The Foreign Service Journal, November 2005

that aren’t perfect, and resources that will never be sufficient. Or we can wait and hope that one day things will change … maybe. Or we can start taking responsibil- ity for our organization ourselves. And I mean all of us, not just the peo- ple at the top. We can value leader- ship and accountability within our spheres of influence and we can ask our bosses to do their part, as well. If we don’t get the results we want the first time, we can try again. After all, we’re in the business of influencing people. I leave the department with enor- mous respect and affection for all my colleagues, but especially my career colleagues. I have seen you put your- selves and your families in difficult and often dangerous places. I have watched you rescue colleagues from the rubble of bombed embassies, and confront natural and man-made disas- ters that would make contestants in television survival shows run away. And I can attest to the integrity of your work products and the convic- tion with which you have stood by them in the face of pressure in Washington. You make a difference. You deserve good leadership. And so do the people who work for you. n Prudence Bushnell, a Foreign Service officer from 1981 to 2005, served as ambassador to Kenya and Guatemala, principal deputy assis- tant secretary of State for African affairs, and dean of the Foreign Service Institute’s Leadership and Management School, among many other assignments. Before joining the Foreign Service, Ambassador Bushnell enjoyed a successful career in the field of management and lead- ership training. N O V E M B E R 2 0 0 5 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 21 S P E A K I N G O U T u If we don’t get the results we want the first time, we can try again. After all, we’re in the business of influencing people. Get Your Finances In Line With SDFCU Online You can depend on State Department Federal Credit Union for the ultimate in security and convenience with SDFCU Online banking. This FREE service allows you to access your Credit Union accounts via the Internet anytime, from anywhere in the world. Just go to www.sdfcu.org and click the SDFCU Online logo. You can conduct the following Credit Union business: Transfer funds between accounts Check current account balances View your account history over the last 15 months View check images View and pay your credit card bill online Pay Bills and much more!* See just how easy SDFCU Online is! Visit us at www.sdfcuonline.org and check out the easy demo! If you’re interested in becoming a member of State Department Federal Credit Union, give our Member Service Center a call at 703- 706-5000 , or outside the D.C. Metro area at 800-296-8882 . You can also email us at sdfcu@sdfcu.org . SDFCU Online puts us at your service, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, whenever you need us the most. Sign up today! *The Bill Payer service is available at no charge for Capital Club members. Otherwise, there is a low monthly fee of $3.95 for unlimited transactions.