International protocol training at NATO's Allied Joint Force Command in Naples
I have often heard my very hard-working business partner, Mark Verheul say, “I love my job – it feels more like a hobby than work”. I agree wholeheartedly with this statement. However, the next question is why? Perhaps, it’s the dynamic world we operate in. Nothing ever stays the same, we are constantly having to adapt to new circumstances. Perhaps, it’s the fact that we are constantly learning. No matter how many decades one works in protocol, we will always discover a “first time” for something. Perhaps it’s simply just the contact with people. Whatever the reason, it is not a job for the faint-hearted. One of my Turkish Generals used to tell me 99.9% success is a failure in protocol. There is no room for mistakes. You are a success if there is no mention of your performance. People do not notice your success; they only notice that protocol exists when a mistake is made. It was therefore with immense joy and some “pressure on myself” that I returned to NATO’s JFC Naples Command where my protocol journey began to provide training to NATO’s military and civilian protocol professionals. What a joy to read their description of the course and note the take-aways were all on target. They wrote on LinkedIn:
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JFC Naples hosted the International Protocol, Management of VVIP Visits, Diplomacy, Negotiation, and Strategic Stakeholder Engagement course last week. Protocol International provided International Protocol Training from 11-13 September at JFC Naples.
All JFCNP Protocol Officers are in attendance, together with Protocol Officers coming from JFC Norfolk, NATO Defense College and NRDC Greece. It is important to underline that, this is not just an opportunity for training but also for networking and collaboration between the participating HQs in order to appreciate and recognise best practice and subsequently develop a common understanding of the international protocol rules applied to the diverse NATO environment.
A protocol professional's daily effort is focused on providing their principals with the finest advice on all protocol and diplomatic matters. Major Francesco Piscopo (JFCNP Protocol Officer) together with Ms. Brooke Mann (JFCNF Chief Protocol) took the initiative to set a tradition of high-level professional education together with a unique networking opportunity.
Like NATO, the Protocol officer needs to remain agile in an ever-changing landscape. Working in a political military international organisation requires enormous flexibility while maintaining important traditions that set parameters for respect.
The course explored:
⭐ How a Protocol Officer will adopt and adapt the best of both worlds - a new type of hybrid diplomacy that provides human solutions in a digital world.
⭐ Leadership skills, teamwork, critical thinking, communication in the digital world and in the challenging task in a diverse organisation.
⭐ How to treat and understand each other.
⭐ How to build a corporate culture where each person is comfortable and respected for the way they were born and to raise awareness that diversity without inclusion is useless.
⭐ How to create synergy in a diverse organisation, capitalising on each other’s strengths to build a powerful team.
The training was provided by Protocol International’s high-level protocol professionals, Maryse Larché Mele, and Mark Verheul.
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Reaching your target audience is a very satisfying experience. After reading their summary of the course, I am reminded why I love my job and why it feels like a hobby. Thank you to all those who make our work feel like fun!
