Volume 4 / No. 1

November 2000

By Bonnie Koenig

As nonprofit organizations operate in an increasingly global environment, their leaders and staff may be called upon to facilitate meetings that include attendees from other countries. Whether these are small Board or committee meetings, or larger gatherings, you can increase your effectiveness by keeping some of the following ideas in mind:

• Attitude - Recognize that there are different cultural approaches to structuring a meeting or solving a problem and be open to trying new approaches. Convey respect for those with different cultural approaches. Consider having participants of two different nationalities co-chair the meeting. Start off with common understandings and goals
• Language - Increase the potential for all to follow the discussion by encouraging speakers to minimize the use of acronyms or expressions and speak slowly and clearly. If formal interpretation is not being provided, you may want to allow "whisper translations" by one participant more comfortable with English (or the language of the meeting) to another participant. Repeat and/or paraphrase on a regular basis throughout the meeting and especially when a decision point is imminent.
• The written word - Seeing something in writing often makes it easier for someone following a meeting in a language that is not in their mother tongue. Send as many advance materials as possible. During the meeting use overheads, hand-outs or other written aids to supplement the verbal discussion.
• Breaking barriers - Make an attempt at pronouncing the names of participants, even seemingly difficult names. You may want to write them out phonetically in advance and do not hesitate to ask people if you are pronouncing their names correctly. In smaller groups, to help alleviate tension or bond the group, try some cross-cultural sharing techniques - have participants share the story of his/her name, a short personal story or a saying from a local "elder". Storytelling is widely practiced and such stories can often reveal much about a person's approach to the world (and your meeting!).
• Observation - If you are new to the group as a facilitator, if possible before you actively enter the group, observe the group dynamic.
• Participation - Do not assume that silence is agreement. Try some different approaches to encouraging participation - going around the room (at a smaller meeting) and asking everyone for comments or dividing into smaller groups (in a larger session) may encourage those not as comfortable in the language or participatory format of the meeting to participate.

As we serve our members, client groups and others, consider the ideas of John Clark, formerly of Oxfam and the World Bank's NGO Division at the Third CIVICUS World Assembly in Manila, "Consider the old adage, 'Give a man a fish and he is fed for a day, but teach a man to fish and he can feed himself forever.' Is this adage really the right approach? If you teach a man to fish, does he have a line and net to be able to catch the fish? Does he have access to water? Can he get his fish to market to earn income? If the man fishes, does any of the fish get to other members of the family? And does the man even like fish at all? It is our job not just to teach, but to help people to identify their own needs and ensure that the right questions are asked."