures working with Congress to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-carney/so-our-focus-has-to-be-on-the-things-that-we-can-control-which-is-to/)

[Jay Carney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-carney/)

> [It's disgraceful that year after year, Congress has bowed to the tobacco lobby and refused to act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-kennedy/it-s-disgraceful-that-year-after-year-congress-has-bowed-to-the/)

[Edward Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-kennedy/)

> [The Constitution is very clear on the - on the declaration of war or reacting to international crimes - crimes against nations. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-pitts/the-constitution-is-very-clear-on-the-on-the-declaration-of-war-or/)

Joe Pitts

> [Can you understand why the Congress, most states and most cities refuse to pass legislation requiring the registration and licensing of any and all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/can-you-understand-why-the-congress-most-states-and-most-cities/)

[Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/)

> [“ Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/united-states-congress/congress-shall-make-no-law-respecting-an-establishment-of-religion-or/)

United States Congress

> [As the longest serving Independent in the history of the United States Congress, as somebody who came into office by defeating an incumbent Democratic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/as-the-longest-serving-independent-in-the-history-of-the-united/)

[Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/)

> [As the first Member of Congress from western Washington to serve on the House Agriculture Committee in over 50 years, I am proud to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-larsen/as-the-first-member-of-congress-from-western-washington-to-serve-on/)

[Rick Larsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-larsen/)

> [About one-half of the members of Congress are seekers for office at the nomination of the President. Of the remainder, at least one-half have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/about-one-half-of-the-members-of-congress-are-seekers-for-office-at/)

[John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/)

> [My younger self could not imagine standing on the floor of Congress as a member of Congress voting on legislation that, if enacted, would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritchie-torres/my-younger-self-could-not-imagine-standing-on-the-floor-of-congress/)

[Ritchie Torres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritchie-torres/)

> [Rahul Gandhi cannot be a prime minister because he is a citizen of Britain, and his Indian citizenship will be cancelled; he won't even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subramanian-swamy/rahul-gandhi-cannot-be-a-prime-minister-because-he-is-a-citizen-of/)

[Subramanian Swamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subramanian-swamy/)

> [We need less travelling by jet plaes from congress to congress... but more kneeling and praying and pleading to God to have mercy on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martyn-lloyd-jones/we-need-less-travelling-by-jet-plaes-from-congress-to-congress-but/)

[Martyn Lloyd-Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martyn-lloyd-jones/)

> [Well I think that what we're seeing now is that the people feel like they, the people in Congress don't have their consent to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-ingraham/well-i-think-that-what-we-re-seeing-now-is-that-the-people-feel-like/)

[Laura Ingraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-ingraham/)

[Browse all 3,400 Congress quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/congress/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "You have to build relationships and learn what are the things that are of interest to other members of Congress, what are the things that folks have been taking a lead on for a really long time.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Sharice Davids"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharice-davids/you-have-to-build-relationships-and-learn-what-are-the-things-that/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Congress"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharice-davids/you-have-to-build-relationships-and-learn-what-are-the-things-that/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b95/sharice-davids-5888_congress_you-have-to-build-relationships-and-lear_3192898.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b95/sharice-davids-5888_congress_you-have-to-build-relationships-and-lear_3192898.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b95/sharice-davids-5888_congress_you-have-to-build-relationships-and-lear_3192898.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“You have to build relationships and learn what are the things that are of interest to other members of…” — Sharice Davids",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Sharice Davids",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharice-davids/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "You have to build relationships and...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharice-davids/you-have-to-build-relationships-and-learn-what-are-the-things-that/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharice-davids/you-have-to-build-relationships-and-learn-what-are-the-things-that/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
