Center for Public Leadership (CPL) Hauser Leader Ambassador Wendy R. Sherman has demonstrated distinguished public leadership and service throughout her career. Most recently, Ambassador Sherman served as the 21st U.S. Deputy Secretary of State (2021-2023), the first woman in history to hold the position. From 2019-2021, Ambassador Sherman was the faculty director of CPL, as well as a senior fellow at the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs. Previously, Ambassador Sherman served as U.S. Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs where she was lead U.S. negotiator for the landmark Iran Nuclear Deal. In addition, her extensive public leadership roles include serving at the State Department as Counselor under Secretary Madeleine Albright, as Special Advisor to President Clinton and Policy Coordinator on North Korea, and as Assistant Secretary for Legislative Affairs under Secretary Warren Christopher. Drawing from her wealth of experience, Ambassador Sherman recently shared perspectives on leadership and careers in public service, and she imparted advice for aspiring leaders at Harvard Kennedy School.
Much of your career in public service has been dedicated to conducting diplomacy at the highest levels of U.S. government, most recently as deputy secretary of state between 2021-2023. What leadership qualities do you find most effective in the realm of diplomacy? į
When representing your country, it’s essential to understand its interests and to be well-prepared. The United States of America is powerful, which means it’s important to have a strong sense of humility. The United States doesn’t control everything and isn’t in charge of everything. Other countries have their own interests, politics, cultures, and histories.
Understanding who is on the other side of the table, or around it, is critical to getting the job done. No person accomplishes anything alone; it’s always a team effort. Everyone has a role, each person makes a contribution, and success is achieved because people work together towards a common purpose and mission. į
Who have been the most influential role models in your leadership career, and how have they shaped your approach to leadership? į
One of my main role models was Barbara Mikulski. I was first introduced to Barbara, who was then a congresswoman, by a mutual friend. I had always wanted to go to Washington, so when Barbara needed a chief of staff, I accepted the opportunity. I later managed her campaign for the U.S. Senate, where she became the first Democratic woman elected in her own right. I mention Barbara because she has always been authentic. She won because the people of Maryland saw her as someone who would fight for them and understood them. She went home to Baltimore every night and never left her community. When she retired, she had a community to return to. She taught me the importance of authenticity and that you are most powerful when you are true to yourself, rather than trying to be someone else. I learned incredibly important lessons from her. į
In my first political role working with Madeleine Albright, I served as her counselor and later built a business with her. Madeleine was a constant learner and had often been underestimated as a woman. I probably mentored her on feminism, while she mentored me on national security and foreign policy. į
Harvard Kennedy School is committed to strengthening the community’s ability to have candid and constructive conversations across differences. What lessons can we take from diplomacy as CPL contributes to modeling and teaching these types of critical communication skills? į
This is a huge issue in our country. We’re not communicating effectively, and we’re not appreciating the challenges others face or why they may hold different views. It’s crucial that we learn to listen to each other and respect differences. There may not always be trust or agreement, but we do share common ground. Regardless of our viewpoints, we all want our families to thrive. We might believe that different policies are necessary to achieve this, but the underlying goal is the same. On tough issues, like the current conflict in the Middle East, it’s essential that we engage in dialogue and listen to one another, even if agreement isn’t immediate. į
How have you learned to incorporate feedback as a leader?
I’ve been involved in many projects with highly technical aspects. For example, during the Iran Nuclear [Deal] negotiations, I relied on experts on my team for certain details since I’m not a nuclear physicist. Similarly, I’m not an expert in advance planning or logistics, so I trusted the administrative team to handle those areas better than I ever could. However, that doesn’t mean that I don’t sometimes wish things would be done my way. I had a wonderful colleague who worked with me for 25 years, both in the private and public sectors. She gave me a cartoon that I kept on my desk to keep myself humble. It said, “I want you to do everything exactly right—the way I would do it.” It reminded me that people often do things differently—and better—than I could, so I needed to let go. You learn from many people in various ways. į
CPL was fortunate enough to have you as its director prior to your service as Deputy Secretary of State. How do you see CPL’s mission to “Inspire and develop principled, effective public leadership” contributing to the global landscape of leadership? į
I think what CPL is doing is terrific, and I’m delighted Secretary Foxx has come on as the director. More than ever, people are doubting public leadership. As a professional school, the Kennedy School should be fully focused on public leadership, and CPL is central to this mission. The co-curricular programs, forums, and research being conducted provide a great space for bringing faculty together and allowing students to interact more easily. This is absolutely critical. į
What advice do you have for aspiring leaders? į
I believe the students here are extraordinary and have already achieved remarkable things. I hope they continue to make a positive impact in the world. There are three key aspects I consider important for CPL fellows and students at the Kennedy School to carry with them:
- Embrace an unexpected life. Students here often try to plan everything—aiming for the perfect job and life. They’ve done all the right things to get into Harvard and believe that if they keep doing the right things, everything will work out. But life is unpredictable and throws a lot at you. Great opportunities come up unexpectedly, so make sure your plan doesn’t keep you from taking advantage of them.
- Cultivate humility. We don’t know everything about everything, even if you’ve been taught at Harvard. It’s wonderful here, but it’s a bit of a bubble. Be humble about what you know and what you still have to learn. į
- Be ready to take risks. Look to scientists for inspiration in risk-taking; they understand that progress often comes from failure. Take risks, learn from your failures, and move on to the next challenge. į
It’s also important for leaders to be self-reflective and to seek support when needed. Having a support group—most often for me, a group of women—is crucial. It’s essential to have a circle, a community you trust, to provide honest insight as you navigate life. Everywhere I’ve been, I’ve established a support group for two reasons: to have people I trust tell me if I’m off-track, and to hear positive feedback when I’m doing well.
The Kennedy School has students from all around the globe, which is fantastic because we live in an interconnected world. Issues like climate change and AI transcend borders and will affect everyone. There’s immense potential here to learn from one another and tackle significant challenges facing the next generation. Make the most of every moment here, as you are fortunate to be part of this community. į
What are you looking forward to at this moment? į
Pulling out her phone, Wendy shared a photo of her daughter and grandsons at the polls recently and answered, “At this point in my life, I’m looking forward to spending more time with my daughter and grandsons. I haven’t had that opportunity because of the work I’ve done. Now that I do, I’m going to take it.”
Editor’s Note: This interview has been edited for clarity and consistency.
By Annie Christman