Business Diplomat: Misread Online

Without a voice or a face, a message has to carry everything. In this part of its interview series, Business Diplomat presents Prof. Dr. Mehmet Emin Erendor’s account of misunderstanding in digital diplomacy.

First observation: lost signals
“In face-to-face meetings, tone of voice, facial expression and body language give clues about how a statement should be understood. In email or short messages these elements largely disappear.” The loss makes misunderstanding more important than before.

Second observation: small things with meaning
“Therefore, especially in international negotiations, the choice of words, the response time and even punctuation marks can carry diplomatic meaning.” Three details are named: the words chosen, the time taken to reply and punctuation. None is a technical matter; each can be read as a signal.

Third observation: the same principles
Erendor concludes that one may speak of a new “digital diplomatic etiquette”, but its foundation is old: “respect, moderation, confidentiality, not leaving the other side in a difficult position, and protecting the relationship.” What changes is how these principles are applied.

The logic of the assessment
Signals disappear online. Small details therefore gain meaning. But the guiding principles stay the same. The emphasis moves from the principles to the practice of applying them.

The role of Business Diplomat
The platform’s mission is to give young people experience, bring a diplomatic order to the business world, and benefit states by revitalising the economy. Erendor’s five principles can serve as a short code for online conduct. Business Diplomat can help young professionals remember them when they write.

Conclusion
Online, words, timing and punctuation are diplomatic acts, guided by the old principles of respect, moderation, confidentiality and protecting the relationship. Business Diplomat aims to help young professionals write with that awareness.