The Foreign Service Journal, March 2007

from countries that do not easily side with the United States. Succeeding at this endeavor in today’s still very tradi- tional diplomatic environment, re- quires social skills as much as any oth- ers. One ambassador I served under in Finland was a Reagan-appointed rancher from the West. His substan- tive experience in international affairs was limited, but he spoke the lan- guage fluently and possessed superb interpersonal abilities. He also knew his weaknesses and exploited his strengths, particularly by criss-cross- ing the country to meet people. An exuberant chairman of a local city council remarked to me that in all his years in politics, he had never had a discussion in his own language with an American ambassador. This ap- pointee and his family eventually became bigger celebrities in the coun- try than virtually anyone else, appear- ing almost daily in the media, and par- ticularly in large-circulation magazines that covered movers and shakers. In Lapland, the ambassador amazed the Sami population at a rein- deer round-up when he lassoed one of the animals properly by the right leg. Twenty-five years later, they still talk about the American diplomat who was interested in them and their culture. Ultimately, it did not matter that he was not always at ease advocating detailed positions. The country’s pres- ident came frequently to the resi- dence for evening chats in front of the fireplace with his shoes off. That rela- tionship had an effective political pay- off for American interests. For any diplomat, there is a temp- tation to mingle only with the rich and elite — for whom being seen with the American ambassador is a big social plus. But winning friends and influ- encing people requires targeted social interaction and accomplished repre- sentation at all levels of society. One political appointee I worked with 16 F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L / M A R C H 2 0 0 7 S P E A K I N G O U T