Diplomacy is the art of building relationships and conducting negotiations with people using tact and mutual respect. It involves asking for more than you expect to get, and sacrificing some of what you want in order to come to an agreement. The practice of diplomacy is usually performed by a government, but can also be done by individuals or international organizations like the United Nations. An example of successful diplomacy is when Martti Ahtisaari helped Namibia gain independence from South Africa.
The shape of the world we live in today has been carved by diplomatic negotiation. It’s what sets the global stage, creates international treaties, and settles international crises. Every politician, every international summit, and every law has one binding concept in common — diplomacy.
What are the skills and qualities of a good diplomat? A successful diplomat needs to have a keen understanding of history and culture. They must be able to read their counterparts and understand their motivations. They need to have great stamina, as the long-term goal of diplomatic efforts is to achieve a compromise that satisfies all parties. This means that a negotiator must be prepared for marathon-length negotiations that often require them to be away from their home bases for extended periods of time.
Lastly, they need to have courage. Diplomats take risks for their country and their own reputation, sometimes putting themselves in harm’s way (Kissinger with China) or negotiating directly with pariah states that can cause significant damage to their core diplomatic reputations (Baker with Germany’s reunification, Crocker with South Africa, Eizenstat with the Iran nuclear negotiations). These courageous individuals are what we call true leaders.