Diplo Learning Corner

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Month: July 2014 (Page 1 of 2)

Why diplomats “lie”

31/07/2014 /

During a training seminar, Ruben Brunsveld of the Stockholm Institute for Public Speaking (StIPS) asked the question: “Which words do you associate with diplomacy and diplomatic language?”

He found out that the words commonly associated with diplomacy are intrasparent, unclear, vague and even lying.

Actually, diplomatic language can be extremely confusing if you are not used to the codes. It is essential to know the context of the communication and the relationships among the people involved to understand the meaning of a “diplomatic” conversation. So why don’t they just say what they think?

In the international arena, actors coming from different backgrounds meet each other, bearing different communication styles and value systems. Diplomatic language is used to avoid mistakes and to establish “the rules of the game”.

In a field where interpersonal interaction is crucial, those rules are needed to communicate without running the risk of offending your counterpart. For sure, you have to know and practice them, taking into account that diplomats do not lie. They just “soften”.

Read the full article at http://stips.se/why-diplomats-lie/

What they say

What they mean
We believe the Dutch proposal is very interesting What a strange Dutch proposal, we will not accept it!
We understand the general idea behind your proposal We have a serious problem with how you want to implement this
We believe this proposal deserves further examination We cannot accept it in this form
We have complete understanding for the French concerns, however we feel that we should …. We disagree with the French
I hope we can be pragmatic and work towards a constructive solution Please stop whining about technicalities
I am not quite convinced the German proposal reflects the best way out for all of us. We will not accept the German proposal.
By inserting this you make it hard for me to convince my colleagues. Stop making my position difficult.
I ask your understanding for the fact that this is very important for Sweden. It is important but I cannot tell you why. Ask me at the coffee machine.
I have been instructed by my government to propose the following solution. I know this is not acceptable for you. Do not shoot the messenger.
The internal coordination process is still ongoing We did not have time to look over the document.

Self irony: how to fight the Excess of Success

29/07/2014 /

To become a successful individual has never been an easy task, and has always cost many sacrifices and endeavours to those who have undertaken the effort. That’s why those few who succeed in life, and have plenty of proofs of their success, are most of the time inclined to show it off to the rest of the world.

“Once you get at the top, you’ll stay at the top” they think, which is true most of the times. But even if being airy and full of it will never undermine a CV full of shiny stuff, it can cause irreparable harm to what other people think of you. Humbleness is not required to get to success and leadership, but since a successful leader needs to be loved – not just feared – by his team, humbleness is essential to keep being successful and get always more of it.

A practical and effective way for a smart guy to show people he understands the value of staying humble is self irony and understatement: it helps minimizing the person without undermining his role, thus showing to a team that the leader himself is able to grasp the difference between the two. It is also a cunning way to keep a team respecting Leadership without fearing the Leader.

Samuele Fazzi

1Image source: Flickr – http://bit.ly/1of5Lp1– Duncan Hull (CC BY 2.0)

Starting a New Job

24/07/2014 /

When you get a new job, elation and excitement come first and you’re enthusiastic about all the new possibilities before you.
After that, however, the panic begins. You start to get nervous about your new responsibilities, the corporate culture and the people with whom you’ll be working.
While starting a new job can be a stressful experience, this important transition doesn’t have to be full of tension and anxiety.
In this article, Mind Tools covers strategies for making this transition easier, and it offers some tips for building solid relationships with your new colleagues:

1. Give yourself 90 days to become fully effective in a new role;
2. Focus on a few quick wins;
3. Build the new skills you need;
4. Navigate the new culture;
5. Learn who’s who.

Starting a new role can cause a lot of stress. And you’ll make it harder on yourself if you try to do too much too soon. Spend plenty of time getting to know your new culture. Your boss doesn’t expect you to create full value for the company during your first few months, so take it slowly. And try to focus on a few small victories that will help you establish credibility.

Read more on: Starting a new job: getting used to your new role

new-career

Image source: Loren’s World

Posted by Camilla Sicuro.

 

How to Make Your Life Better by Sending Five Simple Emails

17/07/2014 /

Eric Barker from Time Online Magazine has found out how to improve our lives in a simple way, by just sending 5 emails:

• Every morning send a friend, family member or co-worker an email to say thanks for something.
• At the end of the week, send your boss an email and sum up what you’ve accomplished.
• Once a week email a potential mentor.
• Email a good friend and make plans.
• Send an email to someone you know (but don’t know very well) and check in.

More on: How to Make Your Life Better by Sending Five Simple Emails

 

60963915_7146709e9c_n

Image source: Flickr – Biscarotte (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Posted by Camilla Sicuro.

10 Effective Ways To Get More Followers On Twitter

15/07/2014 /

If you aim at broadening your influence, it is very likely that you are already acquainted with Twitter. With over 500 million registered users in 2012, and 200 million active users, Twitter is quite a large pool to fish in. That is, if you get people to follow you. In order to maximize your twitting experience and to keep your followers counter on the rise, here is a list of 10 useful tips, drafted by Malika Rani:

  1. Come up with an effective tweet;
  2. Make sure your Twitter profile is complete;
  3. Follow followers of people that are like you;
  4. Ask for retweet;
  5. Follow back your followers;
  6. Be active on twitter chat;
  7. Include hashtags in your tweets;
  8. Use twitter searching sites;
  9. Post content on a regular basis;
  10. Explore “follow me on twitter” Links.

Twitter_Logo_by_Megachix

Image source: Megachix on http://goo.gl/pRMpkl

Gain The Upper Hand in Negotiations

08/07/2014 /

Are you able to keep your emotions in check when negotiating that big deal? According to Ananda Laberge – associate tutor for Scotwork North America – there are six proven strategies to help gain the upper hand in your next negotiation:

1. Thoroughly prepare
2. Draw the emotion out first
3. Give them what they want… on your terms
4. Watch for signals from the individuals
5. Don’t go into an important negotiation alone
6. When necessary, adjourn

Read the full article at: http://onforb.es/1mLPyb7

 

1Image source: Flickr – koencobbaert –  http://bit.ly/1tjQsxE

 

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