Meeting & Meeting Culture

Meeting & Meeting Culture Group1 Gina Carine Terry Thomas Vivian Jason

Before the meeting, something to do … • Have email or phone calls to participants. • Choose a appropriate place and time.

× • Appropriate dress is important. • Good etiquette is necessary in the meeting. ○

How to start the meeting? ■Well, I think everyone is here now, so perhaps we’d better get started. ■ It’s time already. Let’s start the meeting. ■I don’t think everyone has met. So first of all let me … ■Today, the purpose of the meeting is … ■ I think you can see from the agenda …

During a meeting… Interrupting If I could just interrupt you… I see your point but… If I could just summarize… So what you are saying is… In other words, you… If I’ve understood you correctly, you… Recapping Yes, that’s right. Basically, yes. What I really meant was… Yes, I suppose you could say that. Confirming I think we’ve covered that point now. Shall we move on to the next point? Sorry, just one more thing… Moving on

~Interrupting~ I see your point, but I don’t think it is the best solution.

~Recapping~ So what you are saying is that this proposal doesn’t work out.

Yes, I suppose you could say that. ~Confirming~

~Moving on~ Shall we move on to the next point?

The End of a Meeting

When to end a meeting? • 1. time is up • 2. the goal(s)(not means to go through all the topics) has been reached • 3. when the meeting has been lasted too long and become not efficiently

What to do in the ending part • 1.Briefly summarize the meeting to make sure nobody miss any points. • 2.If the participants still have to go back to their work after a tiring meeting, sometimes do something to make them feel relaxed would be good(short exercises, jokes). It can make meetings not so hateable. But usually let them go as early as possible is a good policy. • 3.thank all the participants.

After meeting • 1.Send the minutes (會議記錄) to the participants. • 2.Get feedbacks to know what the participants think about the meeting and to know whether the agreements be executed well or not.

Note:Getting an agreement doesn't equal to a good ending.(Do not agree with the opinions just because you want to go home. A functional agreement is a necessary part of a successful meeting.)

Business Etiquette

→ For examples: • 1. You arrive late at a meeting. Apologize to the chairman. • 2. You have a bad cough and cold. You keep on coughing and sneezing. Apologize. • 3. You can’t understand what someone is saying because he’s speaking with his hand in front of his mouth. Ask him to move his hand. • 4. One of your guests looks a little ill. Ask if he/she is Ok. → → →

→ • 5. You are a non-smoker. Someone sitting next to you lights up. Ask her politely not to smoke. • 6. You are having a coffee break. You spill coffee on your colleague’s jacket. Offer to pay for the jacket to be cleaned. • 7. You are having a coffee break. Your mobile phone rings. Answer it. • 8. You are a guest. You are having coffee in a bar. It’s time to pay the bill. Offer to pay or let your host pay. (it depends on your situation at that time or different cultures in different countries.) → → →

Different Meeting Culture

Preparation for the Agenda • Chinese： -Prepare for the formal agenda before meeting and follow the schedule of agenda during the meeting. • Australian： -Punctuality is hard to do. -Flexibility is important when they are meeting.

Rank and Hierarchy • Chinese： -Most senior person enters first. -Handshaking with their counterpart. • Australian： -Not sure about who is senior. -It won’t get offended when they were asking the question.

Dress Code • Chinese： -Formal business dress. • Australian： -Usually dress in formal business dress but also “casual-dress”. -Don’t judge the book by it’s cover.

The Best and Worst Scenarios of a Meeting

Time to have a Meeting • soon after you arrive at work • mid-late morning • after lunch • late afternoon

Date to Have a Meeting • Monday • Tuesday • Wednesday • Thursday • Friday

Place to Have a Meeting • Meeting room • Boss’ office • Own office • Restaurant

Number of Participants • Two • Three to six • Seven plus

Agenda • Distributed in advance • Formally announced at beginning of meeting • Improvised during the meeting

Conclusion

Meeting & Meeting Culture