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The value of scientists engaging with community members and other public audiences is widely recognized, and there is a growing literature devoted to the theory and practice of public engagement with science. However, as a group of professionals concerned with how public engagement is understood and practiced in the fields of ecology and environmental science, we see a need for accessible guidance for scientists who want to engage effectively, and for scientific leaders who want to support successful public engagement programs in their institutions. Here, we highlight six attributes of successful public engagement efforts led by scientists and scientific institutions: (1) strategic, (2) cumulative, (3) reciprocal, (4) reflexive, (5) equitable, and (6) evidence‐based. By designing and developing practices that incorporate these attributes, scientists and scientific organizations will be better poised to build two‐way linkages with communities that, over time, support science‐informed decision‐making in society and societally informed decision‐making in science.