The room was filled with people from various countries. We had 90 minutes to get to know each other, spread awareness of this new vehicle of communication and to leave a lasting impression on as many attendees as possible.

On the flight back to Chennai, I made a list of all the attendees I had met and interacted with that evening. I was delighted to discover that in one evening, I had interacted with people from 17 nationalities who call India their home.

My Mumbai team asked me how I had managed to meet, interact with and remember so many people . That set me thinking once again: “If I can do it, anyone can.” So, here are some methods to network across cultures:

Prior to an event, and in fact starting today, remind yourself by writing down a list, if you like, of up to 20 things you are good at. It could be a skill - “I am a great cook/ singer”, a trait - “I am patient/ caring”, or a relationship - “I am a good dad/ faithful friend/ great team member”.

The list could include — “I am a good speaker, swimmer, listener, programmer, gadget fixer and multi-tasker.” Most of it will apply to you and if you can’t come up with 20 items to make the list, ask friends and family to help you with it.

Now, be confident that people do want to meet you because you are good, and approach networking events confidently.

Keep your right hand and smile ready. Pro-actively go up to meet each new person with an open smile and a firm handshake. Use a one-line descriptor introduction which comes to you easily. You should write this down beforehand and practice it, so that it does not sound contrived or unnatural: “Hello, I am Navin Agarwal, Senior Analyst from XYZ Technologies in Noida.”

Openly ask the other guests which country they come from or what brings them to India. There is a fine line that distinguishes between asking too many questions or personal ones, and not asking any because you are shy or don’t know what is appropriate. If you genuinely care and ask sincerely, it is always disarmingly simple and will win answers and friendships.

I once made the mistake of asking the question “Are you American?” and then discovered that the person was a Canadian who disliked being taken for an American. His monosyllabic response ended the conversation negatively. Instead of hazarding a guess, which is meant to show off my intelligence, I have learnt to tone down the question and simply ask, “Which country do you come from?” And should it be “Canada”, I say “Your accent was lovely, I couldn’t exactly place it.” This helps build bridges of cultural friendship much better.

Questions such as “What brings you to India” or “What do you do in Mumbai” are better than a more direct “Which company do you work for”. Never give people the impression that you are them up and are going to decide, based on their responses, if you want to continue to know them. Even when the response is “My husband’s work,” don’t ask “Where does he work” right away. Instead, use “What field is he in?” That is a good lead into conversations and is non-threatening, non-imposing and perfectly acceptable.

Always talk in the other person’s interest. Just being a good listener makes them want to be in touch and can even lead to an exchange of business cards, which is the goal of networking. After the event, as soon as possible, make notes on whom you met, what you learnt about them and draw up a follow-up action plan. Following through with a ‘thank you’ e-mail could lead to positive outcomes in business and social relationships.

With the world shrinking, many new managers may have to engage in multicultural tête-À-têtes.

By sharing some of these proven hints, I wish you unlimited success.

(The writer is CEO of Global Adjustments, a relocation and cross-cultural services company, and is also the author of Doing Business in India for Dummies. She can be contacted at globalindian@globaladjustments.com)

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