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How high are your energies in meetings that are conducted in your preferred languages?
The answer is quite obvious. Yet, let’s dial back to the same question with a twist: how high would your energies be in those meetings where the language is alien to you?
Forget about the energy; the entire purpose of the meeting would be defeated as the communication between participants would never see the light of the day. And here’s where the world embraced the concept of multilingual meetings. With a thirst for effectively communicating beyond borders and amongst different cultures, multinational companies and organizations have boosted the idea of multilingual virtual meetings. The digital world has repeatedly reminded us of the need for stronghold communication that extends beyond boundaries, even if the mode of communication is through virtual meetings.
A few years back, the concept of multilingualism or the notion of multilingual meetings was never a part of the discussion. However, recently, it has become one of the attention-seeking aspects for companies and governments alike. Several factors drive this trend.
Remote work has become the new normal for many companies and individuals. This has led to an extended hiring of talent from all over the world that brings diverse cultural perspectives and a variety of languages to the table. Thanks to multilingualism, nowadays, resumes are no longer about which languages you speak; rather, they are about how much talent you have.
A business is all about ambition and expanding its products or services. With globalization at its best, companies are always on the hunt of targeting countries or regions based on their specific regional language and culture. As a result, most of their employees and clients require multilingual communication to reach the desired heights and productivity.
The scope of going unheard or unattended for non-native attendees of a meeting is now a far-fetched reality. Multilingualism ensures that there’s a spirit of inclusivity and value for every participant.
However, such feats are conditional on the fact that a user can successfully host a multilingual meeting that ticks off every angle of inclusivity and effective communication.
Hosting a multilingual virtual meeting might sound challenging. From inviting all participants to understanding their preferred language, a lot may be invested in a single meeting. However, it has its own set of upsides.
The success of a meeting is highly dependent on the number of interactions or engagements observed. If you’re hosting multilingual meetings, your participants are more likely to engage and contribute their thoughts through their preferred language. It creates an unseen comfort that every participant seeks.
Multilingual meetings allow participants to channel their focus on the content instead of getting lost in the intricacies of language barriers. It stands as an assurance that no time would be wasted on translation.
It all comes down to effective communication. If the discussion or the sharing of information goes over a participant's head, there can be an array of confusion that may lead to several misunderstandings. Clear communication guarantees that the meaning of the discussion is not lost in translation or lack of clarity.
Let’s head on to the question of the hour.
From the other side of the table, participating in multilingual meetings sounds fun and easy—until you’re the one hosting them. Below are a few pointers that you must bear in mind before hosting multilingual online meetings.
There is no universal language when you host a multilingual meeting. The first step is to identify the languages that your participants speak. This activity may sound time-consuming if you choose to call and confirm with every participant. However, the quickest way would be to share a Google form or drop a poll on your preferred communication platform. The responses would help you prepare in advance and facilitate the interpreters accordingly.
Multilingual meetings require specific platforms and features that help you host easily without worrying about technical errors. As a host, if you’re exploring different platforms for your meeting, it is imperative to cross-check if the selected platform is widely used in the respective regions of the participants.
The ideal way to bring out active participation and interest in multilingual meetings is to choose a widely used video conferencing platform. The must-have features for such meetings are real-time translation and multilingual subtitles, which also give the participants the liberty to switch between languages easily.
We’ve discussed all the pre-meeting hacks and pointers to be aware of before sending out the meeting invite. However, it is during the meeting that compels the host to break a sweat. Below are a few ideas that would help you navigate multilingual meetings successfully.
It’s always wise to keep all the participants on the same page right from the beginning of the meeting. A host should clearly communicate the meeting agenda and the available languages to the participants while also sharing a quick guide during the introductory stage.
For active participation, utilize the power of live interpreters or AI tools that provide real-time translations for the users.
The key is to speak slowly and use the simplest word possible, which will make it easy for the interpreters.
Make use of visual aids, such as charts, slides, etc., to reinforce your spoken content. This helps participants enhance their understanding of the subject.
You need to create a welcoming and supportive environment while encouraging your participants to add their thoughts to the meeting.
The solid tip that every host should definitely follow is to provide the participants with the meeting transcript in multiple languages. It is also crucial to ask for feedback from the participants to realize all the areas of improvement.
Conclusion
In a global world that strives to be more connected than ever, the rise of multilingual meetings is evident. Hosting such meetings requires meticulous planning and the right tools to ensure effective communication and participation. With these pointers in mind, you can create an inclusive environment for every participant and enhance the experience of successful multilingual online meetings.
FAQs
1. What are the key challenges in hosting multilingual meetings?
The primary challenge would be the language barrier, as well as the uncertainty about whether the participants are comfortable and able to understand the discussion well.
2. How can I determine the languages spoken by meeting participants?
The most optimal way would be to conduct a pre-meeting survey to identify the preferred languages of the participants.
3. How can I follow up effectively after a multilingual meeting?
Through automated AI tools, such as Konch AI, you can provide a meeting transcript in the participant’s preferred language after the meeting. This ensures that all participants are on the same page.
4. How can I continuously improve the effectiveness of my multilingual meetings?
You can garner feedback from all your participants and work hard to refine the areas of improvement they mention.
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