Diplomatic relations is the organized interaction between governments in order to manage shared domains, whether it be the global atmosphere, vast oceans, or migratory paths for wildlife. It is the scaled-up version of quiet exchanges between neighbors sharing a garden, deciding who plants what or how to manage the flow of water.
The field draws upon a wide range of disciplines: political science provides the framework of state behavior and international systems, history offers crucial context, revealing patterns of cooperation and conflict, and law defines the rules and institutions governing international conduct. Economics reveals the material interests that shape diplomatic choices, and sociology and anthropology help explain cultural differences in communication and negotiation styles. Even communication studies and semiotics can be useful tools for deciphering hidden meanings and strategic signaling in diplomatic language.
A successful diplomat must be a master of problem-solving. They must be able to anticipate how their interlocutors might react, understand the underlying motivations of those inside and outside their government, and convey their ideas in ways that make them more likely to be heard. They also have to be willing to change their plans if circumstances shift and they must stay resilient when their adversaries are uncooperative or hostile.
Finally, they must be prepared to deal with a variety of issues ranging from economics and trade to human rights, immigration, and climate change. These issues may be negotiated at small meetings of ministers or between heads of state, or they may be addressed in large international conferences involving dozens of world leaders and thousands of professional diplomats and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Such conferences often involve negotiations on complex issues that demand a broad perspective or a willingness to compromise.