Planning an inclusive meeting: How to bring cultural sensitivity to meeting rooms

Business meetings are supposed to have a positive impact but, there are factors that can negatively impact a meeting if you don’t come across as professional, or if certain niceties aren't observed. Today, business is no longer limited to just the immediate environment. With phones, the internet and even international travel being so much easier, businesses are easily spreading their reach to other borders. Now, this raises the question of how to approach business meetings on an international stage. It’s a fact that cultures differ from each other. This is true of business practices as well. Take Japan for example, the people there are unfailingly polite and have a more formal approach to business. People from different nations, backgrounds and cultures all have a set of behaviours unique to them. So, when you plan a meeting with one or more players from different cultures, it’s wise to know of and account for the differences, and make sure you’re sensitive to them. The scenario we describe above is a common thing in places where diversity is the order of the day. Places like Bangalore have a lot of people from difference corners of the world, each with their own businesses and start-ups. So, if you’re hosting a meeting in a place like Bangalore, knowing how to take cultural differences into consideration is vital. So, before you rent a meeting room in Bangalore, here are a few points to keep in mind:

1. Time: Time is relative, especially to the person keeping track of it. Some cultures live by a rigid sense of time, while others are a little more lax when it comes to time, taking it as an approximate time rather the ‘on the dot’
2. Hierarchy: This is a very important factor to consider when planning a meeting. For cultures that place a high amount of importance on hierarchy would see it as an affront to criticize, question or otherwise just speak their mind in a meeting. Giving feedback or reporting problems in front of a manager is considered a loss of face for both parties involved.
3. The Meeting’s Purpose: The point of a meeting varies from region to region and culture to culture. Some see a meeting as all about business, with rigid, pre-planned schedules while others see it as a chance to foster relationships with the people they are meeting. So, when you’re planning an international meeting, being aware of these facts can help you plan a successful meeting.
4. Meeting Etiquette: Every culture has its own set of etiquette, manners, gestures and expressions. Taking note of these differences can prevent disagreements, or offending someone accidently. It’s wise to be aware of these cultural differences, and raise awareness of them too, in order to have a successful meeting.
5. Spread Out: One of the major mistakes you can make when planning a multi-cultural meeting is to divide people up by their culture. This is counter productive in that it allows them to slip into their familiar patterns. To avoid this, spread the attendees out and mix them up a bit. It helps the meeting run smoother and strengthens the interactions in the meeting.

Keeping these points in mind can be very helpful when you’re planning an international meeting. Not only do they make for successful meetings, they also improve cultural understanding and acceptance and make a very dynamic meeting environment. So, keep them in mind and embrace them when you’re planning your next meeting.