The Statesman Ethos: Diplomacy

Every day is a good day, but today is a little extra “good” because I’m smoking a Rocky Patel Vintage 1999 Connecticut. Rocky Patel is a world-renowned Honduran cigar company, and the Vintage 1999 Connecticut is a Robusto offering light spice and creamy notes of earthiness.

Some context for this blog. At the outset of building Statesman, we took time to articulate what we now call “The Statesman Ethos.” This ten-point list serves as a bedrock for our company culture and what we believe a “Statesman” should embody. This blog is the first in a series diving into each of those qualities, and today we’ll explore diplomacy.

Diplomacy is defined as “employing tact and conciliation, especially in situations of stress.” We live in a stress-inducing world. From global pandemics, worldwide economic fluctuations, and religious and political division to social hegemony and racial tension, being diplomatic is absolutely vital to navigating our reality. Yet, despite this need, diplomacy is quickly becoming a lost art. Why?

Historically speaking, a diplomat is a person equipped with the academic acumen and relational intelligence (i.e. people skills) to bring about resolutions. Both of these capabilities are developed the same way—relentless effort. Sadly, in our modern world built on instantaneous gratification and a penchant for choosing the easy route over the right route, effort is a dirty word. Foundationally it is this disconnect between doing what is necessary (diplomacy) and doing what is easy (being inconsiderate, uncivil, and rude), that causes diplomacy to become a lost art. Without diplomacy we have a world where people operate as petulant children on a school playground more concerned about being heard and protecting what is theirs rather than listening to and seeking the good of those around them.

At Statesman we hope to develop a counterculture. Being diplomatic is to be relentlessly concerned about others, relentless in the pursuit of what is good, what is useful, and what is right. Does it take effort? Yes. Does it take longer? Yes. Can it also change the world? Yes! In a world where diplomacy was reality, we saw MLK leading a non-violent civil rights movement changing the social fabric of a nation. We saw Bono crossing the political aisle to partner with George W. Bush to bring AIDS relief to Africa. We saw Diana Abgar partnering with Japan to provide refuge for refugees fleeing the Armenian Genocide in 1915. Diplomacy can be grand like the examples above, or simple like having a conversation with someone who believes differently from us, where personal vitriol is absent and sharing one’s beliefs is done respectfully.

Being diplomatic does not have to remain a rarity. It is vital we swim against the cultural tide that attempts to drown us in the undercurrent of selfish “my truth” axioms. With relentless effort, we must become informed, relationally-minded individuals, i.e. “Statesmen.” In a world where being diplomatic is lacking, we can be the people capable of navigating and contributing constructively to the world around us and helping others do the same.

Tell us about a time when you had to be diplomatic!