This episode of AIIA VIC’s Dyason House Podcast features former Australian ambassador John Woods discussing his decades of diplomatic experience and the challenges of pursuing a diplomatic career.

There are many criteria to make a good ambassador. Some require skill-based expertise, such as language skills, outgoing personality and passion, while others require leadership capacity to forge strong relationships and build a strong sense of team in your embassy. However, in an age of modern communications, diplomats will need to be able to operate in environment where timezones are different and national bodies may demand immediate information and answers at irregular hours of the day. Diplomats also need to learn the most effective way of advancing national interests in countries with very different cultures and distinct ways of doing things.

John ML Woods PSM is former Australian Ambassador with more than 40 years of diplomatic service across the Europe, the Middle East, Asia, North Africa and the Americas.

Interviewed by Peter Bateman.