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𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗤𝘂𝗶𝗲𝘁 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗡𝗼 𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸𝘀 𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗽𝘀 We celebrate grit, clarity, obsession, and resilience. But there’s one underrated skill that quietly shapes startup culture — diplomacy. Startups are messy. Fast-moving. Emotionally charged. People disagree. Tensions rise. Deadlines slip. And suddenly, a small misunderstanding derails the energy of an entire team. Diplomacy is not about sugarcoating. It’s the ability to say hard things without breaking trust. To disagree without stalling progress. To be clear without being cruel. In high-stakes environments where burnout and breakdown are one bad day away, diplomacy isn’t soft. It’s survival. Curious to hear from others — what’s a people skill you think makes or breaks startup teams?