Interviews > Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley
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Who was one of your best coaches or mentors? What did you learn from them?
The best mentors who resonate with me to this day were the ones who counseled me when I was in trouble. But good mentors are not necessarily those with whom you have a long-established relationship. There are numerous, great opportunities to learn through mentoring moments so it is important to always be open to advice and mentoring when you get it and also to giving time and advice to others for mentorship moments.
One of the best pieces of advice I can pass on is to be still. At times action is not going to fix a problem, so there can be real value to sitting still, being patient and seeking clarity before acting.
You have been fortunate to have seen many different types of leadership styles. What was an informative leadership moment you witnessed?
I am most concerned with fairness, and one leadership failure comes to mind that was instructive to me. While working in the Consular Section in Jeddah after September 11th, my team and I were preparing for a Congressional Delegation visiting to understand how the hijackers attained education visas to enter the United States. It was expected to be a very difficult visit, but the team worked hard and it was a real success. The visit went so well that Secretary Powell wanted to write a letter of thanks that highlighted each of the officers involved. As I prepared the list, Washington leadership requested that one name be removed from the list as he was deemed inappropriate to receive a letter of thanks since he had overseen some of the 9/11 visa issuances; I disagreed with this decision and refused to remove his name from the letter. As a result, none of us got the thank you letter. It was important to stand up for the officer and to be fair and recognize his role in that visit.
What are the benefits of working at a consulate vs an embassy?
I had never wanted to go to a consulate, but then I realized it was great for me because I could truly be a generalist and do a variety of events, tasks and jobs. If you like small ponds, consulates are great. Embassies are great because they have more resources, but you also have extra layers of management. At embassies, you tend to have more Congressional Delegations and those can be a great opportunity to network for jobs. I got a job with the NSC after being a control officer on a Congressional Delegation.
Can you talk about how to build a team in different kinds of posts?
Initially I chose the consulate in Jeddah because it was small and I thought I could get management experience in a relatively quiet setting. Then, the September 11th attacks happened and a lot of things changed. I learned a lot of hard lessons there, but I was a better ambassador later in my career because of that experience. It is critical at any post to check in on people frequently and keep an open door. Scheduling an hour a week to walk around and see the team was always very valuable when I was ambassador. Know that some people will never feel comfortable walking into your office or speaking openly to you as an ambassador, but walking around to check in can help.
It is important to have people working for you who are going to tell you the good news and the bad news related to both management and personnel issues as well as policy. Do not rely solely only on the Deputy Chief of Mission to do that for you; get to know the team and their challenges and maintain an open environment so that issues can get addressed in a timely and open manner. Listen, stay attuned, and help your management team to do the same. It is helpful to have a team in place with good people skills and emotional intelligence.
Delegation is critical—make sure your people have space to do their jobs and to do them well. Try not to do everything yourself. Give your team encouragement and answer questions when needed. Learn when to get out of the way.
In Washington, volunteer for opportunities such as task forces whenever you can. They can offer an incredible chance to learn, serve and to make invaluable contacts around the building as well as with other agencies.
You are one of the very few women of color career Foreign Service Officers to rise to the level of ambassador. What advice would you give in this particular moment for entry-level women or underrepresented groups in the Department?
I believe there has been a fundamental change in how we are expected to comport ourselves in order to rise to the top. Older generations have gone through quite a lot; however, we were not telling our stories. We are figuring out that if we do not tell the story, we cannot expect things to change. Being able to tell our stories and the truth are huge burdens being lifted - it allows us to stop pretending everything is okay. People are now intent on being allies and can help; but allies will not always know to help if we do not speak up. There is an opportunity to be an ally and say that this is not acceptable for any of us; that is a change that I think is coming.
How can we ensure that officers are encouraged to promote diversity? Does the change MN n to come from the top?
We can do this not only top down or bottom up, but across the board. But first, inclusion has to be in the evaluation precepts. We are motivated by what helps us get promoted and we are always looking for ways to showcase our talents and abilities. Inclusion should be added as a foundational precept just like judgment, leadership, and other skills that we are evaluated on in order for us to be the organization we want to be. This means that we need to define concrete actions that we can aim for and be evaluated against. We also have to go through a process of understanding what inclusion means at the entry, mid, and senior levels, and this has to be agreed upon.
The other part? You have got to know the system. Too often women and minorities do not have people in their ears guiding them, or we are too shy or deferential to ask questions. Do not expect to know all the answers before volunteering. Take a chance and do not be afraid to speak up.
How do we help other countries mainstream diversity as an asset?
In the private sector, any company that is successful wants to use all of its resources to improve their mission and their bottom line. Our bottom line as diplomats is national security and diplomacy. Everyone coming to the table with different experiences and backgrounds broadens the expertise and opinions that can be explored to arrive at a way forward. For example, national security does not only entail traditional military and economic might. Therefore, we must use our resources to broaden the aperture to understand all of the threats to our security, such as the pandemic. Our diplomats are our most important assets, and if we do not use our assets and retain them to face contemporary national security threats, we are wasting money.
How can we be better allies?
Give the space and credit to women and minorities for ideas and contributions. Sometimes we find that our views are not heard in part because women and minorities are expected to fail or of not being good enough. If this is the case, do not get mad—follow up immediately, thank the individual for reinforcing the point you have just made, and take back the mic.
Recognize that intersectionality is not just a word, but must be acted upon. Read up on practical advice about how and when to speak up, but also develop the emotional intelligence of how to speak to people because not everyone will hear the message the same way.
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