Diplomatic people: 5 traits that characterize them

On many occasions we think that being too impulsive or “saying things to your face” necessarily imposes a kind of sentence on us, that of being disrespectful. Nothing could be further from the truth: sincerity is not necessarily at odds with education. It has more to do with knowing how to send messages clearly and kindly, but assertively. That’s what diplomatic people do.

It is also true that the latter They usually have a series of specific skills that allow them to perform their work better and maintain healthier social relationships. But as you already know, skills are trained! Therefore, if you want to develop these skills, take note.

Basic taxonomy of diplomatic persons

In order to understand what diplomatic people are like, we have taken as refers to the personality traits that those professionals who dedicate themselves to it usually have. (e.g. ambassadors). For this purpose, we are going to describe what, according to Costa and McRae’s Big Five model, are the stable factors that make up the personality of diplomats.

This 5-factor or Big Five model is based on a series of studies carried out and replicated in different cultures. This study has given rise to one of the most used personality assessment tests, the NEO-PI-R. We can measure the traits of diplomatic people through this test. These traits are the following:

Openness to experience

Someone who is assigned to a foreign country, where must play a mediating role, it must be curious and open. Therefore, it is assumed that you are willing to understand and adapt at times to the world around you, its people, its culture, its traditions… This means that you are tolerant and respectful of what will be your home for years.

Therefore, this open mindset is the foundation on which the rest of your skills are built. This position involves knowing how to listen to opinions that are contrary to yours and, more importantly, knowing how to use them to your advantage. A prerogative can become an opportunity.

Taking into account the complaints, requests, and disagreements of others can help you improve. Not only the relationship with your clients or your staff, but with yourself. It helps you be more self-critical and understand how others think and are. Therefore, Don’t be closed-minded, listen and learn.

Emotional stability

Costa and McRae define this as the opposite of neuroticism. In the case of diplomatic people, this has to be low or insignificant. Let’s imagine that there is an institutional crisis and those in charge of solving it were easily overcome by emotions.

It would be a real nonsense to leave a task with as much impact as mediation in the hands of someone so unpredictable. It is recommended and It is much more appropriate for a diplomat to have a calm and calm character. Furthermore, this attitude is especially valuable in stressful situations or when making very relevant decisions.

Emotional stability in itself enhances diplomacy. Maintaining calm in daily life accentuates our analytical and strategic capacity. Being able to stay calm in situations of great pressure or responsibility makes a difference. It does not mean that at any given moment we can feel anger or frustration. But the key is that these people know how to control it.

Responsibility

Obviously, diplomatic people must have a very high sense of duty. To achieve satisfactory results it is necessary that they have self-discipline and order.. However, this cannot turn into rigidity or stubbornness, since we know that to be a good negotiator, on many occasions, you have to pull your weight.

The more rigorous and true you are to yourself, the greater your credibility and reliability. Let’s think about someone in our family. Who would you entrust a very important task to you: someone who shows responsibility in their daily lives or who does not show signs of being trustworthy?

Kindness

To be able to practice this profession, cordiality – good treatment – is one of the most basic personality traits. And not only because of the empathy and cooperation that are required in an intercultural environment, but because how essential his contacts are for a diplomat.

Having the people around you happy, valued and understood is a very important asset for the good performance of your job. Someone who is kind usually has a solid social inner circle, based on trust and respect.

It is one of the key factors in the character of any person who wants to be a diplomat. And it’s not just about being liked. It does not mean falsifying or always trying to say what the other wants. It is based on trying to maintain coherence between thoughts/values ​​and behaviors without hurting the people around you who have contrary opinions. That is, being able to make observations without damaging sensitivities.

Extroversion

Although it is closely related to openness to experience, it cannot be considered the same thing. Extroversion refers more to tendency of a person to want to relate to others. In the case of a diplomat, this quality is basic.

Someone with your responsibility must be assertive, talkative, sociable and energetic. He must have communication skills and feel comfortable exchanging opinions with others. If he seems withdrawn or shy, many of his tasks will require extra effort that will end up exhausting him.

Therefore, Diplomatic people have a conversational, decisive, negotiating, extroverted personality.to. They are charismatic, they are willing to see the world, they are emotionally stable, kind and very responsible. And you, do you fit this profile or do you know someone who does?

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