Jumping Off

?

Recently, I left the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office after over 20 years of extraordinary adventure and intellectual stimulation.? Some of my colleagues clearly thought that I had taken leave of my senses, not least when I still had plenty of diplomatic mileage left in me. To make the transition from Ambassador and running an Embassy (indeed a network of Embassies in the Nordic Baltic region) to joining a small boutique advisory firm seemed incomprehensible to some.? And they were right; it is a leap.?? A leap from a role which is all-consuming, often in the thick of things, and where the body is often sustained through long unpredictable days by doses of caffeine and adrenaline.? A leap to something still stimulating, but with less public profile and visible pressure.? And this all got me to thinking -? how best to deal with jumping off the wild rollercoaster ride of politics and diplomacy?

?

When I first joined the Foreign Office in 2001, the retirement age was 60.? And I remember being told that within 2 years of retirement, 1/3 of all Ambassadors (who were predominantly men) were dead.? This seemed odd, given their relatively young age.? What was the cause?? My hunch, both then and now, is that a key factor was the loss of purpose and status, combined with a sudden drop-off from frenetic activity.? I have no scientific proof for this, but I have seen so many ministers, politicians, military personnel and diplomats struggle after leaving office.? How does one cope with a different pace and purpose, after years of operating in the thick of it?

?

A recent conversation with a successful music artist was instructive. How, I wondered, did he ride out the inevitable peaks and troughs of success?? What was it like to come down from the high of a stadium concert or a top-selling album?? How had he remained grounded?? He conceded that many in his industry had struggled to deal with the highs and lows, hence a higher-than-average level of drug and alcohol abuse.? His tips for success and staying grounded were not to look back, but define and focus on the next project.? Always look forwards.

?

With this sound advice in mind, I offer up the following thoughts for managing any such transition.? These are not just my own, but also drawn from the experience of others, wiser than me, who have made “the leap” before.

?

Take time to recover.? Many in high profile roles don’t realise how tired and/or burnt out they are… until they stop. A good few months to recuperate and recalibrate are months well spent (and your family will likely thank you for it).

Have a plan – not always easy if you are a politician who may not be in control of your own destiny.? But have a plan as to what you might do after leaving office.?? Indeed, have more than one plan, and see what feels right/feasible when the time comes.? Better to have a choice, rather than feeling forced down a certain avenue.

But don’t rush into anything and/or take on too much.? Unless there is an immediate financial imperative, you have time.? Be choosy and think both about what you enjoy and where you can add value.

Be honest about your skills and experience. Generalist careers can make it hard to define what we have to offer. Be clear what you bring to the table, but don’t assume that you can trade on past job titles or positions alone.

Lay the foundations for success.? Build diverse networks that you can draw upon in the future.? Often the most useful/helpful contacts are the unexpected ones.

Refer to yourself in the present and not in the past.? I am not the ex-Ambassador to Sweden or Ukraine, but a Senior Strategic Adviser at Actagon.? For some purposes, my previous positions might be relevant, but it is not who I am now.? Think future, not past.

Be endlessly curious.? There is another world of opportunity out there, even if it is not immediately apparent.? Follow your interests.

Be open-minded.? ??Too often we are told what the “typical” career path is and steered in this direction.? In my case, it appeared to be Government Relations or Think-Tanks. Nothing wrong with that, but be wary of pigeon-holing yourself.

Be positive.? No one wants to hear how much you miss your old life (if indeed you do!).? They want to know what you are doing now and what you are going to do.

Keep busy, but carve out time to reflect.? One of the huge benefits of jumping off is having more time to think, learn, explore and develop, and take in new perspectives.?

?

And finally, an additional thought about diplomats and military personnel, who work and live the job more, perhaps, than most – along with their families.? With years of service for what are unique organisations which govern almost every aspect of our lives (where we live, where our children go to school, whilst often imposing constraints on our partners’ careers), it is hard not to feel institutionalised.? Is there life outside our chosen vocation?? How do we and our families adapt, when so much of our lives is run by our employer?? The short answer is that yes, there is another world out there, and one which can surprise in its richness and reward.? Whilst there are challenges in emerging from an organisation which touches almost every aspect of one’s life; it can also be liberating and exhilarating.? Just like jumping off a diving board!? (But check the water first…)