Diplomacy is the process of interacting with others and trying to find mutually beneficial solutions to problems. It involves the use of tact and understanding the many facets of human behavior that can undermine negotiations, stoke conflict, and lead to catastrophe. Diplomacy is the ability to analyze these complexities and approach them with grace, wisdom, and an eye for foresight.
Diplomatic activities include negotiating with other countries and forming alliances. It can also be used to communicate between groups within a country, such as with local communities or businesses. Diplomacy can also be seen as a set of policies that a government adopts in order to safeguard its own interests. This reflects the overall world view of the policy making elite, and is driven by national ethos and history, as well as geostrategic and economic compulsions.
It’s easy to get caught up in your own position and begin to take a belligerent stance in committee, but the art of diplomacy is not about forcing your way through a negotiation. Humiliating an opposing delegation, wrong-footing them, exposing their weakness, or gloating over their failures can only serve to destroy any chance for progress. A true diplomat always leaves their opposite number feeling that they have had a positive and constructive experience.
The practice of diplomacy has been around for thousands of years, and is the heart of international relations and the soul of negotiation. It is the key to success in Model UN, and one of the most important lessons a delegate can learn.
About the Author
