To What Extent Are the Principles of Effective

Presentation Universal?
Reflections on Eastern and Western Culture, Philosophy and Rhetoric
Ian MacDonald June 2014
Introduction
In 1997, I developed a model of effective presentation that formed the basis of a
questionnaire called the Presentation Skills Profile (hereafter PSP). That questionnaire, a
shorter feedback questionnaire, the Presentation kills Profile ! "ther (PP ! "ther) and an
accompan#in$ %acilitator &uide 'ere all published later that #ear in the (..). ince then,
the questionnaire has re$istered 'orld'ide sales in e*cess of +,,,,, copies, 'hich probabl#
makes it the sin$le bi$$est-sellin$ questionnaire of its kind
1
ever.
%i$ure 1. Presentation kills /odel as published in the Presentation kills Profile (1997)
In 0,,1, the questionnaire appeared to be sellin$ more and more copies in non-2n$lish-
speakin$ territories. This caused me some concern because the literature upon 'hich the
model 'as based 'as e*clusivel# 2n$lish-lan$ua$e and almost certainl# included material
that had a 3estern bias. %urthermore, that material 'as $enerall# of the practitioner variet#
and 'as rarel# premised on academic research, at least not directl#. 3ere there potential
issues of sellin$ and usin$ the PP in a market like 4on$ 5on$6 The publisher did not seem to
1
Meaning, a questionnaire focused on the measurement of an individuals ability to present effectively.
Ian MacDonald June 2014
- 2 -
think this 'as an issue but I felt that an academic enquir# loosel# based on the above
question could form the basis for an interestin$ doctoral thesis. I subsequentl# applied to
stud# for a Ph7. in 8ommunication (%ilm, /edium and 8ulture pro$ram) at 29tv9s :or;nd
(niversit# (2:T2) in <udapest. I 'as accepted to the pro$ram in 0,,9.
The research problem that I formulated 'as. =To 3hat 2*tent 7oes )udience> 8ulture
Impact the 2ffectiveness of ?3estern> Presentation /odels, /ethods and Techniques6@ )t
the time, this seemed like an appropriate 'a# to frame the issue because it alluded to the
earlier stated concern about 'here m# questionnaire 'as used. 4o'ever, I have come to
re$ret adoptin$ this approach because the problem, like the model itself, is loaded 'ith
assumptions 'hich have stifled m# thinkin$. The subsequent sub-questions $enerated b#
this approach, 'hilst certainl# interestin$, have proved to be rather challen$in$ for research
purposes.
How appropriate are Western Presentation Models, Methods and Techniques when
they are used across a broad range of cultures?
To what degree, if any, should such Models, Methods and Techniques be adapted to
take account of cultural differences?
The e*pected conclusion 'as that the effectiveness of man# presentations is influenced b# a
failure to adapt presentation models, methods and techniques for the culture in 'hich the
presentation takes place. In other 'ords, 'hat constitutes an effective presentation, or
model of presentation, in one culture ma# not be nearl# as effective in another due to
different cultural e*pectations and norms.
This paper focuses on ho' I came to re-frame the research problem and make preliminar#
revisions to the model in %i$ure 1.
Ian MacDonald June 2014
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Forulatin! a "odel of Effective Presentation
4o' does one construct a model of ?effective presentation> or for that matter an# other
model6 )r$uabl# this 'ill depend to some e*tent upon 'here #ou 'ere born and raised. In
other 'ords, the 'a# #ou think 'ill have a bearin$ on ho' #ou approach the task. %or
discussion purposes and to provide a frame'ork for such discussion, let us consider to 'hat
e*tent it depends upon 'hether #ou 'ere born and raised in the 3est or 'hether #ou hail
from the 2ast. Aesbit (0,,+), a ps#cholo$ist, 'rites at len$th about the differences in the
'a# that 3esterners and 2asterners think 'hilst supportin$ his conclusions 'ith
considerable evidence from e*periments that he and others have conducted. Aesbit>s
contention that differences e*ist in the nature of communication and rhetoric, 'ith the
3estern approach to the latter providin$ a basis for ever#thin$ from scientific reports to
polic# papers is of particular interest. In the 3estern 'orld, 'hen researchin$ and solvin$
problems and issues, it seems t#pical to. consider the problem and back$round of a
situation, elaborate a h#pothesis or proposition, determine a means of testin$ it, $enerate
evidence, construct an ar$ument usin$ that evidence, refute potential counter-ar$uments
and finall# arrive at a set of conclusions and recommendations. In a moment 'e can
consider ho' this seemin$l# universal approach 'as emplo#ed to create the authors model
of effective presentation. 4o'ever, before that, let us consider 'hether a #oun$, aspirin$,
social scientist from the 2ast 'ould adopt a similar approach.
%..8. Aorthrop (19BB) su$$ested that much, if not all, 3estern science has developed b#
postulation. 4o'ever, b# 'a# of contrast, he attracted the ire of man# )sians 'hen
su$$estin$ that, =a culture C2asternD 'hich admits onl# concepts b# intuition is automaticall#
prevented from developin$ the science of the 3estern t#pe be#ond the most elementar#,
inductive, natural histor# sta$e.@ ome such as hih (19E0) sa' this as bein$ rather simple-
minded 'hilst other )sians took even $reater offence b# declarin$ it a racist stance. hih
described Aorthrop>s theor# as a case of unhelpful bifurcation since, in his opinion, no race,
2ast or 3est, admits concepts b# intuition alone. In fact, he 'ent on to make a stron$ case
Ian MacDonald June 2014
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for a historical approach to the comparative stud# of philosoph#, dra'in$ on 8onant (19B7),
to sho' that the $reat advances in 3estern science 'ere built on the approach of humanists
rather than alchemists. "thers also find numerous reasons to be critical of Aorthrop>s ideas.
In his revie' of The Meeting of East and West (Aorthrop, 19BE), the anthropolo$ist 5roeber
(19B7), su$$ested that Aorthrop>s conception of the 3estern =theoretic component@ is
overl# narro' and consequentl# limited 'hilst the opposite is true of the 2astern =aesthetic
component@ 'hich he sees as bein$ too broad and some'hat va$ue. uch criticism is in
man# 'a#s consistent 'ith hih.
F3e see an opposition of =lo$ic@ versus common sense, 'hich takes the place of
inductive and deductive reasonin$ in 8hina. 8ommon sense is often saner because
the anal#tic reasonin$ looks at truth b# cuttin$ it up into various aspects, thus
thro'in$ them out of their natural bearin$s, 'hile common sense seiGes the
situation as a livin$ 'holeF
:o$ic 'ithout such common sense is dan$erousF
7r. Hutan$ :in (19+9, p. 11)
It is not so difficult to empathise 'ith Aorthrop. 8onsideration of the post 3orld 3ar II
period durin$ 'hich he 'rote The Meeting of East and West not onl# confirms that he 'as
'ritin$ and livin$ in a time 'hen concern for avoidin$ further conflict in the 'orld 'as acute
but also durin$ a period 'hen there 'as a $enuine hun$er in man# countries of the 'orld,
and certainl# the (..)., to learn about other countries and cultures. "ne e*ample of this is
the e*traordinar# interest in the 'orks of the 8hinese 'riter and philosopher, 7r. Hutan$ :in.
4is My ountry and My People about life in 8hina ori$inall# published in 19+I 'as 'idel#
read and his novel Mo!ent in Peking 'as considered one of Time>s books of the #ear in
19+9, featurin$ on that #ear>s best sellin$ lists. )lthou$h 7r. Hutan$>s popularit# 'aned in
the I,>s and E,>s, the latter novel 'as ultimatel# nominated for the Aobel PriGe in
:iterature
0
in 197I, a #ear before he died. It is be#ond the scope of this paper to sa# 'hat if
2
There is controversy regarding what it means to be nominated for a Nobel ri!e in "iterature. #ccording to short article in the
"os #ngeles Times by $ugene %olo&h on 'ecember (, 2))*, the only requirments are that one should be a +professor of
literature ,or- of linguistics+, which 'r. .utang "in was, and that a fellow rofessor/s0 should nominate the person concerned.
Ian MacDonald June 2014
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an# affect :in>s 'ritin$s had on academics like Aorthrop but as 'ill be demonstrated later,
one of the real problems 'ith comparative research across cultures, even no' and far more
so then, is the lack of appropriate research material in 2n$lish. This makes it difficult to
locate published research in the culture that is bein$ considered and often results in
3estern theories bein$ applied to non-3estern situations. In some senses this ma# be
vie'ed as a form of 3estern academic imperialism and arro$ance.
The above criticisms aside, 5roeber, believes that Aorthrop>s treatment of civiliGations is
both ima$inative and sound. )s a relative novice in the field of philosoph#, I too 'as
impressed b# the breadth of Aorthrop>s anal#sis, particularl# of 3estern cultures and their
underpinnin$ philosophies. "thers too find much to commend in Aorthrop. In a revie',
<urtt (19B7, pp 7+) describes The Meeting of East and West as =$reat because ... it attacks ...
the challen$in$ problem ... of establishin$ a unified international culture@. In the same
revie', 4o'ard /umford Jones is quoted as callin$ it a =$reat, difficult and important@
'ork. tace (19B7), in a revie' for Ethics, describes it as an =amaGin$ book@. 7espite the
concerns voiced b# 5roeber (19B7), he 'elcomes Aorthrop>s valuable contribution to the
stud# of cultures, a field that until then had lar$el# been the preserve of anthropolo$ists. "n
that point he perceptivel# si$nals his anticipation of similar contributions from ps#cholo$ists
in due course, hence foreseein$ the 'ork of people like 3oGniak (0,,E), <uchtel and
AorenGa#en (0,,1), and Aesbit (0,,+) ! 'orks 'hich 'ill be discussed a$ain belo'. 3hat
5roeber or an#one else failed to anticipate 'as that a maKor breakthrou$h in the stud# of
culture, philosoph# and rhetoric 'ould occur in the teachin$ of 2n$lish as a forei$n lan$ua$e.
The honour fell to Lobert 5aplan in 19EE 'hen his stud# of the compositions of 2: (2n$lish
as a econd :an$ua$e) students identified maKor rhetorical differences across five cultural
$roups. 4is seminal essa# on these findin$s opened up an area of stud# called =contrastive
rhetoric@ 'hich, in-turn, lead to the emer$ence of research on =comparative rhetoric@. That
latter research (for e*ample. :in 199E, :u 1991, 3an$ 0,,B, /ao 0,,+ M 0,,I, 7in$ 0,,7)
often hi$hli$hts man# of the 'eaknesses in Aorthrop>s Meeting of East and West ,
Ian MacDonald June 2014
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particularl# his treatment of 2astern culture, rhetoric and philosoph#, 'hilst parado*icall#
demonstratin$ Kust ho' ori$inal and important his pioneerin$ contribution 'as.
I be$an this part of m# discussion b# referrin$ to the 'ork of the ps#cholo$ist Aesbit (0,,+)
and before su$$estin$ a mid-paper conclusion of sorts, I 'ould like to return to that field
briefl#. <uchtel and AorenGa#an (0,,1) published research that sho's that there are
differences in the value that respective 3estern and 2astern cultures place on intuition and
lo$ic. )s one mi$ht e*pect, intuition is more hi$hl# valued in the 2ast 'hilst results
su$$ested that lo$ic is mar$inall# preferred in the 3est (the latter 'as not deemed
statisticall# si$nificant). )lthou$h this research appears to be consistent 'ith that published
b# Aesbit (0,,+), 3oGniak calls for more qualitative research in the form of narratives that
appreciate =local conte*t, forms of kno'led$e and lan$ua$e@ (0,,E, pp 9+). This not onl#
seems sensible but it is also consistent 'ith calls emanatin$ from researchers in the field of
comparative rhetoric.
o 'here does this leave us in our consideration of the aspirin$, social scientist from the
2ast6 8an 'e sa# 'ith an# certaint# that such a person 'ill think differentl# (i.e. be more or
less anal#tic or intuitive) from his or her 3estern counterpart6 I su$$est a qualified ?no> in
response to the latter question because, if for no other reason, 'e kno' from <rett (0,,7)
that cultural prototypes (central tendenc#) should not serve as the basis for cultural
stereotype (the idea that all cultural members are the same). That said, if 'e 'ere to
consider a lar$e and representative $roup of 2astern social scientists, 'e ma# be on safer
$round su$$estin$ that the# 'ill both value and use intuitive thinkin$ more liberall# than
their 3estern counterparts. 4o'ever, in admittin$ such an opinion, 'e need to be
e*tremel# careful to point out that this is not the same as sa#in$ that 3esterners are
anal#tical and 2asterners are intuitive. )mon$st others, )ristotle is reported to have
ackno'led$ed that intuition is the source of scientific kno'led$e and he is quoted in
Posterior "nalytics as sa#in$ that, =no other kind of thou$ht e*cept intuition is more
accurate than scientific kno'led$e@. In the second half of this paper, I 'ish to demonstrate
Ian MacDonald June 2014
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ho' intuition pla#ed an important role in m# o'n thinkin$ about presentation models. <#
the same token, there can be little doubt that there are four billion )sians emplo#in$
rational thou$ht at this ver# moment to address small and lar$e problems.
The #irth of the Presentation $%ills Profile "odel
I 'ould no' like to turn to ho' the idea for the PP model emer$ed and evolved. It 'as
Plato, in the Theaetetus (Jo'ett, 1190), 'ho compared the development of an idea to the
birth of a child, a metaphor that also features in the #epublic (Plato translated b# 3aterfield,
199+) and in Losselini>s filmed account of the final da#s of Socrates (197,), albeit framin$
the latter in the role of mid'ife. I prefer to think of ideas bein$ like diamonds 'hich
apparentl# upon discover# are rather dull and onl# sho' their true beaut# and brilliance
'hen cut and polished. /# ideas about presentation effectiveness are certainl# more
polished than the# 'ere in 1997 but I remain convinced that .
In 199E I 'as asked b# a client to provide trainin$ in presentation skills for the compan#>s
medical sales representatives. I believed then, as I do no', that it 'ould be important to
measure ho' effective those representatives 'ere at presentin$ at the outset of the
pro$ram of trainin$. I therefore tried to source an appropriate questionnaire that 'ould
allo' me to carr# out such a measurement. To cut this part of the stor# short, I 'as
surprised to find that no such questionnaire e*isted and so I opted to develop m# o'n. :ater
that #ear m# manuscript 'as read b# the current publisher of PP and I 'as encoura$ed to
develop m# ideas further 'ith a vie' to publishin$ the resultant 'ork. 3hat did the
publisher see in those draft papers6 I 'ould contend that it 'as a rational structure that
stood out because at the heart of m# model 'as Lud#ard 5iplin$>s si$ honest !en (1917),
the questions. 3h#6 3here6 3ho6 3hen6 3hat6 and 4o'6 These questions had lon$ been
used in presentation skills trainin$ and practice as an aide !e!oir for trainees and students,
an eas# 'a# to recall the areas and parts of a presentation that mi$ht be considered
important. "ne could hardl# be more anal#tical and rational than this and #et there 'as also
Ian MacDonald June 2014
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somethin$ intuitivel# reassurin$ about the resultin$ questions (see belo'), as the# provide a
sense of securit# 'hen approachin$ an important presentation. That said, on balance, I
'ould place m# model of effective presentation squarel# in the tradition of 3estern rhetoric
and science ! rational, ordered, comprehensivel# anal#tical and most definitel# cut up into
various aspects. )s /ao (0,,I) hi$hli$hts, 3estern applicants to her $raduate pro$ram do
not be$in b# e*plainin$ their past and their e*perience but b# statin$ why the# 'ish to Koin
the pro$ram. This is in stark contrast to 8hinese applicants. <# optin$ for 'h# as the startin$
point of an# presentation, I 'as follo'in$ and advocatin$ a similar path. It has taken me over
1+ #ears to see that re$ardless of culture, this is not quite the best 'a# to be$in developin$
of a presentation. 4o'ever, I took m# focus on why a step further and placed the $oal of a
presentation at the heart of the PP model, e*plainin$ that all aspects of the presentation
should be determined b# that overall $oal or purpose. This perhaps demonstrates one of the
dan$ers of bein$ rational about thin$s, there>s a tendenc# to be full-blooded about it. It
makes me 'onder if this is 'hat 2instein (see 8reatin$ /inds.or$) meant 'hen he said, ='e
have created a societ# that honors the servant and has for$otten the $ift Cof intuit#DN6 I 'ill
return to these points later.
"n the basis of the questions that I
formulated (see opposite), I created
statements that 'ere intended to
ascertain ho' 'ell individuals asked and
ans'ered the questions durin$ the
preparation and deliver# of a
presentation.
&uestions a'out Presentations
Why are #ou $ivin$ this presentation6 What is the $oal6
What obKectives do #ou have6
To (hom are #ou presentin$6
)o( 'ill #ou structure #our messa$e6 What 'ill #ou sa#6
)o( 'ill #ou communicated #our messa$e6
)o( 'ill #ou illustrate #our messa$e6
Where and (hen 'ill #ou present6
The complete PP questionnaire comprises B1 statements divided into the si* dimensions
that are sho'n on the circumference of the model. Lespondents are asked to determine to
'hat e*tent these statements reflected the 'a# that the# prepare and deliver presentations
()lmost )l'a#s, /ost of the Time, ome of the Time, "ccasionall#, )lmost Aever).
Ian MacDonald June 2014
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7espite the apparent bias I displa#ed for rationale over intuition 'hen conceivin$ the PP
model, I did put do'n t'o rather important markers that I think of as bein$ rather intuitive.
The first of these concerned the c#clical nature of the model and the iterative process b#
'hich the questions should be asked. This 'as most definitel# not intended to be a linear
model but a holistic one. The second anchor 'as in ho' I described the interpretation of
overall score that respondents received. The ke# 'ord I used here 'as engage!ent because
I 'as stron$l# of the opinion that this 'as critical to effective presentation. I am even more
convinced of that point toda#.
:et me turn to the problems that evolved 'ith the model as it currentl# stands. Truthfull#, it
'as not until I be$an thinkin$ about ho' to research presentation effectiveness in different
cultures that I realised there 'as an# issue 'ith the model. I had never received an#
feedback su$$estin$ there 'as a problem and despite some preliminar# talk about revisin$
the questionnaire for the 1,
th
anniversar# of its publication, that date slid past 'ithout an#
concern for, or deepl# felt need to, actuall# make revisions. o the first shakin$ of the PP
foundations came courtes# of 7r. :Ona Pellandini-im;n#i, an e*pert in doctoral research on
the 7octoral Pro$ram in %ilm, /edia and 8ontemporar# 8ulture at 2:T2 in <udapest. 4er
rather simple observation 'as that if I 'ished to consider the true effectiveness of a
presentation I 'ould have to consider it from both the perspective of the presenter and the
audience. Ao' as I have alread# demonstrated, there is considerable consideration of the
audience 'ithin the e*istin$ model because it is one of the primar# questions. 4o'ever, I
believe that this is a fine e*ample of ho' nuance can make a fool out of us because althou$h
the audience 'as considered in detail, it 'as all from the perspective of the presenter and
his or her $oals. It took me some more da#s and 'eeks to internalise the implications of this
issue and arrive at the conclusion that m# central question, ='h# one is $ivin$ the
presentation6@, 'as incomplete and should have been e*panded to sa#, ='h# is one $ivin$
the presentation to this audience6@ In the back$round to the model and the further advice
$iven to presenters, I had been ver# careful to point out that a critical consideration of an#
audience 'as, ='hat>s in it for them6@ I no' sa' that this should have also formed the flip
Ian MacDonald June 2014
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side of the central question 'here one mi$ht ask ='h# is the audience participatin$ in the
presentation6@ T'o small ideas helped me to see this 'ith even $reater clarit# and the#
both arose 'hen I 'as preparin$ to run a trainin$ pro$ram in conflict resolution skills. 7urin$
that pro$ram in "ctober 0,11, I had used dia$rams of (i) the mobius strip and (ii) Jastro'>s
ambi$uous ?duckPrabbit illustration, (both provided belo') to sho' that parties in conflict
are often on the same side but the# Kust can>t see it. /ore recentl# I have been able to
appreciate ho' closel# these ideas relate to the 8hinese philosoph# of Tao and I no' see the
latter as an area for further stud# and research.
%i$ure 0. The /obius trip %i$ure +. 7uck or rabiit6 (Jastro', 1199)
I believed that I 'as on the ver$e of an important breakthrou$h in m# research and studies.
4o'ever, there 'as one thin$ that continued to puGGle me and it concerned a bod# of
research in the area of ne$otiations that had been carried out b# Jean <rett and her
associates at the 5ello$$ chool of /ana$ement, Aorth'estern (niversit#, () (0,,+). %or a
lon$ time I had considered this as the onl# research that had come close to concretel#
demonstratin$ the impact of cultural differences 'hen communicatin$ in a business settin$
comparable to a presentation. )s such I thou$ht that it could act as a protot#pe for the t#pe
quantitative research that I envisa$ed conductin$. I reco$niGed that ne$otiations are more
likel# to be built on e*plicit dialo$ue but there remained stron$ similarities, chief amon$
Ian MacDonald June 2014
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them the need, implicit or other'ise, to influence the other part#. I 'as therefore rather in
a'e of the research because it demonstrated real differences in the ne$otiation outcome (in
this case, measured b# the amount of value created durin$ the ne$otiation
+
) 'hen
participants from different cultures 'here involved. 4o'ever, there 'as somethin$ that
unsettled me and 'hich I could not put m# fin$er on. )s I considered ho' to replicate this
research in the area of presentations, I became more and more concerned about <rett>s
some'hat forthri$ht assertion concernin$ the impact of indi%idualis! %ersus collecti%is! on
ne$otiatin$ processes andPor outcomes.
In the ne$otiatin$ conte*ts of deal makin$, dispute resolution, and ne$otiatin$
decisions in a multicultural team, I simpl# do not see evidence of a link, be#ond a
possible difference in the level of self-interest and concern for relationships.
Jeanne /. <rett
in Ae$otiatin$ &loball# (0,,+)
<efore I continue, I ackno'led$e that this comment relates to the research under discussion
but as <rett points out, this happens to be the cultural value that is most studied b#
ps#cholo$ists, amon$st others. o in effect, the results of not onl# <rett>s research but much
of that 'hich she has been e*posed to, does little to support 'hat is a stron$, and dare I sa#,
intuitive, understandin$ of intercultural communication. The implications of this statement
for m# o'n research are si$nificant because it is m# $ut feelin$ that this dimension of culture
can and does have a maKor impact on the effectiveness of a presentation.
/# readin$ of Aorthrop (19BE) helped me to $enerate a possible e*planation as to 'h#
<rett>s research ma# be fault#. )s I indicated previousl# I 'as deepl# impressed 'ith
Aorthrop>s appraisal of 3estern philosoph# and for the first time in m# life I developed a
clear understandin$ of ho' 3estern civiliGation has evolved from a scientific perspective.
1
This result of an negotiation can often be described in the inverse as the money left on the table. 2n other words, if there is
defined value, in this case measured in dollars, that goes unrealised because the negotiators failed to identify &ey interests of
their negotiating partners, that would represent an inefficiency. 3hat 4rett /2))10 and her associates where able to demonstrate
is that some combinations of cultures leave more money on the table than others. 5urthermore, the research actually
demonstrated which behaviours, at which points in a negotiation, affected this outcome.
Ian MacDonald June 2014
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)r$uabl#, Aorthrop>s clarit# comes from 'hat 4all (197+) describes as =livin$ throu$h the
shock of contrast and difference@ that one e*periences b# stud#in$ other cultures. In this
sense, it is quite natural that Aorthrop>s insi$hts into 2astern culture mi$ht pale 'hen set
a$ainst his understandin$ and description of 3estern civiliGations. The Aorthrop> point that
opened m# e#es 'as that 3estern kno'led$e has developed based on supposition, or in his
o'n 'ords (19BE), =scientific theor# al'a#s asserts more than observation $ives and is not
verified directl#@. )fter some thou$ht and further readin$ it became ver# clear to me ho'
this has shaped scientific research because since man# thin$s cannot be seen, the# are onl#
$iven b# h#pothesis then checked indirectl# and deductivel#. In research, this often creates a
requirement to isolate different factors so that one can access the empirical consequences
that 'ill support or den# one>s h#pothesis. Ao' this is rather abstract so if I quote the 'ords
of 4eraclitus 'hen he states that =no man ever steps in the same river t'ice, for itQs not the
same river and heQs not the same man@, it perhaps more readil# e*plains 'h# 'e need to
isolate the factors mentioned above. In essence 'e are forced to stop, albeit momentaril#,
the flo' of the river so that 'e ma# obtain a snapshot from 'hich 'e can then make
deductions. This is 'hat <rett et al effectivel# achieved 'ith their ne$otiation simulations, b#
creatin$ a laborator# situation the# 'ere able to measure behaviours and outcomes but in
doin$ so the# also turned off the natural flo' of the ?ne$otiation> river. In m# opinion this
has carried a cost 'hich ma# undermine the value of the research.
It is m# contention that if one 'ishes to detect the impact of indi%idualis! %ersus
collecti%is! on a ne$otiation #ou need to keep the river of time runnin$ because this cultural
dimension is most likel# to become apparent as time passes. Ae$otiations, like
presentations, are as much about the relationship bet'een t'o or more parties as the# are
about material outcomes. Those relationships ma# have a different, evolvin$, status, pre-
ne$otiation, durin$ the ne$otiation and post-ne$otiation. Pre-ne$otiation is an e*pectant,
plannin$, phase 'here one considers, what do we e$pect fro! this negotiation? The
Ae$otiation-conclusion is the end of the actual ne$otiation 'hen one mi$ht ask, what did
we agree6 %inall#, post-ne$otiation, represents an evaluation phase 'here one 'ould 'ei$h
Ian MacDonald June 2014
- 13 -
up, what did we get fro! the negotiation6 It seems reasonable to assume that an overl#
individualistic approach to ne$otiation 'ill fare less 'ell in the lon$er term since should one
part# become dissatisfied 'ith the outcomes of their ne$otiations the# ma# 'ell search for a
different ne$otiatin$ partner in the future. %urthermore, one mi$ht also su$$est that a more
collective approach to ne$otiation, often underscored b# face-'ork, 'ill point to'ards
ne$otiatin$ outcomes that are more likel# to protect the interests of the different parties to
the ne$otiation and thereb# encoura$e a lon$-term relationship. Is it coincidence that there
appear to be si$ns of a correlation bet'een collecti%eness and long&ter! orientation in man#
2astern societies6 These are of course onl# assertions since I have little if an# concrete
evidence at this time to support m# concerns. 4o'ever, until <rett and her associates
consider impact of a ne$otiation on the relationship and not simpl# on the tan$ible
outcome, as e*pressed b# the !oney left on the table, those concerns are valid.

<# transferrin$ m# concerns to the presentation $enre, it became clear to me that a true
measure of presentation effectiveness 'ould also need to consider both the material
outcome and an# impact on the relationship bet'een presenter and audience. %urthermore,
these elements 'ould have to be considered before, durin$ (on conclusion) and after each
presentation.
In practice I can provide an e*ample 'hich illustrates the above need rather 'ell. I once
presented to the %inance 7irector of a ver# lar$e or$aniGation (over 1,,, emplo#ees) that
mana$ed the investment of billions of pounds. 3hilst $ivin$ the presentation, 'hich
contained important numbers pertainin$ to staffin$ levels in the 7irector>s department, I
noticed a mistake in the spreadsheet I 'as usin$. I immediatel# stopped the presentation
and informed m# collea$ues and m# client that there 'as a problem 'ith the spreadsheet
that needed to be addressed before 'e could continue. 3e a$reed to re-schedule the
presentation for a later time. The pre-presentation e*pectations about our relationship and
outcomes 'ere probabl# fairl# neutral. The client 'as familiar 'ith our 'ork, 'hich 'as
hi$hl# political and frau$ht 'ith difficult#, but 'hich 'e had handled reasonabl# 'ell to that
Ian MacDonald June 2014
- 14 -
point. "n the surface the conclusion represented a ne$ative outcome since the $oal of our
meetin$ 'as to a$ree mannin$ levels for the clientQs 'ork areas. 4o'ever, if 'e consider the
impact of the incident on the relationship, 'hilst it could have seriousl# dama$ed
confidence, the immediate acceptance of responsibilit# and commitment to resolve the
identified error actuall# bolstered our 'orkin$ relationship and parado*icall# raised
confidence levels. 3e 'ent from bein$ seen as the consultants 'ho 'ere, if an#thin$,
overl#-focused on achievin$ tar$eted savin$s to bein$ vie'ed as credible e*perts 'illin$ to
ackno'led$e mistakes and find the fairest solution to the client>s problems. In the lon$-run
this helped us to cement our relationship 'ith the client and achieve our broader proKect
$oals. In fact, the %inance 7irector 'ent on to become the /ana$in$ 7irector of the
compan# and to this da# I am proud to possess a letter of recommendation that he 'rote on
m# behalf.
Ao' 'e can speculate as to 'hat the outcome of the above case 'ould have been if I had
been less virtuous, or professional, and bluffed m# 'a# throu$h the presentation. )t best, I
'ould have had to return later and point out m# mistake, preferabl# before it 'as
hi$hli$hted b# one of the client>s o'n people. If I had buried m# head in the sand completel#
and allo'ed the client to discover the problem in due course, perhaps the outcome 'ould
have been even more embarrassin$. %inall#, there 'as also the possibilit# that the error
could have been spotted durin$ the actual presentation 'ith immediate dama$e to m# o'n
credibilit# and, b# association, that of m# collea$ues. In some 'a#s this reflects the
ar$uments in the initial chapters of Plato>s Lepublic, is it enou$h to appear moral (or
professional)6 In m# studies of both ocratic and 8onfucian rhetoric there is clear support
for the approach I adopted.
It is all ver# 'ell producin$ an e*ample from personal e*perience to support m#
interpretation but at doctoral level it is critical to locate theor# that lends support to
suppositions. 4ere I 'as rather fortunate because comin$ from a trainin$ and development
back$round I am reasonabl# 'ell-read in the area of team development theor#. In that field,
Ian MacDonald June 2014
- 15 -
the notion of task and maintenance behavior, behaviors that focus respectivel# on the $oal
of the 'ork or the relationship to other team members is ver# 'ell established (for e*ample.
4ackman and /orris, 197I and 4ackman, 1917). %urthermore, these theories are no' bein$
applied in other areas such as client relationship mana$ement (8L/) 'here )rnett and and
<adrinara#anan (0,,I) hi$hli$ht mutual concerns as bein$ on one hand technical and
econo!ic (the means and resources to achieve better results) and on the other social (i.e.
trust, commitment and satisfaction). This has $iven me the coura$e and conviction to place
the presenter and audience at the heart of a revised model of presentation effectiveness.
4o'ever, if one takes account of the need to consider the !aterial and relationship $oals of
the presenter and audience before, durin$ and after a presentation, it leaves one 'ith a
format that, due to comple*it#, ma# not be the most appropriate candidate for quantitative
research. That said, it ma# be hi$hl# promisin$ for narrative and case stud# research similar
to the e*ample I have provided above.
I reco$niGe that I ma# be $ettin$ ahead of m#self and there remains 'ork to be done in
considerin$ ho' 'ell e*istin$ theories of communication and rhetoric fit 'ith an# revised
model. %or e*ample the dia$ram in %i$ure B sho's ho' )ristotle>s theor# of rhetoric can be
superimposed on part of the model and I believe that a similar e*ercise can be carried out
usin$ elements of 8onfucian rhetoric such as the notion of =Len@ 'hich accordin$ to 7in$
(0,,7) is 'ritten 'ith the 8hinese ideo$rams for hu!an being and two, thereb# desi$natin$
=the relationship of t'o or more human bein$s to each other@ (7in$ quotin$ 3ilhelm, 0,,7).
The 8hinese concept of face-'ork and specificall# it constituent parts, =lian@, the respect
others hold for #ou, and =mianGi@, the reputation #ou hold in relation to others (/ao, 0,,I),
'ould also appear to have applications 'hen e*plorin$ the relationship bet'een a presenter
and his or her audience.
Ian MacDonald June 2014
- 16 -
%i$ure B. 7raft Levision of PP /odel
<efore I present m# conclusions, I 'ould like to consider one final issue that motivated me
to undertake studies and research in this area. In m# research to date I have been rather
surprised to find so man# similarities in the rhetoric emplo#ed in 3estern and 2astern
cultures. In fact, comparisons bet'een ocrates and 8onfucius have been instructive in this
sense (<eck, 0,,E and Jichen et al, 0,10). There are of course differences and these 'ill be
clearer as m# studies continue but I am #et to encounter an#thin$ that convinces me that a
?universal> model of presentation effectiveness is be#ond possibilit# ! assumin$ such a
model has built-in fle*ibilit# 'here it is needed. In this sense I am happ# to adopt the spirit
of Aorthrop.
The above qualification on QuniversalQ relates to the perceived and historical audience for the
PP model and questionnaire. The tar$et is primaril# business people and others 'orkin$ in
commercial or$aniGations 'ho are char$ed 'ith formall# presentin$ information to
audiences of similar composition. In short, 'e are lar$el# considerin$ a population that
occupies rather privile$ed social positions. 3hilst there is surprisin$l# little evidence of
Ian MacDonald June 2014
- 17 -
cultural conver$ence over time 'ith the e*ception of increasin$ indi%idualis! in countries as
the# become 'ealthier (4ofstede et al, 0,1,), this does not discount the possibilit# that
norms can form around approaches to presentation due to the determinin$ influence of
technolo$# such a Po'erPoint for e*ample.
Ian MacDonald June 2014
- 18 -
Conclusions
"h, 2ast is 2ast, and 3est is 3est, and never the t'ain shall meet,
Till 2arth and k# stand presentl# at &od>s $reat Jud$ment eatR
<ut there is neither 2ast nor 3est, <order, nor <reed, nor <irth,
3hen t'o stron$ men stand face to face, tho> the# come from the ends of the earthS
Lud#ard 5iplin$ (1119)
The <allad of 2ast and 3est
(see )ppendi* 0 for the full poem)
3hilst concern about 'hether the PP model, and the related approach to presentations, is
effective in non-3estern cultures is certainl# Kustified, it is perhaps Kust as appropriate to
ask, ho', and in 'hat 'a#s, such a model can be adapted to reflect and accommodate the
needs of both 3esterners and 2asterners6 7espite 5iplin$>s vie' that ne%er the twain shall
!eet, $lobaliGation and shared concerns about our $lobal environment are dra'in$ 3estern
and 2astern interests closer to$ether b# the da#. 8onsequentl#, there is a $ro'in$ need to
develop more effective 'a#s of communicatin$ and collaboratin$ 'ithin and across cultures
in order to address our mutual problems and challen$es. Presentation approaches must be
hi$h on this particular a$enda $iven their 'idespread use in areas such as politics, business
and education, particularl# for sharin$ ideas and $eneratin$ and proposin$ solutions.
I have concluded that the d#namics bet'een a presenter and his or her audience ma# be
more comple* than I and others had previousl# believed. )n# true and accurate measure of
presentation effectiveness must consider the perspective of the presenter and the audience
in terms of both results and relationship and the# must be established pre-, durin$-, and
post-presentation. This constitutes t'elve separate measures of presenterQ and audienceQ
e*pectations and satisfaction for a sin$le presentation. It is therefore some'hat difficult, but
not impossible, to conduct quantitative research on presentation effectiveness due to the
sheer volume of data that one 'ould need to collect. If one 'ere to attempt such research,
it mi$ht conceivabl# resemble that carried out b# <rett (0,,+) on ne$otiations, providin$ one
Ian MacDonald June 2014
- 19 -
adds pre- and post measures as discussed. )nother ! and perhaps more practical ! approach
mi$ht be to carr# out qualitative anal#sis of a mana$eable number of cases, intervie'in$
presenters and audience members 'ith a vie' to trackin$ their perceptions and responses
before, Qdurin$Q and after particular presentations.
"ne benefit that mi$ht be $leaned from the above research methods is to subKect the
presenters to deeper consideration of their presentation approach and the impact is has on
their audiences. Increased a'areness of presentation approach, technolo$ies and the
messa$e chosen mediums conve# can onl# be positive. %or e*ample, current 'idespread use
and reliance on presentation soft'are appears to be ill-placed 'ith little concern for
effectiveness. This is certainl# the case in education but perhaps it is equall# problematic in
other fields.
There are of course man# other theories and ideas about rhetoric that are relevant to
presentation and e*plorin$ 'hether there is appropriate consistenc# bet'een those and the
PP model 'ould also be an avenue for further research. In particular, it ma# be fruitful to
test the de$ree to 'hich the PP model accommodates 8onfucian rhetorical theories and
ideas.
%inall#, returnin$ to Aorthrop and The Meeting of East and West' 4e e*plores man#
philosophies and ideas that describe and shape our 'orld and his 'ritin$ encoura$es others
to contribute to advancin$ understandin$ of different cultures. Aorthrop 'ork particularl#
hi$hli$hts the relative importance of comparative rhetoric and this also be$s further
consideration.
Ian MacDonald June 2014
- 20 -
BIBLIOGRAP!
)rnett, 7. <. and <adrinara#anan (0,,I) 2nhancin$ 8ustomer-Aeeds!7riven 8L/ trate$ies. 8ore ellin$
Teams, 5no'led$e /ana$ement 8ompetence, and Lelationship /arketin$ 8ompetence. (ournal of
Personal Selling and Sales Manage!ent, %all 0,,I, Tolume 0I, Aumber B.
<eck, (0,,E) onfucius and Socrates) Teaching Wisdo! 3orld Peace 8ommunications
<rett, J. /. (0,,7) *egotiating +lobally econd 2dition John 3ile# and ons, Inc.. an %rancisco
<uchtel, 2. 2. and AorenGa#an, ). (0,,1) 3hich should #ou use, intuition or lo$ic6 8ultural differences in
inKunctive norms about reasonin$ in "sian (ournal of Social Psychology 11, 0EB-07+
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7+-7E. 7uke (niversit# Press
8onant, J. <. (19B7) ,n -nderstanding Science) "n Historical "pproach Hale (niversit# Press. 8onnecticut
4ackman, J. L. and 8. &. /orris (197I). &roup tasks, $roup interaction process and $roup performance
effectiveness. ) revie' and proposed integration' .n) /' 0' +ladstein, 1234' &roups in conte*t. ) model of
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Prentice-4all. 2n$le'ood 8liffs, AJ.
4all, 2. T. (197+) The Silent 0anguage )nchor <ooks 2dition, 7oubleda#. Ae' Hork
4ofstede, &, 4ofstede &. J. M /inkov, /. (0,1,) ultures and ,rgani7ations) Software of the Mind 8
.ntercultural ooperation and .t9s .!portance for Sur%i%al +
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4uilin$, 7. (0,,7) 8onfucius>s Tirtue-8entered Lhetoric. ) 8ase tud# of /i*ed Lesearch methods in
8omparative Lhetoric in #hetoric #e%iew Tol. 0E. Ao. 0, 1B0-1I9, 0,,7, Ta#lor and %rancis :td.
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into 2n$lish 'ith )nal#ses and Introductions b# <. Jo'ett, /.). in %ive Tolumes. +rd edition revised and
corrected ("*ford (niversit# Press, 1190).
5iplin$ L (1917) (ust So Stories Purnell <ooks :td. :ondon.
5roeber ). :. (19B7) The /eetin$ of 2ast and 3est CLevie' of AorthropD in "!erican "nthropologist Tol.
B9, Issue 0, pp. +,E-+,9.
:in, H. (19+9) My country and !y people. The John 7a# 8o.. Ae' Hork
:iu, H. (199E) To 8apture the 2ssence of 8hinese Lhetoric. )n )natom# of a Paradi$m in 8omparative
Lhetoric in #hetoric #e%iew Tol. 1B. Ao. 0, +11 - ++I, 0,,E, Ta#lor and %rancis :td.
:u, U. M %rank, 7. (199+). "n the tud# of )ncient 8hinese LhetoricP<ian. Western (ournal of
o!!unication, I7, %all, BBI-BE+.
:u, U. (1991) #hetoric in "ncient hina, :ifth entury to Third entury ;''E') " o!parison with lassical
+reek #hetoric. (niversit# of outh 8arolina. 8olumbia
/ahbubani, 5. (0,,0) an "sians think?) understanding the di%ide between East and West 1
st
teerforth
2dition, teerforth Press. Termont, 8anada
/ao, :. (0,,+) Leflective 2ncounters. Illustratin$ 8omparative Lhetoric in Style Tol. +7 Ao. B, 3inter 0,,+
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/ao, :. (0,,I) Lhetorical <orderlands. 8hinese )merican Lhetoric in the /akin$ in ollege o!position
and o!!unication Tol. IE Ao. +, %eb., 0,,I pp. B0E-BE9 Aational 8ouncil of Teachers in 2n$lish
Aesbit, L. 2. (0,,+) The +eography of Thought) How "sians and Westerners Think /ifferently ''' and Why
%ree Press, imon and chuster, Inc.. Ae' Hork
Aorthrop, %. . 8. (19BB) The 8omplementar# 2mphases of 2astern Intuitive and 3estern cientific
Philosoph# in 8harles ). /oor 2d. Philosophy 8 East and West Princeton (niversit# Press. Princeton
Aorthrop, %. . 8. (19BE) The /eetin$ of 2ast and 3est. )n Inquir# 8oncernin$ 3orld (nderstandin$ The
/ac/illan 8ompan#. Ae' Hork
Aorthrop, %. . 8. (19E0) 8omparative Philosoph# and cience in the :i$ht of 8omparative :a' in 8harles
). /oor 2d. Philosophy and ulture < East and West (niversit# of 4a'aii Press. 4onolulu
Plato (199+) Lepublic (Translation b# Lobin 3aterfield) "*ford 3orld 8lassics, "*ford (niversit# Press.
"*ford
hih, 4 (19E0) The cientific pirit and /ethod in 8hinese Philosoph# in 8harles ). /oor 2d. Philosophy
and ulture < East and West (niversit# of 4a'aii Press. 4onolulu
mid, L. 3. (0,,9) Methodologies of o!parati%e Philosophy) The Prag!atist and Process Traditions
(niversit# of Ae' Hork tate Press. Ae' Hork
tace, 3. T. (19B7) <ook Levie'. The /eetin$ of 2ast and 3est. %. . 8. Aorthrop in Ethics Tol. I7, Ao. 0,
Jan., 19B7
3an$, <. (0,,B) ) urve# in )sian Lhetoric in #hetoric #e%iew, Tol. 0+, Ao 0, 0,,B, pp. 171-111 Ta#lor and
%rancis :td.
3oGniak, ). (0,,E) /ana$erial intuition across cultures. be#ond a =3est-2ast dichotom#@ in Education =
Training Tol. B1 Ao. 0P+, 0,,E 2merald &roup Publishin$ :imited
We'sites
)ristotle Posterior "nalytics <ook II, 8hapter 19. Translated b# &. L. &. /ure. )vailable at
http.PP'''.lo$oslibrar#.or$ParistotlePposteriorP019.html )ccessed 0 Januar# 0,10.
8reatin$ /inds.or$
Jastro', J. (1199) The mindQs e#e. Popular Science Monthly, IB, 099-+10. )vailable at
http.PPsocrates.berkele#.eduPVkihlstrmPJastro'7uck.htm )ccessed on 1B Januar# 0,10
Jichen, , 7abai, H. M Pa*on, T. (0,10) " o!parison ;etween the Ethics of Socrates and onfucius
)vailable at http.PP'''.siue.eduP2)T)I)Ppa*onW1,0199.htm. )ccessed on ,7P,1P10
Tolokh, 2. (0,,I) 3ho 7oesnQt 4ave a Aobel PriGe Aomination6 in 0os "ngeles Ti!es 7ecember B, 0,,I.
)vailable at http.PP'''.latimes.comPne'sPprinteditionPopinionPla-op-
tookienobelBdec,B,,,BE1E1+I.stor# )ccessed 01 7ecember 0,11
Fil
Lossellini, L (7ir.) (197,) Socrates Produced in consortium b# "riGGonte 0,,,, Ladiotelevisione Italiana
(L)I), TelevisiXn 2spaYola (TT2), "ffice de Ladiodiffusion TOlOvision %ranZaise ("LT%)
Ian MacDonald June 2014
- 22 -
APP"#DI$ 1
%I &ee' ()* one+, (e-.)n/ Men 000%
2 6$$ si7 honest serving8men
/They taught me all 2 &new09
Their names are 3hat and 3hy and 3hen
#nd :ow and 3here and 3ho.
2 send them over land and sea,
2 send them east and west9
4ut after they have wor&ed for me,
2 give them all a rest.
2 let them rest from nine till five,
5or 2 am busy then,
#s well as brea&fast, lunch, and tea,
5or they are hungry men.
4ut different fol& have different views9
2 &now a person small;
<he &eeps ten million serving8men,
3ho get no rest at all=
<he sends>em abroad on her own affairs,
5rom the second she opens her eyes;
?ne million :ows, two million 3heres,
#nd seven million 3hys=
The $lephant>s @hild
6ipling A /1BCD0 Eust <o <tories, pp F)
Ian MacDonald June 2014
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APP"#DI$ 2
The #allad of East and West
"h, 2ast is 2ast, and 3est is 3est, and never the t'ain shall meet,
Till 2arth and k# stand presentl# at &od>s $reat Jud$ment eatR
<ut there is neither 2ast nor 3est, <order, nor <reed, nor <irth,
3hen t'o stron$ men stand face to face, tho> the# come from the ends of the earthS
5amal is out 'ith t'ent# men to raise the <order side, I
)nd he has lifted the 8olonel>s mare that is the 8olonel>s pride.
4e has lifted her out of the stable-door bet'een the da'n and the da#,
)nd turned the calkins upon her feet, and ridden her far a'a#.
Then up and spoke the 8olonel>s son that led a troop of the &uides.
=Is there never a man of all m# men can sa# 'here 5amal hides6@ 1,
Then up and spoke /ahommed 5han, the son of the Lessaldar,
=If #e kno' the track of the mornin$-mist, #e kno' 'here his pickets are.
)t dusk he harries the )baGai[at da'n he is into <onair,
<ut he must $o b# %ort <ukloh to his o'n place to fare,
o if #e $allop to %ort <ukloh as fast as a bird can fl#, 1I
<# the favor of &od #e ma# cut him off ere he 'in to the Ton$ue of Ja$ai,
<ut if he be passed the Ton$ue of Ja$ai, ri$ht s'iftl# turn #e then,
%or the len$th and the breadth of that $risl# plain is so'n 'ith 5amal>s men.
There is rock to the left, and rock to the ri$ht, and lo' lean thorn bet'een,
)nd #e ma# hear a breech-bolt snick 'here never a man is seen.@ 0,
The 8olonel>s son has taken a horse, and a ra' rou$h dun 'as he,
3ith the mouth of a bell and the heart of 4ell, and the head of the $allo's-tree.
The 8olonel>s son to the %ort has 'on, the# bid him sta# to eat[
3ho rides at the tail of a <order thief, he sits not lon$ at his meat.
4e >s up and a'a# from %ort <ukloh as fast as he can fl#, 0I
Till he 'as a'are of his father>s mare in the $ut of the Ton$ue of Ja$ai,
Till he 'as a'are of his father>s mare 'ith 5amal upon her back,
)nd 'hen he could sp# the 'hite of her e#e, he made the pistol crack.
4e has fired once, he has fired t'ice, but the 'histlin$ ball 'ent 'ide.
=He shoot like a soldier,@ 5amal said. =ho' no' if #e can ride.@ +,
It >s up and over the Ton$ue of Ja$ai, as blo'n dust-devils $o,
The dun he fled like a sta$ of ten, but the mare like a barren doe.
The dun he leaned a$ainst the bit and slu$$ed his head above,
<ut the red mare pla#ed 'ith the snaffle-bars, as a maiden pla#s 'ith a $love.
There 'as rock to the left and rock to the ri$ht, and lo' lean thorn bet'een, +I
)nd thrice he heard a breech-bolt snick tho> never a man 'as seen.
The# have ridden the lo' moon out of the sk#, their hoofs drum up the da'n,
The dun he 'ent like a 'ounded bull, but the mare like a ne'-roused fa'n.
The dun he fell at a 'ater-course[in a 'oful heap fell he,
)nd 5amal has turned the red mare back, and pulled the rider free. B,
4e has knocked the pistol out of his hand[small room 'as there to strive,
=>T 'as onl# b# favor of mine,@ quoth he, =#e rode so lon$ alive.
There 'as not a rock for t'ent# mile, there 'as not a clump of tree,
<ut covered a man of m# o'n men 'ith his rifle cocked on his knee.
If I had raised m# bridle-hand, as I have held it lo', BI
The little Kackals that flee so fast, 'ere feastin$ all in a ro'.
If I had bo'ed m# head on m# breast, as I have held it hi$h,
The kite that 'histles above us no' 'ere $or$ed till she could not fl#.@
:i$htl# ans'ered the 8olonel>s son.[=7o $ood to bird and beast,
Ian MacDonald June 2014
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The #allad of East and West contd
<ut count 'ho come for the broken meats before thou makest a feast. I,
If there should follo' a thousand s'ords to carr# m# bones a'a#,
<elike the price of a Kackal>s meal 'ere more than a thief could pa#.
The# 'ill feed their horse on the standin$ crop, their men on the $arnered $rain,
The thatch of the b#res 'ill serve their fires 'hen all the cattle are slain.
<ut if thou thinkest the price be fair,[th# brethren 'ait to sup, II
The hound is kin to the Kackal-spa'n,[ho'l, do$, and call them upS
)nd if thou thinkest the price be hi$h, in steer and $ear and stack,
&ive me m# father>s mare a$ain, and I >ll fi$ht m# o'n 'a# backS@
5amal has $ripped him b# the hand and set him upon his feet.
=Ao talk shall be of do$s,@ said he, ='hen 'olf and $ra# 'olf meet. E,
/a# I eat dirt if thou hast hurt of me in deed or breathR
3hat dam of lances brou$ht thee forth to Kest at the da'n 'ith 7eath6@
:i$htl# ans'ered the 8olonel>s son. =I hold b# the blood of m# clan.
Take up the mare for m# father>s $ift[b# &od, she has carried a manS@
The red mare ran to the 8olonel>s son, and nuGGled a$ainst his breast, EI
=3e be t'o stron$ men,@ said 5amal then, =but she loveth the #oun$er best.
o she shall $o 'ith a lifter>s do'er, m# turquoise-studded rein,
/# broidered saddle and saddle-cloth, and silver stirrups t'ain.@
The 8olonel>s son a pistol dre' and held it muGGle-end,
=He have taken the one from a foe,@ said heR ='ill #e take the mate from a friend6 7,
=) $ift for a $ift,@ said 5amal strai$htR =a limb for the risk of a limb.
Th# father has sent his son to me, I >ll send m# son to himS@
3ith that he 'histled his onl# son, that dropped from a mountain-crest[
4e trod the lin$ like a buck in sprin$, and he looked like a lance in rest.
=Ao' here is th# master,@ 5amal said, ='ho leads a troop of the &uides, 7I
)nd thou must ride at his left side as shield on shoulder rides.
Till 7eath or I cut loose the tie, at camp and board and bed,
Th# life is his[th# fate it is to $uard him 'ith th# head.
o thou must eat the 3hite \ueen>s meat, and all her foes are thine,
)nd thou must harr# th# father>s hold for the peace of the border-line. 1,
)nd thou must make a trooper tou$h and hack th# 'a# to po'er[
<elike the# 'ill raise thee to Lessaldar 'hen I am han$ed in Pesha'ur.@
The# have looked each other bet'een the e#es, and there the# found no fault,
The# have taken the "ath of the <rother-in-<lood on leavened bread and salt.
The# have taken the "ath of the <rother-in-<lood on fire and fresh-cut sod, 1I
"n the hilt and the haft of the 5h#ber knife, and the 3ondrous Aames of &od.
The 8olonel>s son he rides the mare and 5amal>s bo# the dun,
)nd t'o have come back to %ort <ukloh 'here there 'ent forth but one.
)nd 'hen the# dre' to the \uarter-&uard, full t'ent# s'ords fle' clear[
There 'as not a man but carried his feud 'ith the blood of the mountaineer. 9,
=4a> doneS ha> doneS@ said the 8olonel>s son. =Put up the steel at #our sidesS
:ast ni$ht #e had struck at a <order thief[to-ni$ht >t is a man of the &uidesS@
,h, East is East, and West is West, and ne%er the two shall !eet,
Till Earth and Sky stand presently at +od9s great (udg!ent Seat>
;ut there is neither East nor West, ;order, nor ;reed, nor ;irth, 9I
When two strong !en stand face to face, tho9 they co!e fro! the ends of the earth
Rudyard Kipling (18651936)


Ian MacDonald June 2014
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