The practice of tactful and strategic communication that fosters understanding, minimizes conflict and seeks mutually beneficial solutions. It is often the heart of international relations and the soul of negotiation, but it is important for everyday life, too.
Diplomacy is a skill for everyone. Whether it’s resolving disputes in a group project, working with an irate boss or handling an awkward family situation, diplomacy can help us communicate more effectively and make our relationships stronger. In a world divided by politics, partisanship and polarization, it is essential that we learn to be more diplomatic.
The word ‘diplomacy’ comes from the Greek verb diplo, meaning “folded,” which originally referred to a document conferring some privilege on its bearer. Later the term came to refer to the whole diplomatic process, including the negotiations that preceded and followed it. Diplomacy also includes the process of building, tending and sustaining the coalitions that deter war and that end it. Its role in forming, strengthening and sustaining peace, both after the cessation of hostilities and between states, is its most important function over the long run.
To do their work, diplomats must have an excellent understanding of the nuances of human nature that undermine agreement and stoke conflict. They must be able to analyze them with foresight and grace. They must understand that the ultimate goal of a diplomatic triumph is not to win in spite of your opponent but rather to create an outcome that both parties can live with, as in the case of the Kyoto Protocol on climate change.