Want to get ahead in peacekeeping? Here’s some guidance from a very senior representative in one of the UN’s larger missions, who circulated these 9 rules to all staff (capitals in the original). Pleasingly, they have spread further with some alacrity:
1. “WE, THE PEOPLE”. THE UN’S MISSION IS TO SERVE PEOPLE. ONLY BY SERVING OTHERS CAN ONE SERVE ONSELF PROPERLY.
2. “ACCEPT WHAT YOU CANNOT CHANGE, BUT CHANGE WHAT YOU CAN WITH COURAGE AND SEE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO”.
3. “LIFE IS TOUGH. IT’S TOUGHER IF YOU ARE STUPID”.
4. “MEN ARE DISPOSED TO BE KIND WHEN THEY ARE WITHOUT FEAR”. YOU ARE ANGRY OR RUDE TO OTHERS WHEN YOU ARE DRIVEN BY FEAR OR YOU ARE AT YOUR WIT’S END.
5. “DON’T LET THE TURKEYS GET YOU DOWN” (ILLEGITIMI NON CARBORUNDUM EST): ONLY WEAKLINGS WILL COMPLAIN; WINNERS WILL ALWAYS FIND PLEASURE IN LIFE.
6. COMPLAINTS, EXCUSES, ACCUSATIONS, AND BLAMING OTHERS ARE EVILS IN LIFE. POSITIVE THINKING YELDS POSITIVE RESULTS.
7. WHENEVER POSSIBLE, OFFER COMPLIMENTS, BUT NEVER FLATTERY. THE FORMER WILL MAKE YOU A LEADER, WHILE THE LATTER WILL MAKE YOU LOSE SELF-ESTEEM”.
8. MAKE YOURSELF INDISPENSABLE. THEN EVERYTHING WILL FOLLOW WITHOUT YOUR HAVING TO ASK.
9. “HOPE FOR THE BEST, PREPARE FOR THE WORST”. ALWAYS BE OPTIMISTIC, BUT KEEP YOUR PERSPECTIVE ALL THE SAME.
