The Foreign Service Journal, March 2022

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2022 11 To increase awareness across the field and throughout our Foreign Service com- munity, I will work with the drafters of the guidance to showcase the historic work of my colleagues in an upcoming edition of the Journal . And I am pleased that the FSJ will follow the new guidance on PRC nomenclature. Tina Wong FSO Washington, D.C. Failure of Leadership John Negroponte once told me that the higher up you get, the less tolerance you’ll find for mistakes over very small things. I remembered this little chunk of wisdom when reading Marc Grossman’s apprecia- tion of Colin Powell ( “Lessons in Leader- ship, ” January-Feb- ruary 2022). The lessons in leadership Gross- man cites mostly consist of an astute massaging of the fragile egos of the many legends-in-their-own- minds with whomwe in the Foreign Ser- vice spend so much of our time dealing. Grossman justly notes Powell’s failure in swallowing his misgivings over Iraq to play the “good soldier” for Bush and Cheney in their disastrous rush to war in 2003, but seems to regard it as a minor peccadillo compared to his virtues. Powell certainly did nice things for the Foreign and Civil Services and paid more attention to the institution of the State Department than do most Secre- taries. But his failure to understand the pivotal position he occupied as perhaps the only person who might have stayed Bush’s hand in Iraq strikes me as the ultimate failure of leadership when it was most needed. Edward H. Vazquez Minister Counselor, retired Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey Resilience and Balance In revisiting “How the Transition Center Expands Inclusion” (July/Aug ust 2021) by Maryum Saifee, I found one passage especially relevant as the new year rolls in: “As Foreign Service officers, we are hardwired to put our personal lives on the back burner to serve the broader mission. However, this isn’t sustainable and ultimately leads to burnout.” In the spirit of reversing that culture, I offer a few strategies I have found helpful in maintaining well-being. Gratitude. This may sound cliché, but expressing gratitude does lift spirits. A large body of research shows contemplat- ing reasons to be grateful boosts overall well-being. Simply thinking of “three things in life that you are grateful for” can improve mood. Kindness. Research shows performing acts of kindness, helping others, improves the well-being of the actor in measurable ways. This could be simply helping a colleague meet a dead- line, or a neighbor hang a picture, or even a stranger with luggage. The next time you see a colleague unceremoniously struggling with a late- night international negotiation, bring them a cup of tea. Better yet, buy your GSO lunch. Job crafting. Creating the job you want, seeking out challenges, growing and using your strengths at work are all correlated with greater well-being and engagement, according to a large body of research. Job crafting is essentially chang- ing your work to make it more engaging and meaningful. This can take many forms, including, “ task craft- ing , which involves altering the type, scope, sequence and number of tasks that make up your job,” according to Jane Dutton and Amy Wrzesniewski writ- ing for Harvard Business Review . This may prove complicated for FSOs but is by no means out of reach. What projects would you like to take on next year? Think of ways you can alter aspects of your work and have an open conversa- tion with your leadership. Intrinsic motivation. Finding intrinsic motivation at work is associated with greater engagement and well-being. Defined as “behaviors that are performed for their inherent interest and enjoyment of the activity itself” by Marie Dacey et al., intrinsic motivation leads us to strive toward a personal goal, whether that is baking the perfect loaf of sourdough or balancing on a slackline. Though none of these techniques alone can transform a truly untenable situation, they might just give enough of a return to shake us out of cynicism and negativity. Zed Tarar FSO U.S. Embassy London Move Away from Risk Avoidance In “Changing a Risk-Averse Paradigm at High-Threat Posts Abroad” (Notes to the New Administration, March 2021), Greg Starr and Ronald E. Neumann