6.6 We have heard concerns over the coherence and prioritisation of Defence Diplomacy and 'soft power' influence activities in support of policy priorities. The National Security Strategy and SDSR indicate that this is an increasingly important area of business. The Head Office should better co-ordinate and prioritise all international engagement and Defence Diplomacy activity. We understand the Department is developing a Defence engagement strategy together with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, which should achieve this. It should corral all the levers available to Defence to deliver the relevant National Security Strategy objectives, including exports, senior visits, capacity building, maritime deployments, military exercises (where a balance will need to be struck between Defence Diplomacy requirements, the need for effective training, and the need to best utilise Defence assets) and Defence Attaché business. It should prioritise their application, and be authoritative across the Department, forming a core part of the Defence Strategy. The Defence Board will want to monitor the implementation of this strategy as one of its strategic objectives. It should be owned and managed on a day to day basis jointly by the DG Security Policy and Deputy Chief of Defence Staff (DCDS) Operations and be executed variously by the Commands, PJHQ and directorates within the Head Office. This strategy will start to address the concern about the Department's capability and capacity to think strategically and to take a long term view.