The Foreign Service Journal, October 2012

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | OCTOBER 2012 21 managers who are successful at priori- tizing work-life balance in their offices. Finally, it would create a senior-level work-life balance committee to cham- pion these issues, for the good of the department and all its employees. From the Top Down ... and From the Bottom Up We would also welcome a focus on work-life balance within the Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review implementation process, leading to a long-term strategy to address these issues. But all of these ideas and initiatives require at their core acceptance of the value of championing work-life balance at State and a desire to improve the cur- rent situation. Like many of my colleagues, I feel lucky every day to work at State. It was a dream come true to become an FSO and serve my country, just as it is for our newest colleagues. I’m also grateful to have the chance to serve on the executive board at Balancing Act at State. We have found many allies, both in HR’s Work-Life Division office and elsewhere, who support our cause and assist us in advocating for these issues. Such support inspires us to keep going. We want to see State move up to become the best federal agency in which to work, thanks to a culture known for work-life balance and family-friendly policies. And with enough vision, a lot of hard work—and yes, some luck—we might just succeed in bringing that about. n