“O would some power the giftie gie us to see ourselves as others see us.”5
Particularly where one is engaged in negotiation, it is important to observe not only one’s inner workings, sense of self, and recognition of one’s own interests, but also the impact one is making on the other. How do they see us?
Catch Cultural Differences.
This becomes even more critical in negotiations between members of different cultures. Lecturers like our own Professor Hal Abramson, on cross cultural understanding in the mediation context, frequently identify such differences as expectations for eye contact. In certain South American cultures, e.g., eye contact is seen as rude; yet for us, failure to make eye contact might be read as dishonesty, disrespect or a lack of self-confidence.