You're going through your day . . . . actually getting a lot done, feeling great. Accomplishment is a real "natural high" for you. You love days like this when time cooperates and things get done.

It's 3:00 - just another couple of hours and boy, you have very high intentions - to get more done and maybe, even, have time left over to clean off your desk. You are in heaven!

THEN, it's all spoiled. At 3:15, a piece of paper comes across your desk. It's delivered by some big hulk of a guy with a sinister laugh. It's like he's trying to irritate you and knows he's succeeding. You glance at paper, your hands shaking with fear. It's a memo and it's from your BOSS. It's actually an "invitation", but it's not in a fancy, pretty envelope and it's not an optional invitation, but a mandatory dictum. It simply says: MEETING at 3:30 p.m., in conference room, to discuss . . . .

You melt!. Your day is ruined. You'd like to make it through just one full day without a meeting.

Does this sound familiar? Probably most of us can relate. As much as we hate them, we can't eliminate them - they'll always be around, in one form or another.

So, if meetings are here to stay, how about making them a bit more fun and enjoyable. Here are some of our recommendations to make them more than tolerable:

First, make sure there are toys, coloring books and crayons on conference table to play with while you're sitting there. They won't distract your hearing, but will actually relax you and help you listen more effectively. Now, what you draw and color might have to remain private and hidden, so as not to offend others around you; however, playing with a wind up toy or silly putty can be done openly.

Second, when invited to speak or when you have urge to interject, why not try talking in an accent to make it fun. Now, this is not "making fun of others", it's having fun. You could talk in pig Latin or in a made-up accent. Or, you could talk in gibberish and see if others understand. Or, you could actually be silent and act out your ideas in Charades. This would create a game type environment and generate loads of laughter.

Today’s office typically contains individuals from many different cultures, not just within US, but from all over world. People with different customs, beliefs, ways of thinking and different first-languages come together to work together, and result can be confusion and misunderstanding.

“We need a common language,” a manager from a state education agency told me other day on phone. She was inquiring about an Emotional Intelligence program, correctly thinking it might be “new common language” for their agency. The old one, she said, something about “Steps” had worn itself out. It is not easy understanding people from different cultures. It’s not easy understand even on person! In case of different cultures, we bring with us assumptions, stereotypes and generalizations which can get in way of commonality.

Most of time technical vocabulary is understood, but other parts of communication are missed. Up to 90% of any communication is nonverbal, and gestures, postures, and expressions vary widely from one culture to another, as does intonation and phrasing.

It’s easy to misunderstand another cultures expression of respect or warmth. When you meet someone new, other person may be expecting a slight nod of head, a quick handshake, a bow or a hug with a kiss on both cheeks. How are you to know?