About The Everyday Diplomat
Leadership isn’t about titles. It’s about people.
At The Everyday Diplomat, we believe that the best leaders don’t wait for permission to make a difference. They lead from where they are—with clarity, trust, and presence.
This platform was created for leaders like that. For people like you.
Founded by Michael Forras, a retired Marine Sergeant Major and leadership consultant with over 20 years of experience in the U.S. Marine Corps, Department of State, and innovation spaces, The Everyday Diplomat exists to give mission-driven leaders the tools they need to inspire trust, navigate conflict, and build high-performing teams that last.
Michael has rebuilt fractured units. He’s led under pressure when the stakes were measured in lives, not likes. He’s helped teams—from combat zones to Silicon Valley—pull themselves out of chaos and confusion, and come back stronger than ever.
And he didn’t do it with authority alone.
He did it by leading with influence, empathy, and everyday presence. That’s the foundation of this brand.
Our Mission
To equip leaders at every level to lead with clarity, trust, and influence—even in environments where formal authority is limited, broken, or nonexistent.
What Makes Us Different
We don’t believe in fluff, theory, or corporate buzzwords.
We believe in:
Integrity before performance
Trust before authority
People before process
Our philosophy is rooted in real-world leadership—not sanitized case studies. Everything we teach has been tested in high-stakes environments where relationships and mission success had to coexist.
The 7 Principles of Everyday Diplomacy
Lead with Integrity
Listen to Understand
Show Empathy, Not Pity
Be a Good Person
Don’t Be Weird
Be All In
Empower Others Relentlessly
These aren’t just ideas—they’re operating instructions. They guide everything we create, teach, and live by.
Meet Michael Forras
Michael Forras is the founder of The Everyday Diplomat and a passionate advocate for real-world, people-first leadership. Over the past two decades, he’s served in senior leadership roles across the Marine Corps, the Department of State, and high-pressure innovation units connecting the military with Silicon Valley.
He’s led in the most uncertain of environments, helped fractured teams find their footing, and trained thousands of leaders to do the same. His approach combines the structure of the military, the clarity of consulting, and the human-centered mindset of diplomacy.
Today, he channels that experience into courses, content, books, and live leadership programs designed to help others lead well—whether they have a formal title or not.
Want to get started?
Download our free guide, 10 Steps to Confidently Lead High-Performing Teams, or explore our leadership courses.
You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to show up, be real, and lead with intent.
That’s Everyday Diplomacy.
