Guidelines for Ambassador Appointments

Ambassadors to other countries are a vital part of international relations. It is not uncommon for an ambassador to be the face or image of one country to another. Ambassadors act as a window into the importance of education, security, financial situations, business, and other societal issues. An ambassador has the power and authority to create opportunities through negotiation. Just like a negotiator, an ambassador must be equipped with specific qualities to ensure success. The distinction between the two should be that in the same.

Curry's book, "International Negotiating," outlines several qualities for picking a negotiation team, or in this case, what I believe to be a good ambassador. The first and most relevant piece of advice is to not assign negotiators to a task based on a reward. This idea is simple but probably the most ignored idea in negotiation. Often, executives view an assignment that takes them or their employees overseas on a "two week vacation" ? the negotiation ? as a reward for being a top sales manager or some other reward. While sending your top sales manager to negotiate may not be the worst idea in the world, there are specific qualities that you want to look for when sending someone to be an ambassador for your company or country overseas. A balance in that person's skills should be apparent. If technical skills are needed versus social skills, then someone with those skills should be appointed for the task. Where as a specialist can be important, many cultures engage in trust building activities long before any real negotiations are held. Ambassadorship Strategy should involve a technically adept person with strong communication skills. This person should understand the overall implications of their relationship with the members of the other country. The "big picture" should already be developed for an ambassador so that they can blend into the culture while accomplishing the goals at hand.