Q&A > Elisabeth Millard
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What inspired or motivated you to become a diplomat?
I grew up overseas as my father worked for the UN. I loved public service and experiencing new cultures so it was a natural fit.
Who was your best boss and why?
I was lucky to have many great bosses. If I need to pick one, it was a political appointee ambassador. He empowered his team and did not feel threatened by it. He asked how he could best support us and delegated as appropriate. He was a great public speaker and I learned some key lessons from him such as ditching the podium, insisting on a hand-held mike and engaging the audience.
What would you tell your a-100 self?
Enjoy the adventure. Don’t plan too much, seize opportunities. Be a great colleague across the board. Engage with and trust the LES—if you do they will stop you from making mistakes and help you navigate local conditions.
Describe a day you felt you made a difference.
The day that comes to mind as during my first tour as a vice consul in Prague. I took a call from a distraught woman in the U.S. whose daughter had just called her from a phonebooth in a Czech village, having just been raped by two men. The mother only had a vague idea where the daughter was—she had arrived in the country only the previous day. We managed to locate the daughter and bring her to Prague. She was understandably highly anxious and wanted to leave the country immediately, which meant the next day. I assessed we could not possibly send her to a hotel to spend the night alone, so I brought her home and got her to the airport the next day. This was probably not exactly according to the FAM but judging from the communication I later received from the young woman and her family, it was the right call.
What has a colleague done for you that made you wish all of us had a colleague like that?
My husband was suddenly hospitalized when I was working on the 7th floor in a busy job. During the month I spent at the hospital leading up to his passing, I was deeply touched by messages I received from the under secretary for political affairs who, by hand, wrote brief notes of encouragement and reassurance. I had been anxious about shirking my duties but her saying “you are doing the right thing—the work will always be here for you,” was like balm on a wound.
What was the mistake you learned the most from?
I trusted an employee even though I had a gut feeling something was not right and waited too long before I took disciplinary action. I learned to trust my instincts more. I also learned to take copious notes, and when useful, send myself emails documenting conversations.
What was your best and worst experience working with the interagency?
I thought the interagency worked well at several posts, when the front office identified overall goals and the agencies could attack the problem and apply resources in varied ways. Communication and coordination were key and productive country team meetings and working groups helped a lot. Interagency coordination was more difficult in Washington, especially when the NSC failed in its role to corral the interagency towards consensus.
What is the one tour you would recommend FSOs consider?
I was lucky to spend two tours at the NSC and would highly recommend serving there to any FSO. It is very broadening to step outside your own agency and work the issues from a broader perspective. I learned to draft succinctly and quickly, to brief officials from the President down, and to prioritize my work.
If the state department had a mascot, what animal should it be?
An animal that is wise, brave and agile.
What was the biggest challenge of FS life for your family, and how did you manage it?
Moves are tough on families, for accompanying spouses and for children, especially as they grow older. At one point I was serving as a desk officer in NEA. I loved the issues but realized that to be successful in that bureau, I would need to study Arabic, necessitating a move to Tunis for the second year of Arabic and then on to the next post. As my children were already school age, I decided to take an assignment in New Delhi, eliminating one move. It turned out to be a great opportunity that I did not regret.
What is your leadership philosophy?
Empower your employees. Give clear direction, and then get out of the way. Insist on being kept informed, and never surprised, especially by bad news. Have your team’s back. Look for ways to enable your team to come to work every day with a spring in their step.
What tips would you give a first-time manager?
Begin by listening. Meet your subordinates one on one. If you don’t understand an issue, ask for a one page memo that explains it and provides options for a way forward. Insist on no surprises.
What would you change about the State Department?
The EERs. The current process makes it impossible to be open about an officer’s shortcomings,
What were your pet peeves?
EERs. I don’t think the format adequately captures an officer’s accomplishments and potential.
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