3.9. PLANNING AND LEADING MEETINGS
While meetings may be the bane of corporate existence, they are a staple of business life and a prime arena for communication. How they are structured and led in global settings can determine their effectiveness. The first step in planning any meeting is to determine its purpose, as that will become the foundation upon which you build. Why a meeting is called differs according to both national and corporate culture. In some places it would be a regular, expected way for a team to share information and solve problems. In other organizations and locations it would be seen as a corporate command performance where communication would be one-way and top-down. In other cases calling a meeting might signal a crisis and be seen as announcing a serious problem. Whether the meeting is a full-day team-building retreat held in an idyllic setting or a one-hour staff meeting done via videoconference, both the content and processes will be planned around the following purposes:
Problem solving—Will you be analyzing and investigating a problem and designing ways to solve it?
Idea generation—Do you need to use creative techniques such as brainstorming or a pre-survey to come up with multiple alternatives?
Decision making—Will it be important to come to a decision about a particular course of action or to make a choice among alternatives?
Information sharing—What data, facts, policies, guidelines, updates, or other information will need to be given by you or others?
Data generating—What kinds of information will you need to collect from participants? Is it more effective to collect beforehand through an electronic survey, for example, or on the spot at the meeting?
Relationship building—How much do you need to focus on team building and connection making to increase cohesion in the group?
Planning—Will you be strategizing and planning actions to be taken?
Evaluation—Are there processes, programs, or projects for which you will need to measure progress, take stock of conditions, or evaluate results?
Once you have determined the purposes of your meeting, use the guidelines that follow when designing your agendas.
Guidelines for Planning and Leading Effective Meetings
Send the meeting agenda to participants ahead of time to give them a chance to prepare their thoughts. Those who are more reflective and less spontaneous will appreciate the advance warning.
Send any written material ahead of time so that those who are working in a second language and those who are more reflective can have time to digest information before the meeting. Also provide materials in translation if needed by participants.
Tell people ahead of time what will be expected. If information, data, or reports are to be shared, let people know what to bring. If their input will be sought, give them advance warning so they can consider ideas and compose their thoughts.
Use processes that are appropriate for the cultural backgrounds of participants. If group members are from more hierarchical or collective cultures where singling oneself out or giving feedback to a superior would be awkward, avoid calling on individuals or expecting people to speak out. Instead, divide the staff into small groups for discussion and input, having them chart information. Then have a spokesperson from each subgroup report its data to the total group.
Another variation would be to collect input anonymously from staff members ahead of time, for example, via a checklist or questionnaire e-mailed or faxed, then present the collected data at the meeting with your response.
Vary communication styles in meeting agendas. If direct, linear, task-oriented communication is your style, find a way to explain using a story or bring in a case study example for the group to discuss. If switching style is difficult for you, share the leadership of the meeting with a colleague or team member who has a different style and have the individual tell a story or describe a case. The Cultural Contrasts During Multicultural Meetings figure is helpful in determining appropriate styles.
Present information in a variety of modes. Use statistical data and case examples, provide diagrams and narrative explanations, show pictures and give written directions based on preferred national styles. Vary audiovisual media as well, making use of PowerPoint® presentations, overhead transparencies, videotaped segments, easels and flip charts, and prepared handouts as appropriate.
Prepare any written materials in advance so they are in front of participants during the meeting. This is especially important for teleconferences and videoconference sessions. Without the pertinent material in front of them, participants will be at a loss in following the agenda from a distance.
Allow people to use the language that is most effective. In multilingual settings, even when all participants are fluent in the official language of the organization, there may be times when having staff members use their first language in subgroup discussions is most effective. For example, presentation of data may be done for all in the official corporate language, followed by small-group tasks done in employees' first language. Then the report-back by groups would be given in the common language.
American Japanese Arab Objective Formulate plan of action Seek information; no conclusion Build rapport and establish trust base Opening Direct to objective Identification of seniority; period of silence for harmony An introductory period to warm up expression of hospitality Participation Expected from all in attendance Led by seniors; seek feelings of group; more listening By seniority; specialist involved; indirect to task Self-image Equality; independence; competition Part of group; modesty Rich culture; generosity Use of Language Statement direct; to the point Indirect no; yes/no Flattering; looping Nonverbal Communication Informal; minimum emotional expression Hierarchy; occasional silence Seniority/age; dress level; emotion Spatial Orientation Opposite–across the table Circle; prearranged By status and age Time Orientation Always punctual; future-oriented On time for first meeting important Historical context Decision Making Fact-based; risk taking; appeal to reason Information-based; group consensus Intuition; religious background Closing Conclusion; plan of action; responsibility Will discuss with others; no commitments Future meeting oriented/open loop Applied Values Cultural directness; action-oriented; individuality; future-oriented; risk taking; achievement; accomplishment Information-seeking; hierarchy; group harmony; listening/observing; patience Hospitality; religious belief; age/seniority; flattering/admiration [] [] [] Cultural Contrasts During Multicultural Meetings
[] Source: Adapted from Farid Elashmawi and Philip R. Harris, Multicultural Management: New Skills for Global Success (Houston, TX: Gulf, 1993).
Consult with a cultural informant to find out the expected meeting norms. How are people seated, for example? In the Arab world, where hierarchy and status are respected, seating the most senior person in the place of honor would be expected. In some U.S.-American companies, this would also be the practice, while in others there are no assigned places and participants choose their own place on a first-come, first-served basis. Who ends the meeting? In Poland, the guest, not the host, signals when the meeting is over.
Recognize the limits of a meeting and find other ways to achieve your objectives. You may be able to gather more honest input through informal discussions during after-work socializing, or you may be able to generate more support for your proposal by having one-on-one talks over lunch. You may find the real issue underlying a thorny problem when you comment on your colleague's deep sigh and rolled eyes as you walk back to your office from the meeting. Real, honest communication is not structured around time schedules and meeting agendas, and much important information is exchanged outside the confines of official channels and settings.
Often presentations are called for in meetings. As with many other kinds of communication, it's not what you say but how you say it that determines effectiveness. Preferred presentation styles vary around the world and from person to person.