Nonverbal mistakes are often more difficult to avoid than verbal ones. For example, the amount of appropriate eye contact1 according to the country. When 2with the Japanese, I have learned to use intermittent eye contact across the bargaining table rather than staring directly. Southeast Asians also find an intense gaze 3. During my first week on assignment in Singapore, my secretary nervously asked me, ”Boss, why do you 4 look at us so fiercely? ”. While you may learn to use an indirect gaze in East and Southeast Asia, you have to 5 the lesson when doing business in the Mediterranean region, West Asia, and Latin America. These expressive people believe that“the eyes are the windows of the soul". They want to look you in the eyes to demonstrate interest in the discussion and 6 that they are honest and sincere. If you use indirect eye contact, you may be regarded 7 insincere- perhaps even dishonest.8 eye contact is also important socially. In the U.S., people generally look straight ahead 9walking side-by-side with a friend. But in the more expressive societies of southern Europe, such behavior will be considered 10 and impersonal. In those countries, people prefer to read your eyes and facial expressions as they talk to you.