Silence After a Counteroffer is Not Confusion

The Story
In Muscat, a lawyer made a counteroffer in a negotiation and received no immediate reply. He read the silence as hesitation and moved to fill it, softening a term he had not intended to soften. Later, he learned the silence had been a considered pause, not discomfort. The other party had been prepared to accept. His move had been unnecessary, and it had been noted.

Cultural Principle
In Gulf negotiation settings, silence following an offer or counteroffer often signals active deliberation, not rejection. The pace of consideration is not always the pace of discomfort.

Takeaway
After a counteroffer, stop. Let the silence do its work. Moving into it prematurely signals that your last position was softer than it appeared.

Warmly,
Taqua