Protocol, Capricia Penavic Marshall
Protocol, Capricia Penavic Marshall
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Protocol
The Power of Diplomacy and How to Make It Work for You

Author: Capricia Penavic Marshall

Narrator: Capricia Penavic Marshall, Courtney Patterson

Unabridged: 16 hr 22 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Ecco

Published: 06/23/2020


Synopsis

President Obama’s former United States chief of protocol
looks at why diplomacy and etiquette matter—from the international stage to everyday life.History often appears to consist of
big gestures and dramatic shifts. But for every peace treaty signed, someone
set the stage, using hidden influence to effect the outcome. In her roles as chief of protocol for President Barack Obama and social secretary to President Bill Clinton and First Lady Hillary Clinton, Capricia Penavic Marshall not only bore witness to history, she
facilitated it. From arranging a room to have an intended impact on the participants to knowing which cultural gestures earned trust, her behind-the scenes preparations laid the groundwork for successful diplomacy between heads of state around the world and tilted the playing field in her team's favor.If there's one thing that working at the highest levels of government for over two decades has taught Marshall, it's that there is power in detail and nuance—the micro-moves that affect the macro-shifts. When seemingly minor aspects of an engagement go missing or awry—a botched greeting or even a poorly chosen menu—it alters the emotions and tenor of an exchange, setting up obstacles rather than paving a way forward. In some cases, an oversight may put the entire endeavor in jeopardy.
Sharing unvarnished anecdotes from her time in office—harrowing near misses, exhilarating triumphs, heartwarming personal stories—Marshall  brings us a master class in soft power, unveiling the complexity of human interactions and making the case that etiquette, cultural IQ, and a flexible mind-set matter now more than ever. When the notion of basic civility seems to be endangered, Protocol reminds us how critical these principles are while providing an accessible guide for anyone who wants to be empowered by the tools of diplomacy in work and everyday life.

About Capricia Penavic Marshall

Capricia Penavic Marshall was Chief of Protocol of the United States from 2009 to 2013. She is current president of Global Engagement Strategies, which advises international public and private clients on issues relating to the nexus of business and cultural diplomacy. She serves as Ambassador-in-Residence at the Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center at the Atlantic Council in Washington. In her post under the Obama administration, she reinvented modern protocol by building relationships between industry leaders worldwide creating strategies to transform global engagement. During her service she oversaw the details of diplomacy during six State and Official Visits, countless Working Visits, and the G20, Nuclear Security, APEC, G8, NATO and Sunnylands Summits. 


Reviews

Goodreads review by Jim on August 06, 2020

This was a great book to understand etiquette, diplomacy, and social interactions at all levels of society. The author is a veteran of white house social programs and former chief of WHite House Protocol, so she knows of what she writes. It is easy to read, filled with anecdotes, and gives lots of a......more

Goodreads review by Steve on July 02, 2020

This book was Stevo's Business Book of the Week for the week of 6/28 and a Best of the Best for July 2020, as selected by Stevo's Book Reviews on the Internet and Stevo's Novel Ideas. When the notion of basic civility seems to be endangered, "Protocol" reminds us how critical these principles are wh......more

Goodreads review by Kaitlyn on May 01, 2024

I would probably rate this about 3.5 stars. There are parts of this book that I found interesting and other parts that were wanting or repetitive. I first saw a book talk with this author and was intrigued, but the book fell flat. As a whole, the concept and lived experiences of a protocol officer fo......more

Goodreads review by Constance Carrino on March 31, 2025

This book is chock-filled with interesting examples of what goes into White House protocol planning and execution, as well as well-researched elements of Ms. Penavic Marshall's diplomacy experience that translates to the business world. A must read with one caveat: you may have to skim several painf......more

Goodreads review by Cindi on January 25, 2021

I started this book to give me ideas for my own novel and I definitely got some great ideas. I also got some ideas for how to have more diplomacy in my own life which is a bonus. Of course I don’t see eye to eye with who she worked for on a political standpoint but it is nice to read about people fr......more