How to Be a Diplomat A Guide to Success in the Foreign Service and in Life

Have you ever wondered what it's like to be a diplomat? Darren Thies answers this question through colorful stories and firsthand accounts of the work, lifestyle, and adventures of American Foreign Service Officers. Unlike any other book on diplomacy, "How to Be a Diplomat" sheds light on the actual day-to-day work of diplomats and lays out the seven most important qualities needed to be a good diplomat. These days, being diplomatic is an essential skill in any professional setting, as modern work environments are fraught with unwritten rules and minefields that we all struggle to navigate. This book provides practical rules and advice for behaving diplomatically and working effectively in any organization as a manager, colleague, and subordinate. This book is both a guide to success and an invitation—to embark on the extraordinary career and life of a diplomat!

Author Darren Thies has compiled the insights and tales in this book from his 14 years of experience working as a Foreign Service Officer for the U.S. Department of State. Darren has served at U.S. embassies and consulates in Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Russia, Romania, Armenia, and Washington, DC. Darren's passion for his career drove him to share his insights on diplomacy to help others also experience this adventurous lifestyle.

Darren Thies is an American Foreign Service Officer with 14 years of experience working for the U.S. Department of State at embassies and consulates around the world. At the age of 24, Darren went from being a bus driver and seaweed harvester to representing his country abroad and getting paid to travel the world. Darren has been fortunate to live and work in places that few American tourists get to visit, including Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Romania, Armenia, and the Russian Far East. As a diplomat, Darren has shaken hands with three heads of state, met famous singers and actors, driven a Maserati around Europe, and rode a donkey across Tajikistan's "Roof of the World." Darren's passion for his career drove him to share his insights on diplomacy to help others also experience this adventurous lifestyle.