Be A Seed Of Change: Why Diplomacy Matters

VIDEO DESCRIPTION/ TRANSCRIPT: Video starts with an animation of the deafgreenthumbs logo then fades fades into Z seated inside a greenhouse. Z is facing the camera and Z is wearing the deafgreenthumbs sweatshirt. Video fades to a shot of a tray of sprouting seedlings with white text that reads “Be A Seed of Change” then fades out to an animation of the deafgreenthumbs logo and a list of social media accounts: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

Z: Hi there! Diplomacy is one of life’s most important skills. This revolves around your ability to engage with people. It also involves getting along with others, practicing empathy, and being able to analyze different sides of an issue before moving forward with a decision. The arts of negotiation and persuasion are amongst the critical areas of diplomacy. Diplomacy is like a seed. You cannot thrust a seed to the wind and expect that it will transform into a large tree. Most of the time, any process requires thought and pre-planning. Take a pumpkin, for instance, you have to consider what type of environment a pumpkin requires in order to grow. Good soil is one factor. Other considerations involve abundance of nutrition, sunlight, and water. This is similar to a person. Does that person have all of their basic needs met? Is that person doing alright? If that person is in a good place in life, that person is going to be more receptive to new ideas and changes. New ideas being thrown at a struggling person could mean that person would have a harder time at embracing new ideas. In the case of a seed that is planted during winter with a layer of snow on top of it can spell disaster. Timing is crucial. You have to plan when to plant a seed just like you have to strategize when to initiate a dialogue with a person. Good timing can improve the odds of your proposition being successfully received. You cannot turn our backs on a sprouting and maturing seed. It is your responsibility to follow through. You cannot disappear after planting seeds of new ideas. You have to nurture relationships with people. This would comprise of providing support. Allowing time and space for the relationship to mature and develop is a part of the process like the pumpkin you planted which is now fully grown and juicy. Good luck in your journey of advocacy.