{"id":46112,"date":"2016-03-07T10:37:39","date_gmt":"2016-03-07T10:37:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/visiontime.com\/?p=46112"},"modified":"2016-03-08T11:39:49","modified_gmt":"2016-03-08T11:39:49","slug":"diplomacy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/visiontime.com\/?p=46112","title":{"rendered":"Diplomacy is an art of communication"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row unlock_row=”” row_height_percent=”0″ override_padding=”yes” h_padding=”2″ top_padding=”5″ bottom_padding=”5″ overlay_alpha=”50″ gutter_size=”3″ shift_y=”0″ row_height_use_pixel=””][vc_column column_width_use_pixel=”yes” font_family=”font-134980″ overlay_alpha=”50″ gutter_size=”3″ medium_width=”0″ shift_x=”0″ shift_y=”0″ z_index=”0″ zoom_width=”0″ zoom_height=”0″ column_width_pixel=”800″][vc_column_text text_lead=”yes”]Diplomacy is an art of communication. As opposed to the warrior, diplomats bear no arms, their sole weapons words, spoken or written. It is no coincidence that great literary masters have also been part of the nomadic tribe of ambassadors, consuls and other official emissaries. Chateaubriand, Claudel, Stendhal, Giraudoux, Gary, Saint John Perse\u2014to name a few on the French side\u2014are fine incarnations of published authors who were also diplomats at some point in their lives. \u00a0All main aspects of a diplomat\u2019s work revolve around language. As diplomats, we need words to analyze the place where we are posted and convey our understanding to our national authorities; we also rely on words to project our own country\u2019s image and position and promote its economic and commercial interests. We must choose the right words and communicate effectively to win a negotiation that can be crucial to defend our country\u2019s interests as well as to preserve peace among nations.<\/p>\n

As counselors to the highest political officials of the State, the first duty of diplomats is to articulate a clear vision of the dynamics of the country to which they are accredited. \u201cCe qui se con\u00e7oit bien s’\u00e9nonce clairement – Et les mots pour le dire arrivent ais\u00e9ment\u201d (What you\u00a0understand\u00a0well,\u00a0you\u00a0enunciate clearly\u00a0– and the words to say it flow easily\u201d) is a famous quote by Nicolas Boileau, a French writer of the late 17th<\/sup> century, that accurately underlines this particular challenge.<\/p>\n

Effective communication in this particular instance means the ability to understand and convey a correct analysis back home. Diplomatic reporting is a mix of journalism and research, and has to strike a balance between rigorous analytical explanations and synthetic presentation of the main actors and forces at play in a particular country or negotiation.\u00a0 The challenge is to get an adequate perception of the national situation of a specific place or of the various positions on a particular question, and to translate it into a report that is clear, precise and concise.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row unlock_row_content=”yes” row_height_percent=”50″ override_padding=”yes” h_padding=”0″ top_padding=”0″ bottom_padding=”0″ back_color=”color-lxmt” overlay_alpha=”50″ equal_height=”yes” gutter_size=”0″ shift_y=”0″ row_height_use_pixel=””][vc_column column_width_percent=”70″ position_vertical=”middle” override_padding=”yes” column_padding=”5″ overlay_alpha=”50″ gutter_size=”3″ medium_width=”0″ shift_x=”0″ shift_y=”0″ zoom_width=”0″ zoom_height=”0″ width=”1\/2″][vc_custom_heading text_size=”h1″ text_height=”fontheight-357766″ text_font=”font-202503″ sub_lead=”yes” sub_reduced=”yes” css_animation=”bottom-t-top” animation_delay=”200″ text_uppercase=”” subheading=”\u2014 Nicolas Boileau<\/p>\n

“]What you understand well, you enunciate clearly – and the words to say it flow easily[\/vc_custom_heading][\/vc_column][vc_column column_width_percent=”100″ override_padding=”yes” column_padding=”0″ back_color=”color-wayh” back_image=”46121″ back_position=”center top” parallax=”yes” overlay_alpha=”0″ gutter_size=”3″ medium_width=”0″ shift_x=”0″ shift_y=”0″ z_index=”0″ zoom_width=”0″ zoom_height=”0″ width=”1\/2″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row unlock_row=”” row_height_percent=”0″ override_padding=”yes” h_padding=”2″ top_padding=”5″ bottom_padding=”5″ overlay_alpha=”50″ gutter_size=”3″ shift_y=”0″ row_height_use_pixel=””][vc_column column_width_use_pixel=”yes” font_family=”font-134980″ overlay_alpha=”50″ gutter_size=”3″ medium_width=”0″ shift_x=”0″ shift_y=”0″ zoom_width=”0″ zoom_height=”0″ column_width_pixel=”800″][vc_column_text text_lead=”yes”]A good cable should go beyond trivial facts and explanations, it should unearth the deeper truths and really enlighten its reader, but it must also be to the point. High officials have little time\u2014the added value of a good diplomatic report is therefore to convey what counts so that they\u2019d be able to make enlightened and wise decisions. Who would read a note that is not structured and is confusing both in terms of content and form? Clarity of mind and clarity of expression are required for this sensitive exercise. Traditionally, good style was also expected and considered as the mark of a sharp and refined spirit\u2014 evidence of the author\u2019s ability to make sense of a complex, foreign and often troubled world.<\/p>\n

The revolution of instant communication has brought an inevitable change, and nowadays cables and reports are often written with less emphasis on style and more on speed and conciseness.\u00a0 Efficiency prevails over all, but esthetics can help getting the readers\u2019 sustained attention and many young diplomats still pay attention to their style and write beautifully.<\/p>\n

Diplomats are not only observers and reporters, they are also representatives in charge of projecting their own country\u2019s image, positions and interests. \u00a0They have to deliver speeches and to give interviews. They need to captivate their audience and chose the right way and right words to project their message.\u00a0 Their work is about being visible and influential.\u00a0 Many remember Dominique de Villepin\u2019s vibrant address to the United Nations Security Council on 14 February 2003, winning applause for making the point against military intervention in Iraq: it epitomized the art of effectively delivering a message that perfectly embodied France\u2019s values and stance and at the same time appealed to everyone\u2019s heart and reason. In bilateral postings, speaking publicly is also one of the keys to exerting influence and promoting national interests.\u00a0 Opportunities, small and big, present themselves everyday: the opening of a new outlet, a musical performance, an interview with a national or local media, lecturing students, etc.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row unlock_row_content=”yes” row_height_percent=”50″ override_padding=”yes” h_padding=”0″ top_padding=”0″ bottom_padding=”0″ back_color=”color-lxmt” overlay_alpha=”50″ equal_height=”yes” gutter_size=”0″ shift_y=”0″ row_height_use_pixel=””][vc_column column_width_percent=”100″ override_padding=”yes” column_padding=”0″ back_color=”color-wayh” back_image=”46125″ back_position=”center top” parallax=”yes” overlay_alpha=”0″ gutter_size=”3″ medium_width=”0″ shift_x=”0″ shift_y=”0″ z_index=”0″ zoom_width=”0″ zoom_height=”0″ width=”1\/2″][\/vc_column][vc_column column_width_percent=”70″ position_vertical=”middle” override_padding=”yes” column_padding=”5″ overlay_alpha=”50″ gutter_size=”3″ medium_width=”0″ shift_x=”0″ shift_y=”0″ zoom_width=”0″ zoom_height=”0″ width=”1\/2″][vc_custom_heading text_size=”h1″ text_height=”fontheight-357766″ text_font=”font-202503″ sub_lead=”yes” sub_reduced=”yes” css_animation=”bottom-t-top” animation_delay=”200″ text_uppercase=”” subheading=”\u2014 Dominique de Villepin, French Minister of Foreign Affairs at the UN Security Council”]The option of war might seem a priori to be the swiftest. But let us not forget that having won the war, one has to build peace.[\/vc_custom_heading][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row unlock_row=”” row_height_percent=”0″ override_padding=”yes” h_padding=”2″ top_padding=”5″ bottom_padding=”5″ overlay_alpha=”50″ gutter_size=”3″ shift_y=”0″ row_height_use_pixel=””][vc_column column_width_use_pixel=”yes” font_family=”font-134980″ overlay_alpha=”50″ gutter_size=”3″ medium_width=”0″ shift_x=”0″ shift_y=”0″ zoom_width=”0″ zoom_height=”0″ column_width_pixel=”800″][vc_column_text text_lead=”yes”]Finally, what are diplomats for if not to be smart negotiators, in order to protect and promote their national goals and values, and even sometimes to avoid war and destruction?\u00a0 The 2014 movie Diplomatie \u2013 about a fictitious encounter between the Swedish consul general and the Nazi general commander of Paris towards the end of WWII is a striking illustration of the power of words, as the Nazi commander is gradually talked into renouncing the demolition of the French capital. The mastery of language and persuasion are indeed instrumental in gaining the trust of interlocutors and convincing them of one\u2019s argument. Basic rules of effective communication do apply: it is impossible to nudge others into aligning themselves with your own positions without listening well.\u00a0 The great negotiator is first a good listener.<\/p>\n

Sharp observation, attentive listening, structured thinking, logical argumentation, speeches that combine the power of reason and of emotion, patient discussion and negotiation: the list could grow longer, and shows that the ingredients of effective communication are in many ways similar to the tools of good diplomacy.<\/p>\n

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[\/vc_column_text][vc_separator][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_height_percent=”0″ override_padding=”yes” h_padding=”2″ top_padding=”5″ bottom_padding=”5″ back_color=”color-jevc” overlay_alpha=”50″ gutter_size=”3″ shift_y=”0″ row_height_use_pixel=””][vc_column column_width_use_pixel=”yes” style=”light” font_family=”font-134980″ overlay_alpha=”50″ gutter_size=”3″ medium_width=”0″ shift_x=”0″ shift_y=”0″ z_index=”0″ zoom_width=”0″ zoom_height=”0″ column_width_pixel=”800″][vc_custom_heading text_size=”h3″ text_font=”font-202503″ text_color=”color-lxmt” text_uppercase=””]Ana\u00efs Le Ny is the pseudo of a mid-career diplomat who has spent more than 20 years working on MENA and UN issues both in bilateral and multilateral postings.[\/vc_custom_heading][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Diplomacy is an art of communication. As opposed to the warrior, diplomats bear no arms, their sole weapons words, spoken or written.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":46124,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[94,4,87],"tags":[89,7,88],"class_list":["post-46112","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-diplomacy","category-culture","category-communication","tag-writers","tag-culture","tag-communication"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/visiontime.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/diplomacy.jpeg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/visiontime.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46112","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/visiontime.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/visiontime.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/visiontime.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/visiontime.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=46112"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/visiontime.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46112\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":46213,"href":"https:\/\/visiontime.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46112\/revisions\/46213"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/visiontime.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/46124"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/visiontime.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=46112"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/visiontime.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=46112"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/visiontime.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=46112"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}