self-contained counterpart
This is an exercise, a goal:
I approach, interpret my counterpart (be it a thing, a situation, a place, a group of people, a person, a company) as a self-contained entity. I try to enter its entire world of values and definitions and views and judge it by them.
Independently of this interaction, I may take a step back and judge my counterpart by applying my own world of values and definitions. If I assume that my counterpart can handle this judgement in this sense, I try to share it. Sometimes, my assumption is wrong.