Rafael Grossi on Empathy, Discipline, and Wellbeing

Show notes

In this first episode of "The Art of Diplomacy", Florence Gaub speaks with Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency. At the center of some of the most sensitive diplomatic efforts today, Grossi operates in a world where pressure is constant and stakes are existential. In this conversation, he reflects on what it takes to stay focused and effective under these conditions, both physically and mentally. And why discipline, restraint, and self-awareness are essential tools of the trade. Grossi speaks about the challenge of remaining impartial in highly polarized conflicts, and the loneliness that can come with it. He explains why listening, empathy, and the ability to see the world through the eyes of your counterpart are not just ideals, but practical necessities in negotiation.

Drawing on decades of experience, from nuclear diplomacy to conflict mediation, Grossi offers a candid look at what diplomacy actually demands: patience, preparation, and the ability to hold your ground without escalating tension.

The conversation with Rafael Grossi was recorded before the beginning of the war in Iran, at the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference in mid Februar 2026.

For the introduction to this first episode of The Art of Diplomacy, Florence Gaub is joined by Benedikt Franke, CEO of the Munich Security Conference.

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GLOSSARY

The Oslo Accords are two agreements between Isreal and the Palestine Liberation Organization signed in 1993 and 1995 to establish a peace process for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Oslo-Accords https://www.un.org/unispal/document/auto-insert-180015/

https://www.un.org/unispal/document/auto-insert-185434/

The Dayton Accords are a peace agreement signed on November 21, 1995 that ended the war in Bosnia. https://www.britannica.com/event/Dayton-Accords https://www.ohr.int/dayton-peace-agreement/

The Harvard Negotiation Method is a collaborative, “win-win” approach that focuses on solving the problem rather than on who wins. https://www.pon.harvard.edu/daily/negotiation-skills-daily/principled-negotiation-focus-interests-c…

The Good Friday Agreement, or Belfast Agreement, was signed on April 10, 1998 after 30 years of conflict between unionists and nationalists in Northern Ireland, known as the Troubles. https://www.ireland.ie/en/dfa/role-policies/northern-ireland/about-the-good-friday-agreement/

Colombia Peace Records: In November 2016, the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) guerilla group signed the "Final Peace Agreement" to end more than 50 years of armed conflict. https://www.cfr.org/backgrounders/colombias-civil-conflict

Cuban Missile Crisis: In October 1962, the US placed a naval quarantine on Cuba after learning of Soviert nuclear missiles on the island. The crisis marked the closest point that the world has ever come to global nuclear war. https://www.britannica.com/event/Cuban-missile-crisis

The Two Plus Four Agreement was signed on September 12, 1990 by the Federal Republic of Germany, the German Democratic Republic, the US, France, the UK, and the Soviet Union, allowing Germany's reunification as a fully sovereign state. https://www.deutschland.de/en/topic/politics/germany-europe/two-plus-four-treaty https://treaties.un.org/doc/Publication/UNTS/Volume%201696/volume-1696-I-29226-English.pdf

Klemens von Metternich (1773–1859) was an Austrian minister of foreign affairs who helped forge the alliance that defeated Napoleon I and restored Austria as a leading European power. He hosted the Congress of Vienna in 1814–15, which aimed to establish a new order in Europe. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Klemens-von-Metternich