The Foreign Service Journal, March 2023

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2023 37 Why Senior Leaders Cannot Reform the State Department FOCUS ON FS REFORM: OUTLOOK AND CONSIDERATIONS T en years ago, Kori Schake, a former polit- ical appointee deputy director for policy planning at the State Department, wrote State of Disrepair , a critical look aimed at improving our organization. While cov- erage of the book was sparse, those who did react (including one review in the October 2012 FSJ ) acknowledged that the book hit on some important points, yet disagreed with Schake’s central claim that operating more like the military would solve most of State’s problems. In the decade since its publication, not much in the State Department has changed. Schake’s assessments seemed well intentioned, written by someone who cares about how the United States projects power, both militarily and diplomati- cally. In fact, most State employees would likely agree with her top recommendations: invest in professional development and advocate for the organization by building better relationships with Congress and its constituents. John Fer is the information officer at U.S. Embassy Tbilisi. With the State Department Foreign Service since 2009, he has served in New Delhi, Managua, Moscow, Riga, and Washington, D.C. Prior to joining the Foreign Service, he worked as a firefighter/EMT for Montgomery County, Maryland. He is an Air Force veteran and a returned Peace Corps volunteer (Nepal). He and his wife, Victoria, have two sons. A close look at aspects of State Department culture that stand in the way of professional development and leadership training. BY JOHN F ER Maria Carluccio/Theispot