The Foreign Service Journal, December 2003

Why should we tie our success to the tenure of one indi- vidual? Everyone has seen the positive changes Secretary of State Colin Powell and his team have brought to the Foreign Service. Some of these changes are obvious: our infor- mation technology and our facilities are far ahead of where they were a few years ago. The Diplomatic Readiness Initiative has helped address the demoralizing staffing crises facing our missions — particularly our hardship posts. Other changes are more subtle but no less important. The Secretary and his team have changed that most immutable object — the Foreign Service culture. No longer will the Service tolerate those who abuse or otherwise mistreat those under their command. The Service will take care of its people—all of them— including those who carry our mail, keep us healthy, and work in windowless com- munication centers. We have seen a shift in how we treat people. For example: business-class travel for everyone going to and from remote posts. It’s hard to overestimate the positive effects of this change. Another is the Secretary’s personally swearing in not only new chiefs of mis- sion, but also new classes of generalists and specialists. Such personal involve- ment has not been seen in the depart- ment for many years, and the symbol- ism is very powerful. After many lean years, we are finally providing our posts with the staff and equipment they need to do their jobs and to keep their people safe and healthy. An example from my own recent experience in an Arab country: when our RSO was needed for a year’s assignment in Afghanistan, everyone, including the Bureau of Diplomatic Security and neighboring posts, coop- erated to ensure our mission had secu- rity coverage until the department could find, train and send a permanent replacement. Sounds simple? It was not, and required a positive spirit that has not always prevailed in our work. Most of us remember the bad, not- so-old days: when posts were cut below critical mass and left to make do; when advancement in the Service and assign- ments appeared unrelated to leader- ship or to possessing even a modicum of common courtesy and humanity; and when family members, specialists, FSNs, USAID contractors, and so many “others” were treated with less than the respect they deserved. No one should want those days back. We, Service members collective- ly, should be determined to protect and expand the gains of the past few years regardless of who sits in the Secretary’s office. Maintaining these achieve- ments should not depend on Sec. Powell’s indefinite tenure. Protecting and enlarging them will depend on us. How can we Foreign Service mem- bers make sure these changes stick? First, we must protect the principle that support for and decent treatment of our employees is the norm. Anything less is unacceptable. Second, as professionals we may have to give up our habitual reticence, and step on some toes if that is what it takes to get results. Third, we should look at our recruiting, testing and orientation to ensure that the process is bringing our posts what they need. As I mentioned in my column last month, the recent results have been very good indeed. AFSA and its members have a huge responsibility in this effort. The fate of the recent improvements depends on all of us. Our best weapon is publicity, both good and bad. When things are not right, let us know. We cannot fix every wrong, but we can bring such wrongs out of dark rooms and let them be seen clearly. When things are right, let us know that too. In this issue, in the AFSA News section, you can learn about our awards, especially those to colleagues who have challenged con- ventional wisdom. These award nomi- nations and “attaboys” are the soft cur- rency of our profession. We should spend it generously. ■ P RESIDENT ’ S V IEWS The Power of One and the Power of Many B Y J OHN L IMBERT D E C E M B E R 2 0 0 3 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 5 John Limbert is the president of the American Foreign Service Association. All Foreign Service members should be determined to protect and expand the gains of the past few years.