Managing the fish and wildlife public trust is challenging especially in a value diverse and increasingly polarized society. High profile and controversial topics like wolves are uniquely difficult and complex because they occur in our sharpest sociopolitical realities of the day including our urban vs. rural fracture, decreased faith in government and leaders, and the promotion of “alternative facts.” However, wolves provide a superb opportunity for managers to grow in our societal cognizance and better engage with our publics to improve two-way communication, trust, and credibility. Managers must become savvier to choreograph well in a changed world – not just the biological to ecological, but also the psychological and the sociological. We must reinvent ourselves to interact with our publics in a manner that reduces barriers and promotes valued connections with individuals, groups, communities, and media professionals, that broadens and deepens human relationships and participation. Some hard-earned perspectives and ideas are presented here.