Interviews > Annie Pforzheimer

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Who was your best mentor or coach? What did they teach you?

I’ve had many great bosses throughout my career, but never a single mentor figure who championed my career. In fact, I’ve always found it more useful to have a peer-mentor. In every job I had a kind of “work brother” who helped me in many ways, especially to benchmark my performance and promotions against my male colleagues to understand if I was facing issues that were related to being a female officer. 

Another friend was a consular guru who advised me, a political officer, on management of big staffs, how to set up an office, how to structure the team, how to manage the staff, etc. In a new job, he said you have about 48 hours before people figure out how to tell you what you want to hear. So use that time wisely! Using his advice, I decided to meet with the staff (either individually or in small groups) and ask them three questions: (1) What three changes would you recommend? (2) What three things would you keep the same? and (3) What are you afraid that I’m going to do? I just listened, and did not comment, and that gave me a very valuable data set. I found that approach much better than starting by trying to tell people who I am and what I want—there is plenty of time for that. I could do some of what they asked (or not do it) for some early wins. Six months later, I re-read the responses, revisited the conversations, and checked back in with the team. Even if I had made decisions that they didn’t like, I could honestly tell them that I had listened to their feedback and considered their recommendations. This great professional advice was from a peer, not a boss.

You’ve worked effectively with U.S. military colleagues throughout your career, especially in Afghanistan. Any advice for FSOs who want to establish a productive working relationship with DoD colleagues?

It definitely helped that I had attended the National War College. Credentials matter to the military. We don’t wear ribbons on our uniforms, so find a way to display your credentials and show your qualifications. Let them know your rank and status, that you belong, and that you have valuable information about the country or issue. And then, once they know and respect you, you can tone it down. 

Be mindful that the military has a different management culture. They normally need to check with the chain of command before making a decision, so give them space and time to make a decision. Even if you had a great meeting of the minds, they will have to check. And if the 4-star doesn’t want something to happen, it probably won’t get done without elevating it, no matter how much coordination you’ve done at the working level.

You had some very challenging assignments, including two tours in Kabul. How did you manage stress and maintain focus?

Assignments like Kabul that entail hardship, stress, and risk are not for everyone. So the first step is to know yourself. Is this really for you? From time to time, we would have to send people home—and it’s a “no fault” curtailment, because it’s such a difficult place to serve. So be mindful of the circumstances and know your limits, rather than trying to tough it out and push through it.

I also think that personal habits matter. In my own example, during my time in Kabul as DCM, I made a personal decision not to drink. As a decision-maker, I knew I always had to be ready to take action and use good judgment, and there was no such thing as ‘after hours’ or ‘off duty’. I also religiously got seven hours of sleep a night. And I would come home late at night and watch really dumb TV shows, just to let my mind drift off before going to bed. 

As a DCM, how did you manage difficult personnel decisions? 

The Ambassador sets the tone and communicates expectations to senior staff. So as DCM, I would make sure that the Ambassador’s intentions were well understood and consistently applied. When you’re not consistent in how staff is disciplined, the grapevine is merciless. I would also consult the management officer or other senior staff on important personnel decisions, especially curtailments. If someone is not meeting expectations, you need to think about the impact this has on everybody else. Don’t just have sympathy for the individual employee; have sympathy for all.

What did you learn from working at the NSC? What lessons can you share in general and on interagency coordination?

First, you should be prepared for some push-back from your home agency, even after you return. Not everyone likes being “coordinated” by the NSC! If you’re starting your assignment at the beginning of an administration, you can be tougher, because there will be time for your colleagues to adjust to seeing you in the NSC role. 

The approach I found most effective was to chair a sub-Policy Coordination Committee (sub-PCC) meeting every two weeks, or whatever the meeting level that is right below the official policymaking level. I set up a regular meeting and made it as inclusive as possible—with about 40 people from dozens of agencies. We met in the unclassified conference space at the New EOB, which made access so much easier for everyone. But at the same time, I would caucus with 2-3 well-placed allies in the room before every meeting to help advance the agenda, ask certain questions, and forge consensus.

Throughout your career, you’ve had an effective working relationship with Congressional Members and staffers. What’s your secret?

I often briefed staffers on the Hill because of the legislative requirements of the policy initiatives I was working on, and it became a regular, routine part of my job. I had three simple rules: (1) Prepare; (2) Tell the Truth; and (3) Bring a handout. 

Prepare like a crazy person! Do your homework, know your brief, memorize facts and figures, and get back to them if you don’t have the answer. 

Tell the truth. No leeway on this one, not even a little bit, even if the truth is embarrassing or uncomfortable.

Bring a visual or an infographic or a map. Especially a map. Bring multiple copies and leave them behind.

If you can, observe the committee in advance to get a feel for the personalities, tone, and culture. You can also be proactive and take the initiative and offer to brief staffers. You don’t have to wait for them to call. (But you should always coordinate with H and the Desk, and get your boss to approve it). Keep in mind that staffers on the Hill are often better informed than we are. So be humble, and treat it as an opportunity to learn something new. They are amazing contacts and experts who can help you down the road. 

You’ve served in both regional and functional bureaus. Do you have a preference, or any career advice for someone trying to decide where to go?

I loved serving in IO and INL. Functional bureau assignments can be fantastically interesting. Don’t be afraid! With that in mind, of course, it is true that if you’re interested in promotions or specific embassy positions, then you’ll want to serve in a regional bureau as well. But it’s best to spend time in both, to get that balance, expertise, and perspective. I think that’s the way to have a more rewarding career.

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