Q&A > Luis Moreno
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What inspired or motivated you to become a diplomat?
As a first generation American, I was drawn to the idea of service to my country at a very early age. After the Iranian hostage crisis, I decided to look into the Foreign Service. A few years later that dream turned into reality.
Who was your best boss and why?
I’ve been blessed with so many great supervisors and role models throughout my career. I think Roberta Jacobson captures the embodiment of policy acumen, inter-personal skills and competent leadership. Ambassador Vicki Huddleston taught me the ropes of crisis management and keeping your poise when leading under difficult circumstances. The late Ambassador Barbara Moore taught me the importance of being a feeling, empathetic leader. I’ve never had a smarter boss than Ambassador James Cunningham.
What would you tell your a-100 self?
To be one’s self, to volunteer where you’re most needed, and do the most good. Secondly, go with the job where you think you’d be the happiest. Career considerations are secondary to helping people and enjoying what you do. I was lucky enough to be able to do just that.
Describe a day you felt you made a difference.
Two days actually stand out. One day, I was able after some long, difficult negotiations to convince the Government of Israel to allow three hundred Gazans with US citizenship to leave Gaza and actually transit by land through Israel to Jordan during a break in heavy fighting in Gaza. That had never been done before. The other event was in Iraq when I helped get a young Iranian girl released from local authorities who were getting ready to return her to Iran and a very uncertain fate.
What has a colleague done for you that made you wish all of us had a colleague like that?
I once had a deputy who advised me that the approach I was taking on a very delicate issue was very risky and would backfire. She urged me to take a deep breath and consider a more moderate approach. I’m glad that she had the confidence to tell me this, and as it turned out, she was totally correct. We could all use someone like that.
What was the mistake you learned the most from?
As a young staff assistant, we were in a panic mode to get a briefing paper to our Assistant Secretary who was on a plane with the Secretary. It was one of those papers that had undergone a series of changes within a short period of time. When it came time to fax the memo to the Secretary’s aircraft, I only sent the corrected first page on the first copy. The remaining copies I faxed were the incorrect version. People were very upset. The lesson learned is that even when in crisis mode, pay attention to detail. Another crisis lesson is remember during a fast breaking crisis, the initial reports are almost always wrong.
What was your best and worst experience working with the interagency?
Both experiences involve refugees, the positive experience was the last minute scramble on what to do with the sudden influx of Kurd refugees in the mid-90’s. Most of the refugees, victims of Saddam, had been USG employees. The inter-agency was struggling with where to temporarily place them, and I was designated to be the guy on the ground. I had travel arrangements for three of the most varied places on earth. We settled on Guam, and thanks to DOS, DOD, HHS, NSC and others, the operation was a success. Related, but on the negative side, was what to do with the explosion of boat people from Haiti, although some argued for Guantanamo, others ruled it out. Again, I was the guy on the ground. The decision to use a floating refugee processing center on a hospital ship in Kingston Harbor worked for a few weeks until we ended up in Guantanamo.
What is the one tour you would recommend FSOs consider?
I would strongly urge officers of any cone to do a Pol/Mil job, especially that of a POLAD. The military has so many things for us to learn from, and equally we have so much they can learn from. Being that “bridge” can be so incredibly rewarding.
If the state department had a mascot, what animal should it be?
I think our Bald Eagle logo with the arrows on one side, and the olive branch on the other is perfect. Sometimes you don’t realize how important symbols are. I can’t describe the emotions I felt when I saw our Department of State plaque in the hands of the attackers of our Embassy in Baghdad a few weeks ago.
What was the biggest challenge of FS life for your family, and how did you manage it?
My daughter went to 4 first grades. She started the year in Haiti, was evacuated to Los Angeles, then moved to Washington, and ended up in Monterrey, Mexico. Incredibly difficult for a child and family to go through. My family staying in Tel Aviv while I was in Iraq entailed moving out of the residence, relocating and trying to be part of a mission that I was no longer a member of.
What is your leadership philosophy?
It’s the biggest cliche in EER’s and the FS in general, but it’s so true—lead by example. Don’t ask a subordinate to do something that you haven’t already done, or would be willing to do yourself. Direct by consensus, except when there’s no time to do so. Gain your people’s trust, so if the moment comes when consensus is not available, they know why.
What tips would you give a first-time manager?
Three basic rules, listen, listen and then listen. Plus, use common sense, give folks a second chance and be demanding and fair.
What would you change about the State Department?
Less political Ambassadors, A/S and DAS positions. Hold senior leadership responsible for backing up their people, especially when there is unfair, political fallout.
What were your pet peeves?
Officers who only use the FAM for giving reasons on why something can’t be done, instead of looking for out-of-box solutions within the rules that get the needed job done.
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