The Foreign Service Journal, October 2012

42 OCTOBER 2012 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL BRIDGING THE FOREIGN SERVICE GENERATIONAL GULF S omething divides too many members of the Foreign Service. It can thwart teamwork and sap job fulfill- ment. It has led to too many talented officers resign- ing and gives others gray hairs. What is it? The generational gulf between the old- est and the youngest. Knowing how to overcome these age fault lines would lead to much happier offices, from Santiago to Sapporo. So what causes this gulf? And why is bridging it more difficult than in previous decades? Culture Clash Let’s start with the startling statistic that more than half of today’s Foreign Service joined after 9/11. While many of the new entrants arrived with one or more careers behind them, a good proportion are in their 20s and new to government. At the same time, most of the good folks at the top of the organization came into government service in the 1970s, 1980s or 1990s. Regrettably, too many of these veterans treat their younger colleagues just as they were treated by their own gruff bosses, despite efforts by department leadership to break the pattern. Their attitude is, “That’s the way we’ve always done it around here.” Whether this unpleasant approach did get them promoted, or actually slowed down their careers, many of these managers see it as how they got to where they are today. And despite efforts by the department to change such behavior, and the impact of Differences in age and experience do not have to divide FS members. Instead, veterans and newer entrants can learn to appreciate each other’s perspectives and insights. FOCUS THE NEW FS GENERATION BY BRANDON POSS I N AND LARRY BUT L ER