The Foreign Service Journal, January-February 2019

30 JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2019 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL Getting Promoted The principles for promotion in the economic track should be the same as for any other track: great potential for leader- ship, strong interpersonal skills, and substantive experience and knowledge. As far as the latter is concerned, I don’t think eco- nomic officers are, or should be, a breed apart. As I have noted, economic officers should not see themselves as analytical econo- mists, but rather diplomats charged with advancing U.S. interests in the economic, environmental, scientific and related fields. Economic officers must be literate in economics and in policy, and knowledgeable about business trends. Economic officers should understand foreign government systems and political trends that affect the ability of governments and interest groups to cooperate with the United States. If officers think this way, they may impress ambassadors and senior officials, and lay the groundwork for promotion to the Senior Foreign Service and assignment to senior leadership positions. If, on the other hand, economic officers think, or are led to believe, that promotion is solely a factor of their knowledge of the technical stuff, the department will treat them as subject-matter experts rather than officers. Perhaps more than any other track, economic officers get experience in negotiations on behalf of the nation, one of the highest callings of the diplomacy profession. And when it comes time to do something else, Foreign Service economic experience is more easily transferable to the private sector than many other specialties. The State Department’s economic expertise is vital to advanc- ing U.S. economic interests worldwide and is very rewarding for the officers, as well. As far as the latter is concerned, consider the advantages of the economic track: officers who successfully help American business succeed or take down foreign trade barri- ers make an appreciable difference to American communities and businesses. Few other areas of foreign policy have such an immediate and direct connection to communities and constitu- encies in the United States. n