Q&A > Kurt Tong
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What inspired or motivated you to become a diplomat?
In the mid-1980s I was wondering whether to become a journalist, or an academic, or join the throngs headed straight from university to Wall Street. A “Japan hand” diplomat named Desaix Anderson suggested that I intern at the Tokyo Embassy. I was hooked. Eventually I took the exam enough times to pass the test and abandon private business for the Foreign Service.
Who was your best boss and why?
Every boss taught me something, usually by positive example, although occasionally by negative example. Charlie Rivkin as Assistant Secretary for EB always struck just the right balance between hands-on engagement and delegation, and always sought to achieve something and not just occupy a fancy space.
What would you tell your a-100 self?
Keep a diary. A Foreign Service career is exciting and busy and constantly changing. Now, looking back, I struggle to remember names and details, and how I felt at the time. I would enjoy listening to my younger self, to see if I still agree with him.
Describe a day you felt you made a difference.
The day the journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee landed at Burbank Airport after being released from North Korea.
What has a colleague done for you that made you wish all of us had a colleague like that?
At Embassy Tokyo, a summer intern, Thea Rozman, spent hours calling friends to find someone with the right blood type to give the transfusion that saved my wife’s life.
What was the mistake you learned the most from?
I made so many mistakes—usually involving forgetting to tell someone what I was doing. I’m not sure I ever fully learned that lesson. Another lesson I did learn: don’t allow a toxic work situation to continue. Instead, follow your instincts and act fast.
What was your best and worst experience working with the interagency?
Best: building a consensus from the NSC around hosting APEC and around joining the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Worst: the bickering and back-biting that plagued the Six Party Talks.
What is the one tour you would recommend FSOs consider?
Get broad early experience in Washington, in a policy (functional) bureau, in other agencies or in the White House. This will help you understand how the inter-agency works, and be results-oriented rather than overly deferential to Washington when leading overseas.
If the state department had a mascot, what animal should it be?
An owl—all-seeing, wise, and ready to swoop in for the kill.
What was the biggest challenge of FS life for your family, and how did you manage it?
Moving from place to place made it much harder for my spouse to advance her career. This is not an original observation. The Foreign Service really needs to get serious about joining the 21st Century and making this situation better. I meet lots of young talent who forswear the Foreign Service because of the inflexibility. People should be able to move in and out of the Service seamlessly without loss of seniority or security clearance. The State Department is way too cautious on these issues.
What is your leadership philosophy?
I took inspiration from my dad, who was a collegiate basketball coach. Coaching is the act of preparing others to perform, recognizing that the players (not the coach) are the talent that matters. As a corollary, I kept a sign in my office, saying: “Diplomacy is a Team Sport.” It’s more soccer than golf.
What tips would you give a first-time manager?
Pay attention and listen closely to your team, then trust your instincts—and act on them—while enwrapping everyone in your vision.
What would you change about the State Department?
Downsize the Department by getting rid of anyone without a line responsibility, and increase capacity by bringing embassies more tightly into the decision process. A good first step would be to eliminate any position in Washington with the word “special” in the title.
What were your pet peeves?
All the petty rules that were intended to create accountability but instead lead to wasted time and effort.
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