s Cultural Management

Effective Multi-Cultural Meetings

As globalization continues, the ability to work with people from different cultures is a must for project managers.

One of the many areas in international business where cultural differences manifest is in the corporate meeting room. International meetings are an area where differences in cultural values, etiquette, interpretations of professional conduct and corporate rules are at their most visible and challenging to control.

In international business meetings, cultural differences between professionals can and do clash. Although it can not always be avoided, the negative effects of cultural differences can be minimized with careful and effective planning, organization and consideration prior to meetings.

Different national cultures may view the same thing in very different ways thus communication can engender or distance you from potential clients or partners. Here are 10 ways that will help you create strong sustainable relationships with peers, partners, team members or clients from other cultures or nationalities.

Learn about how your values, attitudes, behaviors and communication style may be perceived by someone from another culture, e.g. they may interpret humor as not taking things seriously. Seek feedback from the people you work with or from a friendly party in the other culture.
Relate to each person as an individual and not as a stereotype. Understanding the values, expectations and beliefs that drive behaviors in different cultures should inform your actions towards an individual, not direct them. Culture doesn’t determine anything, but it shapes everything.
3. Understand who can make what decisions as it may be at a different level than in your own organization; be done more quickly or more slowly. In cultures where status is of more importance than in the UK or the U.S., such as Spain/Italy/Greece/France, decisions are made nearer the top of an organization. In cultures