How former NATO top brass showed the human touch

It was only a fleeting moment, but Jamie Shea demonstrated how the best communicators draw in both their audience and their interviewer. Speaking with Claire McDonnell on BBC 5 Live about the Ukraine-Russia conflict, he seamlessly engaged listeners with a precise turn of phrase—making an overwhelming and complex situation feel clearer, more direct, and, crucially, more human.

Now a Visiting Professor of Strategy and Security at the University of Exeter, Shea spent 38 years as an international public servant and a senior member of NATO’s International Staff. And while he’s no stranger to global conflicts, his enthusiasm, linguistic precision, and wealth of experience were a reassuring reminder: when diplomacy is guided by minds like his, there’s hope for resolution.

His approach also served as a masterclass in media engagement. Too often, guests waste precious seconds with generic pleasantries—“Thanks for having me on, Bob, great to be here…”—instead of getting straight to the point. Shea, on the other hand, set out his position immediately, weaving his humanity into the narrative without missing a beat.

A lesson for anyone stepping in front of a microphone: don’t just fill the space—own it. Hats (or rather, helmets) off to him!