Thursday, April 5, 2012

13 Dimensions


Before this blog progresses much further, I wanted to make sure I posted the closest thing I have found to the “Tao of the Diplomat.” The Foreign Service seeks candidates who exemplify what are called the “13 Dimensions.” Here is a quick list of qualities diplomats are expected to have mastered:
Composure
Cultural Adaptability
Experience & Motivation
Information Integration & Analysis
Initiative & Leadership
Judgment
Objectivity & Integrity
Oral Communication
Planning & Organization
Quantitative Analysis
Resourcefulness
Working with Others
Written Communication

I refer to these every once in a while and try to imagine whether I have made any progress.  From now on, I will try to include these as labels to highlight thoughts or situations where these qualities are pertinent. The official State Department handout for the 13 Dimensions can be found here:

I will be traveling the next two weeks or so, but when I return, hopefully I will have some more thoughts to share. My companion and I haven't been so great in the Planning & Organization category, so hopefully we will make it up in the Resourcefulness category as we go along. Expect some meditation on each of the 13 Dimensions too in some future posts. 

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