English meetings can feel daunting even for fluent speakers. Why? Because there’s more to communication than language proficiency. Cultural differences play their part. And effectiveness is as much about how you communicate as what you say.  

With a bit of preparation, you can make a noticeable difference to your confidence going into a meeting – and the impact you have on your audience. Use this checklist to guide your planning. 

Step 1: Know your audience 

This doesn’t require extensive research – a 5-minute Google search and a glance at their LinkedIn profile can help you understand basics like their role, age, and nationality. This baseline will help you frame your approach in the right way.  

Step 2: Think “What do they want to know?” 

These are busy people who are investing time with you for the meeting. Remember, it’s not about what you want to say; it’s about what they want to hear about. Think about who you’re talking to and the information relevant to them, and tailor your delivery accordingly.  

Be conscious of cultural nuances here. For example, Anglophone audiences like to start with impact and outcomes before delving into process, background and credentials. Latin and Asian audiences generally want to focus first on the why before moving on to the how and what.  

Having an audience-centric approach is so much more important than perfect grammar. Don’t spend time worrying about that – focus on the faces in front of you and the information they want to take away. After all, an effective message is what gets you results, not effective conjugation.  

Step 3: Be conscious of time 

There’s a reason why people talk about “death by PowerPoint.” Reading off slides isn’t engaging to an Anglophone audience. If you have 30 minutes, keep it concise, with only 4-5 slides.  

People won’t care if you finish early, but they will care if they’re stuck listening to information they’re not interested in or if there’s no time for discussion.  

How these 3 steps work in action

Let’s look at a common example: introducing yourself at the start of a meeting. 

Let’s pretend you work for the fictional Duomo Srl, which develops risk management solutions for financial services. You’re presenting the results of a client fact-finding exercise, along with recommended next steps 

• Step 1: The Italian approach involves discussing your background and career history in depth. For most contexts, the Anglophone approach is the opposite – they want to understand who you are and then move on to the meat of the presentation or discussion. A quick LinkedIn check of the attendee list will tell you their nationality.  

Let’s say you’re presenting to a Brit and a German, both of whom are based in Frankfurt.  

• Step 2: LinkedIn will also tell you their job role, which gives guidance on the type of information they’ll be interested in regarding your background and what you’re bringing to the discussion. 

Both work for the risk team in a boutique bank. They previously dealt with the sales team at Duomo, so this is your first real opportunity to speak with these stakeholders. 

• Step 3: If the meeting is only an hour long

Don’t say: “Hello, I am a 45-year-old project manager from Duomo Srl. I have a Master’s degree in computer science from Politecnico di Milano. After that, I worked as a software engineer at Sforzesco Srl where I helped develop applications for financial services organizations. After 3 years, I moved to Garibaldi Srl, where I led projects focused on the data and AI space for risk management. I then moved to my current role at Duomo, where I lead risk management projects, coordinating with clients and our internal development team to develop risk management solutions that meet client needs. Duomo has been a leader in risk management solutions for more than 20 years. Founded and headquartered in Milan, we have worked with all of Italy’s major banks and insurance companies. Thanks to this track record and our innovation in the AI space, we are now breaking into other European markets, helping organizations facing an evolving compliance landscape that includes changing regulations and evolving risks in areas such as cybersecurity and climate change. 

Do say: “Hello, I’m project manager for this phase of the project, with over 10 years’ experience in helping financial services organisations leverage risk management technology. Together with my colleagues, we’ll take you through strengths and gaps uncovered in the fact-finding, along with the recommendations for addressing those gaps through automation and AI.” 

This shorter introduction is more effective because it focuses on what the 2 risk management professionals are interested in hearing about: 

• Why you’re the spokesperson for this meeting – You’re the project manager for this phase.
• That you’re credible and your expertise reflects the investment they’re making in Duomo – You have 10 years’ experience specifically in their domain. If they want more detail about your career history or education, they can always ask, but you will be demonstrating your credibility in the way you discuss the project outcomes, which is more interesting to them.
• What they want to get out of the meeting – What Duomo’s experts have found, along with the recommendations for how they can use technology to enhance risk management processes. Highlighting this demonstrates you are respecting their time.

This shorter introduction then leaves the vast majority of the meeting to talk about the project itself, which is what people are there for. Nailing your introduction like this – and hooking your audience immediately – makes a huge difference to your feelings about the meeting because you’re starting strong. 

Want expert help nailing this checklist? 

TLG Business English modules teach specific skills for boosting confidence and effectiveness, helping you move from an Italian-centric approach to one that has an impact on international colleagues and clients. For example, we’ll help you create an English elevator pitch about yourself and help you deliver it with impact for different contexts – from pitches to networking events. 

Confidence is key to credibility when speaking in English. We can help boost yours. Contact us to learn more. 

— The TLG Team.

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