The Foreign Service Journal, December 2013

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | DECEMBER 2013 15 reports, in the finest style possible, that cite strings of performance awards. As a result, failure tomanage one’s career in a way that maximizes the chances of rapid promotion, and simply trusting the systemon its own to reward one’s performance, can now lead to premature retirement. Getting Due Credit Apart from sensational kidnappings or assassinations that occasionally grab the news headlines, it would appear that congressional and public opinion does not yet sufficiently appreciate howmany American diplomats serve in the line of fire in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Pakistan and many other conflict zones. Nor do they realize how often American diplomats deal over their career with truly difficult foreign leaders and complicated situations that help qualify them as better judges of what foreign policies to follow or avoid. This encourages the impression that just about any bright person can become an effective diplomat, even if only for a short assignment or two. So how do we mark bright Foreign Service officers as more skilled in foreign affairs than those in politics or other professions? One can cite the competence gained over time spent doing the job and make better efforts to describe the compli- cations of that job to our target audiences. One could also point to the selectivity of appointment into, and promotion within, an elite with special professional duties and requirements. And finally, perhaps one should spotlight the professionally communal, selfless behavior of Foreign Service personnel who do their jobs in life-threatening situations—a quality not usually shared by most of those outsiders. That said, we cannot overlook the importance of identifying those individu- als who become exceptionally good at a particular skill over the course of a career. Two examples much lauded in recent years are the ability tomanage overseas missions, and skill at coordinating foreign policy for an American president or Secre- tary of State at home. Those individuals who are specially gifted in these respects are likely tomake it to the top whatever the promotion system; they do not need an up-or-out system to push out their colleagues. Undo the HarmWe’ve Done to Ourselves It is clear that the Foreign Service must focus on its ongoing difficulties and undo some of the harm it has done to itself. Here are a few ideas for doing so. First, seriously slow down (if not elimi- nate) the forced retirement of mid-career and senior officers. This might be done by changing the rules, or indeed by changing the law. Second, give the annual promotion boards—as well as supervisory offi- cers writing the annual reports, both in Washington and at posts abroad—instruc- tions to reward team effort. This means taking notice of those ready to improve their skills through training assignments and those who help to trainmore junior colleagues, rather than simply concentrat- ing on those holding the most glamorous jobs. The bottom line should be this: How well have they served the needs of the country, and done the particular jobs assigned to them in the Service, over several postings? Third, let us also remember that before officers can learn tomanage well, be they young prodigies or late bloomers, they must understand what will work in the world beyond America’s borders. (That is, after all, the core requirement that qualifies people for the jobs of the Foreign Take AFSA With You! Change your address online, visit us at www.afsa.org/address Or Send changes to: AFSAMembership Department 2101 E Street NW Washington, DC 20037 Moving?