Business Culture

Managing Meetings

One of the businessmen's key arenas is at meetings and conferences, where acquaintances are made, products are promoted, problems are resolved and agreements are reached.

Before contacting a potential international partner, it is best to determine such basics as whether their culture is a high-context one demanding full precise detail of proposals or a low-context one where less detail but a more personal level of communication is sought. Generally, Asian cultures demand higher levels of formality than most European cultures, which in turn are far more formal than the Americans, Australians and Africans.

When running a meeting, do remember to plan ahead before sending out the meeting notification. Make sure that all interested parties are invited.

In your meeting invitation, clearly state the agenda of the meeting. List the action items and request that attendees come prepared to address these issues. Attach related documentation for review and request input.

Being the chair that controls and directs the proceedings, be strong and confident. Aware of the given authority and the rules of conduct, you shall take firm control to enforce theses when necessary. It's very important that you call the order for the meeting punctually, introduce the participants, make apologies for absence, manage parliamentary procedure, make summaries and at last thank for all's participation.

Once the meeting is over, follow up with all attendees. Send a list of action items, resolutions and issues that remain open. Thank people for taking the time to attend, and request feedback.