“You live in the world that exists. You don’t get to choose your neighbors, and you have to get on with them. You don’t have to approve of them, and you can choose how much you want to do things together. But it’s crazy to ostracize them just because you have differences.”

“Think broadly, conceptually. Create an intellectual framework to understand whatever you are trying to do, in life or in policy, and make sure you have the resources and will to see it through until the end. Otherwise, figure out another way of going at the problem.”

These are among the practical lessons of diplomacy that Chair of the International House NY Board of Trustees, Ambassador Frank Wisner, has shared with I-House Residents over the years through events focused on international relations. In this interview with ForeignAffairs.com for its “Career Center” section, the Ambassador shares more widely the wisdom he has amassed over his distinguished career in public service, recounting moments from his respective tours as the U.S. Ambassador to Zambia, Egypt, the Philippines, and India; his roles as the U.S. Undersecretary of State for International Security Affairs and the U.S. Undersecretary of Defense for Policy; and his work in the private sector as Vice Chair, American International Group (AIG) through to his current status as a respected advisor on foreign affairs.

Read the full interview here.