Until State develops a doctrine why bother with high level meets with empty talk?

Tillerson Leads from the Shadows is a New York Times headline, which reads more like an opinion piece, lamenting the fact that the State Department has little presence in the Trump Administration.  Possibly that’s a good thing.  Until the Trump administration develops a coherent doctrine why bother with high level meets with empty talk on meddlesome issues? Its job is to promote our security and commercial interests and understand the other side’s interests so that a diplomatic rather than a military resolution can be reached.  The Iran nuclear deal is a good example. For the rest of it former Secretaries Clinton and Kerry’s globetrotting was a holier than though preach fest that accomplished nothing other than resentment.