Trust is a prerequisite to engagement. When it’s lacking, avoidance is often the default. That’s exactly what’s happening between business and government today.
According to the Pew Research Center, public trust in government is at historic lows. In 2023, only 16% of Americans reported they trust the federal government to do what is right “just about always” or “most of the time.” Gallup’s 2025 survey reinforces the point: lobbyists and members of Congress rank near the bottom in perceived ethics, below attorneys and business executives.
This backdrop has led many companies—especially mid-sized manufacturers unfamiliar with policymaking—to view government as a risk to minimize, not a stakeholder to engage. The instinct is understandable. It’s also expensive.
Government influences business performance through regulation, funding, trade policy, and procurement. Leaders who sideline government affairs are leaving competitive advantage unrealized.
Throughout my experience advising corporations, I’ve encountered three common myths that hinder meaningful engagement. When these assumptions are challenged, organizations unlock measurable business value.
Myth #1: “Government Affairs is just Lobbying”
It’s easy to imagine a government affairs professional as someone who works the halls of Capitol Hill, armed with talking points and connections. This stereotype persists for a reason—it describes one part of the role. However, it represents only a narrow slice of what government affairs can do.
The highest-performing GA teams are far more strategic. They function like any other core business capability, offering structure, insight, and a disciplined approach to navigating public policy. They assess regulatory changes, identify funding opportunities, and prepare internal teams to act quickly and effectively.
Success in government affairs rarely comes from one-off interventions or relationships alone. Instead, it requires embedding policy strategy into the business itself. When the GA function is aligned with company goals—just like finance or operations—it moves from being a reactive tool to a proactive driver of value.
Myth #2: “We only need Government Affairs in a Crisis”
To be fair, most executives don’t actually say this, but they often act as if it’s true.
It’s a familiar pattern: a regulation delays a product launch, a tariff impacts margins, or a funding window closes unexpectedly. Suddenly, government affairs becomes urgent, budgeted, and visible. Crisis makes the investment feel justified.
This is a natural decision-making bias. Fixing problems feels real and immediate, while preventing them—or capitalizing on opportunities—can seem abstract. It’s the same challenge faced by corporate legal teams or cybersecurity functions. Leaders often hesitate to invest in something they can’t yet quantify.
In my experience, the best way to counter this bias is to anchor GA efforts to concrete business goals. For example, a GA leader might want to build relationships with members of Congress in the company’s footprint. To her, the value is obvious. To her CEO, it may not be—until she connects the dots to a specific goal: securing an appropriation, influencing a tariff exemption, or ensuring eligibility for a federal grant program.
Proactive GA efforts aren’t just about staying ahead. They’re about tying strategy to outcomes and making the abstract tangible.
Myth #3: “We’re Too Small to Make a Difference”
Large corporations may dominate the headlines when it comes to political influence. Their visibility and spending are hard to ignore. This reality often leads smaller and mid-sized companies to believe their voices don’t carry weight. That belief is mistaken.
Legislators and regulators are often eager to hear from employers and community leaders in their districts—especially those who can explain how policies play out in real-world scenarios. The impact of a plant closure, a delayed project, or a hiring freeze resonates with elected officials who care about their constituents.
Even modest engagement such as hosting a facility tour, participating in public comment periods, or meeting with a congressional staffer can have meaningful impact. Effective engagement doesn’t require a large budget. It requires clarity, intention, and a commitment to show up consistently.
A Final Note about that Gallup Survey and Today’s GA Function
The trust gap between business and government is wide—wider than it’s been in decades. That makes it easy to understand why many companies hesitate to engage. What’s harder to justify is the cost of staying disengaged.
Whether you realize it or not, government is already influencing your business. Through regulation, funding, trade policy, and procurement, it plays a role in how you operate, compete, and grow. If you’re not managing that relationship with structure and intent, you’re not managing it at all.
At TGS Advisory, we help companies bring clarity to that challenge. We don’t lobby. We build internal capabilities—government affairs functions that operate with the same discipline you expect from finance, operations, or strategy. It’s about shifting from reactive problem-solving to proactive value creation.
If your company is ready to take that step, we’re ready to help.