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Leadership: Lessons from a Life in Diplomacy
A British diplomat shares lessons on leadership gained over his expansive career.
Anybody can aspire to be a leader, and nearly everybody has to lead sometimes. No matter the circumstances in which we might be called to lead, be it at work, on the sports field, or in the community, the example of top leaders in politics and public service (both their successes and shortcomings) can help you figure out your own approach. Over nearly four decades in HM Diplomatic Service, Simon McDonald has worked for four permanent under-secretaries and a dozen senior ambassadors before becoming permanent under-secretary himself. He worked directly for six foreign secretaries and saw five prime ministers work in close quarters. Observing these people undertaking the most important and often the most difficult work in the country, he saw the behaviors that helped them achieve their objectives and those that hindered them. In his first book, McDonald assumes that thinking about leadership before you lead helps you to lead better. Lessons From a Life of Diplomacy is a clear-sighted and insightful contribution to that debate.
Anybody can aspire to be a leader, and nearly everybody has to lead sometimes. No matter the circumstances in which we might be called to lead, be it at work, on the sports field, or in the community, the example of top leaders in politics and public service (both their successes and shortcomings) can help you figure out your own approach. Over nearly four decades in HM Diplomatic Service, Simon McDonald has worked for four permanent under-secretaries and a dozen senior ambassadors before becoming permanent under-secretary himself. He worked directly for six foreign secretaries and saw five prime ministers work in close quarters. Observing these people undertaking the most important and often the most difficult work in the country, he saw the behaviors that helped them achieve their objectives and those that hindered them. In his first book, McDonald assumes that thinking about leadership before you lead helps you to lead better. Lessons From a Life of Diplomacy is a clear-sighted and insightful contribution to that debate.
- GenresPoliticsNonfiction
320 pages, Paperback
Published March 27, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
December 4, 2022
The proposal regarding reforming the House of Lords (eighteen pages) is incredibly dull. Also, Manchester United DO NOT play in Salford.
December 22, 2022
When I joined the FCO, I chewed my way through Tom Fletcher’s ‘The Naked Diplomat’ at pace. It was exciting to see my work and workplace on the pages of a book. Simon does a better job here. He doesn’t allow his ego to define what is important - tricky given his new public profile and the way in which his tenure ended.
This book contains compelling visions for leadership and reform. It is startling that much of Simon’s vision for the House of Lords can be found in the review Gordon Brown recently conducted for the Labour Party. And it is vindicating to find someone with such experience and intellect acting for the BBC.
At times this book suffers from forgetting it’s about vision and future, and not history. What start as useful moments of context meander into 5 page detailed histories most won’t find as powerful as Simon the historian.
This book contains compelling visions for leadership and reform. It is startling that much of Simon’s vision for the House of Lords can be found in the review Gordon Brown recently conducted for the Labour Party. And it is vindicating to find someone with such experience and intellect acting for the BBC.
At times this book suffers from forgetting it’s about vision and future, and not history. What start as useful moments of context meander into 5 page detailed histories most won’t find as powerful as Simon the historian.
December 22, 2022
An enjoyable memoir of the most recent head of the FCDO. More to be enjoyed as an autobiographical piece of work that is sprinkled with reflections on leadership, rather than a carefully structured treatise on effective leadership skills.
July 23, 2024
Not as articulate & entertaining as he is in person(based on seeing him at the Buxton International book festival last week)but an interesting & informative 📚
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews