It is easy for anyone who has met Manel Abeysekera to understand how she rose to become the first woman to join the Foreign Service of Sri Lanka. Erudite, charming, hospitable and articulate, she seems to possess all the quintessential qualities of a diplomat. Yet, she remains simple, with her feet on the ground. In an era where the role of women in society was largely confined to the home, the gregarious personality boldly applied to the Foreign Service (then known as the Sri Lanka Overseas Service) and was recruited in 1958. During the course of her illustrious career, she functioned as Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Thailand and later to Germany with accreditation to Austria and Switzerland. She also served as the Director-General of Political Affairs in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; as the Chairperson of the Presidential Committee on Women; and also as the Chairperson of the Sri Lanka National Chapter in the Coalition for Action on South Asian Cooperation. Background The old girl of Methodist College (a fact of great pride for Manel Abeysekera!), did very well in her G.C.E. Ordinary Level Examination. Instead of pursuing her Advanced Level studies, she opted to travel abroad with her family. At that time, her father had to inspect tea promotion offices in countries such as Spain and the US. Her father, E. W. Kannangara was a prominent civil servant who served as Permanent Secretary to S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike in 1945 and later. He had believed that travel was a great educator and the young Manel eagerly looked forward to the prospect of travelling. Having left Sri Lanka at the age of 15, she celebrated her 16th birthday in Switzerland. At that time, her brother was studying at Oxford University and her parents had wanted her to stay at Oxford. “But clinging on to my mother’s ‘saree potta’ as I then did, I couldn’t even think of it,” she smiled, adding rather cheekily, “I was obedient then, unlike what I became later on!” Back in Sri Lanka after a fascinating period of travel, Manel sat for the matriculation exam to read History at Oxford University’s Somerville College. Although knowledge of Latin and French was a pre-requisite for acceptance, she was conversant only in Latin. Positive as she was, she wrote to an education officer at the Sri Lankan High Commission in London explaining her situation. The officer, in all likelihood, would have made a special request to the University. And like a Christmas gift, just a few days prior to Christmas, Manel received a letter of acceptance from Oxford. “Not having stayed for even one night without my parents, I was overwhelmed. My parents stayed in a hotel nearby for a month and when they left, I was in tears. I later heard that my mother had been crying in the train,” she disclosed. Nevertheless, she managed to complete her degree successfully and wanted to join the Sri Lanka Overseas Service, having been inspired by a colleague at Oxford who was in the Indian Foreign Service. But at that time, recruitments to the Foreign Service could be received through the Civil Service, a domain reserved exclusively for men. “The British had debarred women from both the Civil Service and a diplomatic career for a woman was not on the cards until S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike changed it”, said Manel. Entering the Overseas Service Upon her return to the island, her eyes fell upon a Gazette Notification calling for applications to the Overseas Service. One particular sentence, “Married women must obtain special permission from the Public Service Commission” caught her eye, and she realised that if married women can apply, then surely unmarried females could too! No prizes for guessing what happened thereafter! “My father gave me permission to apply and he was confident that I would get in. My mother, on the other hand, told me to forward my application thinking that I would not be recruited,” Manel recalled. As it turned out, she was the only female out of the seven other recruits and surprisingly, she felt no sense of intimidation. “I was not frightened in the least and although I was somewhat shy (a quality which I soon lost!), I was confident. I think I was a feminist at heart,” she remarked. During the recruitment process, she was interviewed by three Permanent Secretaries, who initially appeared somewhat sceptical of her. “The first question they asked me was related to marriage. They told me that the Service would stand to lose in the event I marry and leave. I was furious. I said you don’t expect a man to resign. What if men secure openings elsewhere and resign?” she had asked. On providing satisfactory answers to a series of questions to gauge her knowledge on international affairs and to assess her personality, she was recruited to the Service. After passing all her diplomatic exams in ten months she was promoted as Third Secretary in London. Later, she was posted to Thailand as Charge d’ Affaires from 1970-74. “As the Ambassador was in Burma, I had to really take charge of

Corporate America is now more competitive than ever. Companies are persistently focused on identifying, recruiting, developing and retaining individuals with the best skills. Recently released research has shown that promotions in the U.S. are most likely to occur in January, June and July. The survey, conducted by LinkedIn, the professional networking website, analyzed nearly 3 million intra-company job promotions from nearly 90 million members across the globe. Continuous professional development is vital, especially for minorities who are seeking advancement and success in the workplace. Keith R. Wyche, author of “Good Is Not Enough and Other Unwritten Rules for Minority Professionals,” speaker and corporate executive, specializes in empowering today’s minority professionals by leveraging actionable advice and real-world examples from his journey up the corporate ladder. According Wyche, it is essential for minorities in business to understand the rules of engagement if they expect to survive in the race called Corporate America. All too often, careers of young, minority executives are left stalled at the middle-management level, as they fail to properly navigate the roads of right-sizing, mergers, acquisitions and other potholes of corporate life. Not certain what steps you should begin taking in your climb toward the top? Wyche offers advice on how to successfully break through the glass ceiling. Asses Perception of Your Performance As you assess your strengths and weaknesses, you may realize that an additional or advanced degree is necessary. While many individuals cannot go back to school full time, schools such as DeVry University offer flexible scheduling, allowing students to take courses online, on campus or a combination of both. Having the ability to complete your education while balancing your current job and family commitments can help ease the stress as you create your personal blueprint for advancing your career. Develop A Network Of Mentors Mentors will help you build a foundation and set the pace for your career. Mentors from within an organization understand the culture and know the business expectations for the company. On the other hand, mentors outside of the organization know the industry, and their expertise is rooted in a history of industry changes. Practical Experience Is Vital When you begin your career, you quickly learn that textbook knowledge will only take you so far. Professors at DeVry University work in the same field they teach, providing students with the opportunity to gain hands-on experience that goes beyond a chapter in a textbook. It’s this combination of hard and soft skills that can catapult students to the top of their field. For information on relevant, career-focused degree programs that can help you climb the corporate ladder to success, visit DeVry University.