The Foreign Service Journal, December 2018

62 DECEMBER 2018 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL overwhelming majority of local staff I know and work with are extremely loyal, motivated and capable. It’s an incredibly pow- erful thing when we know that our senior colleagues have our back; and this, in turn, allows us to support them even more. It would be naïve not to acknowledge the natural tension that can sometimes exist between American officers and LE staff. It can happen when we as locals lose sight of our primary obligation to provide unwavering support for our diplomatic colleagues. It can also happen when LE staff feel unheard, underutilized or underappreciated. But for the most part, I’ve seen amazing things happen when the dynamic works as it should. Here’s one example. A few months after 9/11, I was tasked to look after a New York firefighter who was visiting Belfast as part of a series of official visits to thank counterparts across the world who had run fundraising events for his organization. He expressed an interest in having a quiet lunch and Guinness in one of Belfast’s traditional pubs. What followed was some- thing that I will never forget. Within seconds of the uniformed firefighter entering into a busy urban bar, every single indi- vidual spontaneously took to their feet in a gesture of heartfelt applause. Mindful of his subsequent commitment on a live, televised chat show, my main job at that point was to politely decline dozens of offers to buy him a drink. The story may sound melodramatic, but I found myself proud on two levels—first, that a true American hero was rightly acknowledged after the horrors of 9/11, but also that my fellow citizens demonstrated their empathy and support in such a spontaneous and sincere way. It proved that I was now looking at things through an American prism as well as a Northern Irish one. The consulate’s recent diplomatic energies have focused on America’s willingness to help move Northern Ireland away from a period of serious political unrest. Yet the United States’ reputation as a helpful catalyst and honest broker was not something that developed automatically. Many of my American colleagues were involved in delicate, painstaking diplomacy—much of which went unnoticed. They encouraged, cajoled, listened and, at times, criticized, in an effort to bring about much-needed progress here. Our consulate was a neutral, safe space where civil society and politicians could interact and address difficult subjects away from the public gaze. Today, the U.S.-Northern Ireland relationship reflects a more normal, mutually beneficial exchange of ideas, trade and tourism. Many here reflect on the U.S. government’s pivotal role in getting Northern Ireland to the much-improved place (politically, economically and socially) it is in today. “We wouldn’t be where we are today had it not been for the Americans” is a comment we still frequently hear. To me, these sentiments are the out-workings of effective foreign policy, pro- fessional diplomacy and a small consulate that has punched well above its weight for many years. Culture: Share, but Don’t Impose n STANLEY PERRIER, HUMAN RESOURCES SPECIALIST, U.S. EMBASSY PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI I would advise [American employees] to be more knowledge- able about the culture of the host country. It’s always good to share culture, but not to impose it. When I started working for the U.S. embassy, I felt a discor- dance or a certain frustration among the Locally Employed staff. I arranged a one-on-one meeting with the local supervi- sors to motivate them toward their responsibility as leaders of the group they supervise. This was successful because we wound up organizing an election for an FSN committee that had been obsolete for more than two years before my arrival. To me, this embassy is one of the best places to work in any country. The Americans are respectful. In my opinion, giving opportunities for employees to go on temporary assignment would help LE staff be even more successful in their roles. Peter McKittrick.