\ud835\udde7\ud835\uddf5\ud835\uddf2 “\ud835\udddf\ud835\uddfc\ud835\uddfb\ud835\uddf4 \ud835\udde3\ud835\uddfc\ud835\ude02\ud835\uddff”: What a Tunisian tea service taught me about boardroom silence.
\ud835\udddc \ud835\ude02\ud835\ude00\ud835\uddf2\ud835\uddf1 \ud835\ude01\ud835\uddfc \ud835\ude01\ud835\uddf5\ud835\uddf6\ud835\uddfb\ud835\uddf8 \ud835\ude01\ud835\uddf5\ud835\uddf2 \ud835\uddfa\ud835\uddfc\ud835\ude00\ud835\ude01 \ud835\uddf6\ud835\uddfa\ud835\uddfd\ud835\uddfc\ud835\uddff\ud835\ude01\ud835\uddee\ud835\uddfb\ud835\ude01 \ud835\uddfd\ud835\uddee\ud835\uddff\ud835\ude01 \ud835\uddfc\ud835\uddf3 \ud835\uddee \ud835\uddfb\ud835\uddf2\ud835\uddf4\ud835\uddfc\ud835\ude01\ud835\uddf6\ud835\uddee\ud835\ude01\ud835\uddf6\ud835\uddfc\ud835\uddfb \ud835\ude04\ud835\uddee\ud835\ude00 \ud835\ude04\ud835\uddf5\ud835\uddee\ud835\ude01 \ud835\udddc \ud835\ude00\ud835\uddee\ud835\uddf6\ud835\uddf1. I was wrong. It is what happens when nobody is talking.
I learnt this lesson in the mountains of Toujane, watching a Berber vendor prepare tea.
He didn’t rush. He didn’t fill the space with a sales pitch or “justifications” for the price of his rugs.
He simply poured the tea from a height\u2014a long, steady stream that creates a thick foam\u2014and then he sat in total, comfortable silence.
In the West, particularly in business, we are terrified of silence. We view it as an “\ud835\uddee\ud835\ude04\ud835\uddf8\ud835\ude04\ud835\uddee\ud835\uddff\ud835\uddf1 \ud835\uddf4\ud835\uddee\ud835\uddfd” that needs to be filled.
When we state a price or a proposal and the other person doesn’t immediately respond, our anxiety spikes.
We feel the urge to:
\u00a0\u00a0\u2022 Offer a “pre-emptive” discount.
\u00a0 \u2022 Explain our “value proposition” for the fifth time.
\u00a0 \u2022 Ask “Does that make sense?” just to hear a human voice.
In that moment of “filling the gap”, we usually negotiate against ourselves.
\ud835\ude4e\ud835\ude5e\ud835\ude61\ud835\ude5a\ud835\ude63\ud835\ude58\ud835\ude5a \ud835\ude5e\ud835\ude68\ud835\ude63\u2019\ud835\ude69 \ud835\ude56 \ud835\ude6b\ud835\ude64\ud835\ude5e\ud835\ude59; \ud835\ude5e\ud835\ude69\u2019\ud835\ude68 \ud835\ude56 \ud835\ude62\ud835\ude5e\ud835\ude67\ud835\ude67\ud835\ude64\ud835\ude67.
When you stop talking after stating your terms, you hand the emotional “weight” of the conversation to the other person.
They are forced to confront their own thoughts, their own budget, and their own needs.
If you can\u2019t handle five seconds of silence after naming your fee, you are telling the client that you don’t truly believe you are worth it.
\ud835\udde7\ud835\uddf5\ud835\uddf2 \ud835\uddf3\ud835\uddf6\ud835\uddff\ud835\ude00\ud835\ude01 \ud835\uddfd\ud835\uddf2\ud835\uddff\ud835\ude00\ud835\uddfc\ud835\uddfb \ud835\ude01\ud835\uddfc \ud835\ude00\ud835\uddfd\ud835\uddf2\ud835\uddee\ud835\uddf8 \ud835\uddee\ud835\uddf3\ud835\ude01\ud835\uddf2\ud835\uddff \ud835\uddee \ud835\uddfd\ud835\uddff\ud835\uddfc\ud835\uddfd\ud835\uddfc\ud835\ude00\ud835\uddee\ud835\uddf9 \ud835\uddf6\ud835\ude00 \ud835\uddfc\ud835\uddf3\ud835\ude01\ud835\uddf2\ud835\uddfb \ud835\ude01\ud835\uddf5\ud835\uddf2 \ud835\uddfc\ud835\uddfb\ud835\uddf2 \ud835\ude04\ud835\uddf5\ud835\uddfc \ud835\uddf0\ud835\uddf2\ud835\uddf1\ud835\uddf2\ud835\ude00 \ud835\ude01\ud835\uddf5\ud835\uddf2 \ud835\uddfa\ud835\uddfc\ud835\ude00\ud835\ude01 \ud835\uddf4\ud835\uddff\ud835\uddfc\ud835\ude02\ud835\uddfb\ud835\uddf1.
In 2026, learn to be comfortable in the quiet. Silence isn’t a sign that the deal is dying\u2014it\u2019s a sign that the other person is actually thinking.
\ud835\udde7\ud835\uddf5\ud835\uddf2 \ud835\uddfa\ud835\uddee\ud835\ude00\ud835\ude01\ud835\uddf2\ud835\uddff \ud835\uddfb\ud835\uddf2\ud835\uddf4\ud835\uddfc\ud835\ude01\ud835\uddf6\ud835\uddee\ud835\ude01\ud835\uddfc\ud835\uddff \ud835\uddf1\ud835\uddfc\ud835\uddf2\ud835\ude00\ud835\uddfb’\ud835\ude01 \ud835\ude04\ud835\uddf6\ud835\uddfb \ud835\uddef\ud835\ude06 \ud835\uddf5\ud835\uddee\ud835\ude03\ud835\uddf6\ud835\uddfb\ud835\uddf4 \ud835\ude01\ud835\uddf5\ud835\uddf2 \ud835\uddef\ud835\uddf2\ud835\ude00\ud835\ude01 \ud835\ude00\ud835\uddf0\ud835\uddff\ud835\uddf6\ud835\uddfd\ud835\ude01. \ud835\udde7\ud835\uddf5\ud835\uddf2\ud835\ude06 \ud835\ude04\ud835\uddf6\ud835\uddfb \ud835\uddef\ud835\ude06 \ud835\uddf5\ud835\uddee\ud835\ude03\ud835\uddf6\ud835\uddfb\ud835\uddf4 \ud835\ude01\ud835\uddf5\ud835\uddf2 \ud835\uddfa\ud835\uddfc\ud835\ude00\ud835\ude01 \ud835\ude00\ud835\uddf2\ud835\uddf9\ud835\uddf3-\ud835\uddf0\ud835\uddfc\ud835\uddfb\ud835\ude01\ud835\uddff\ud835\uddfc\ud835\uddf9.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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\ud835\udde7\ud835\uddf5\ud835\uddf2 “\ud835\udddf\ud835\uddfc\ud835\uddfb\ud835\uddf4 \ud835\udde3\ud835\uddfc\ud835\ude02\ud835\uddff”: What a Tunisian tea service taught me about boardroom silence.<\/p>\n
\ud835\udddc \ud835\ude02\ud835\ude00\ud835\uddf2\ud835\uddf1 \ud835\ude01\ud835\uddfc \ud835\ude01\ud835\uddf5\ud835\uddf6\ud835\uddfb\ud835\uddf8 \ud835\ude01\ud835\uddf5\ud835\uddf2 \ud835\uddfa\ud835\uddfc\ud835\ude00\ud835\ude01 \ud835\uddf6\ud835\uddfa\ud835\uddfd\ud835\uddfc\ud835\uddff\ud835\ude01\ud835\uddee\ud835\uddfb\ud835\ude01 \ud835\uddfd\ud835\uddee\ud835\uddff\ud835\ude01 \ud835\uddfc\ud835\uddf3 \ud835\uddee \ud835\uddfb\ud835\uddf2\ud835\uddf4\ud835\uddfc\ud835\ude01\ud835\uddf6\ud835\uddee\ud835\ude01\ud835\uddf6\ud835\uddfc\ud835\uddfb \ud835\ude04\ud835\uddee\ud835\ude00 \ud835\ude04\ud835\uddf5\ud835\uddee\ud835\ude01 \ud835\udddc \ud835\ude00\ud835\uddee\ud835\uddf6\ud835\uddf1.<\/p>\n