Private discussions during a meeting 1

[MintJulep]

During the course of a meeting it is sometimes necessary for one side or the other to have a private discussion. It is perfectly acceptable to ask to leave the room to have that discussion.

However, in today's international world of business one side may simply change languages, assuming that the other side can't understand what is being discussed.

If you understand the language of the "private" conversation do you:

Say nothing, and evesdrop.

Say nothing, but try not to pay attention.

Let them know that you understand, and that if they need to have a private discussion perhaps they should leave the room.

Let them know by commenting on what they said in "private" once the full meeting resumes.

 

[IRstuff]

I'd simply ask if they'd be more comfortable talking outside. Talking in front of other people has an implicit loss of privacy. Even if you didn't understand the language, there's much to be gained from tone of voice and body language, particularly since they have to be talking about the subject of your meeting.

TTFN

 

[GregLocock]

We just bellow "One meeting!" - it is in our meeting guidelines. Your way is more polite.

Cheers

Greg Locock

Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips.

 

[HVAC68]

If the private meeting is with the consent of all, then it's ok. Otherwise, I would view it as an insult to the rest of the attendees. Sometimes, it does happen that one has to discuss amongst his team members on a particular issue before answering to a group. In such instances, if it's a very brief (brief is a relative word, though !!!) private discussion, so as to give a reply, the private discussion should be ok. It's in the interest of all members that an answer is forthcoming and hence a small hold-up should be fine. If it's a long private discussion, getting out to another room would be better, regardless of the language.

HVAC68

 

[CajunCenturion]

I think everyone in business understand that some things need to be discussed behind closed doors.

To conduct a private conversation, in a foreign language, in the same room is incredibly un-professional, and just plain rude.

If things are at that point, why can't you say something along the lines of , "There's some merit to that position, but there are some things on our end that we need to work out so we can move forward. Let's take a quick break, and get back together in 15 minutes."

Good Luck
--------------
As a circle of light increases so does the circumference of darkness around it. - Albert Einstein

 

[RDK]

Having worked internationally, where everyone spoke English and only the locals spoke Icelandic, I have tp agree with Cajun Centurion that it is very rude to conduct a private meeting in a foreign language. However there is a lot to be gained by observing body language and tone of the discussion.

If we had understood the second language, yes I would consider it OK to simply listen in and use that knowledge to continue the meeting if the second language speakers conducted a private discussion in fount of you. After all if they had the discussion in English then there would have been no discussion about the issue.

Had they excused themselves to a private area and conducted the sidebar in the second language then actively eavesdropping would be unethical but anything said in plain hearing of you would be acceptable to use.






Rick Kitson MBA P.Eng

Construction Project Management
From conception to completion

http://www.kitsonengineering.com

 

[Slowzuki]

I believe you should indicate you understand their language out of courtesy but there is not a bound requirement to do so. They chose to take the risk of their privacy being comprimised.

A similar concept would be passing notes during a meeting that are written large enough for the other party to view.

If private information is required to be exchaged ask for a moment to be excused. It may be rude but reveal your position in an important negotiation is costly. Information is critical.

 

[Blackcountryman]

Working for an International company or rather a French company that works all over the world. English is the common business language.

We see this frequently when people with a common language either want to clarify what has been said in English or work out how to make their point in English. In most cases they are short conversations that we all pause for but it is true that even if you don't know the language you can judge a lot by body language. If it is a more political discussion I would suggest a break.

What does cause amusment it when 2 nationalities that both speak English start asking one another for clarification. Brits, Americans, Canadaians, Austrailians for example.

Also I have in the past told collegues I do not speak French then when a joke is craked laugh, that can cause constanation as they try to remember all the comments they have made about thr 'Roast Beef'

John

 

[ewh]

If they are unaware that others speak their language, they should be told so. There may be a competitive advantage to keeping quiet and listening, but I feel that the advantage is outweighed by the moral obligation of the golden rule.

 

[dporte17]

Mint:

Take in the information, don't reveal your knowledge, and use it to your advantage.

(Note: This advice may not necessarily be the best thing to do, unless you are in a very vindictive mood like I happen to be today.)

D

 

[TXiceman]

While it is very rude to carry on a private conversation using an alternate language during the course of a meeting, the parties should not expect guaranteed privacy in this day of international travel.

I have had both Germans and Chinese groups break into their own native language discussion feeling that it was a private discussion. Only to my amusment, I had junior engineers that were fluent in both of the languages. He simply passed me note as to what they were discussing and we could head them off. Needles to say they were a bit perplexed as to how we were able to nail their best laid plans.

After the meetings were over, I had the junior engineers speak to folks in their native languages. Maybe next time they were in a meeting, they were not so open with their discussions.

Ken

TXiceman

http://www.rae-corp.com

 

[Ron]

It is inherently rude to change languages in the course of a meeting under the pretense of private discussions. If a private discussion is warranted, go into separate rooms. That's the way it's done in mediation conferences and I think it is the appropriate way.

 

[IRstuff]

Getting unambiguous knowledge that your counterpart is rude or contemptuous is useful information.

TTFN

 

[DaveVikingPE]

You should learn the language themselves and curse 'em out...

 

[ctmtwilliams]

I don't get it, so what if they change language? What would you do if they just started talking amongst themselves in the same language the meeting was being held in?? Would you ask them to stop and leave the room? Why should you need to point out that you understand them? In today’s would one should expect that the parties you are dealing with understand multiple languages. Business is business. If someone unknowingly discloses information that causes them to lose a competitive edge it is their mistake. Look at it this way, if the other party feels they have right and the need to hide something from you by changing language, shouldn’t that immediately give you the right to hide the fact that you understood the language they changed to?

 

[lewtam]

I had an amusing meeting with international guests (not constructive to name the nationality) that we were hosting for a round of negotiations.

After being asked a direct question, they would huddle and speak amongst themselves as though they were generating a consensus to answer the question. They actually talked about the women present they would prefer to sleep with, and their opinions on where they would dine that night. My boss waited until the final session and introduced snippets of their comments into general negotiations, such as "If we agree to the terms as they stand we can all go out to *restaurant they decided on* to celebrate."

The look of embarrased shock on their face as it dawned on them that someone understood everything that they said was priceless.

LewTam Inc.
Petrophysicist, Head Stockman, Gun Welder, Gun Shearer, Ski Instructor, Drama Coach.

 

[HVAC68]

There are 2 different issues here :

1. Private discussion during a meeting - Is this acceptable or not ? regardless of which language you use.

2. If it's acceptable to have a private discussion during a meeting, maybe with the consent of the rest of the people - then, is it all right to use a language that's not understood by others ?

My take would be

1. Private discussion is a no-no unless it's just a quick exchange of ideas to arrive at a common acceptable answer. There can be instances when a technical & commercial person attend a meeting and they have to sometimes discuss very briefly to answer a query. The catchword here is "BRIEFLY". If it's going to take a longer time to discuss, it's better they get excused from the meeting, discuss separately and come with an answer - language has no relevance here, since it's plain RUDE to have a private discussion while a meeting is on.

2. It's much more RUDE to talk in a foreign language during a meeting, as it is very offensive. It's best avoided.

HVAC68

 

[DRC1]

If somebody has a conversation and you understand it, so what? The choice to speak i toungue was theirs, the erronious assumption that no one understood was theirs and no one asked you to leave. So they have a conversation and you understand it. I would say the polite thing to do is to be quite and listen. It may also be the profitable thing to do.

 

[MedicineEng]

I work in a foreign country where I don't understand the language(with exception of some minor words) and the locals are not very proficient in English. It is not uncommon to have meetings where one of the intervenients has a fair/good English but the others have a very bad/none English (but they have the decision power). As such, I am used to have private talks during my meetings when the guy with good English explains the discussion to the other(s).
I don't mind and as some already said non verbal communication is very important so by being there (and understanding some disperse words) I believe that I gain some advantage.

 

[rmw]

I often have to participate in meetings between German equipment makers and Spanish speaking equipment operators where the language of the meeting is English, their second language. (The English engineering technical terminology spoken is the management's second language.) I notice that they (the Germans and/or the Hispanics) often break into their own language at times to discuss things among themselves that are easier said in their native tongues. Especially if the points being discussed are being made in strong, emphatic or heated terms.

It is always a matter of ease of communication with them rather than discussing restaurants and/or women, and I may participate with them to some extent in their language, but try to bring them back to English in short order since the management present are lost to it all.

I do, at times, explain to the others who do not speak the language of the private session what is being discussed in German or Spanish. Frankly, even if the intense side discussions were being held in English, it still would be foreign language to the management personnel, needing translation to terms that they could understand, if that were possible.

rmw