If you love long, drawn-out meetings, please don't read this.

Just the other day, I went to New York for the first time in four months. I got the chance to collaborate again with the team I used to work with on a certain project. The moment I stepped out of the terminal building at JFK Airport, that funky smell tickled my nostrils. That strange (yet nostalgic) scent, a mix of oil, food, and who knows what else. Ah, I thought, I'm back in New York...

This trip was for meetings and presentations. Thanks to various digital tools these days, collaborating remotely has become easier, but I believe you still need to sit down face-to-face for the core parts to produce something truly good. However, I've noticed that the way meetings are conducted differs quite a bit between Japan and the US. I don't mean to say this is THE American meeting style! – company culture and industry differences play a huge role too – but let me outline a few "patterns."

This photo captures that tense moment right before a presentation. Our client is waiting outside the meeting room, having a light snack. Let's do this.

 

【Sofa-Style Meeting】
Most work meetings follow this pattern. In the US, managers and above often have private offices called "offices," so meetings frequently happen there. The furniture is usually a reception set, creating a relaxed atmosphere where staff chat while lounging on sofas. Handing out materials is rare (small coffee tables make it awkward to distribute and hard to see; plus, if you need to read materials on the spot, why have a meeting at all? ), everyone gives a verbal "report" on their mission, they have a lively "discussion," the director gives "instructions" right then and there, and they wrap up. Concise. Extremely short. Finished in about 10 to 30 minutes. Conversely, this means "preparation" is crucial—narrowing down the key points to convey so you can report effectively verbally. People rarely give long-winded "explanations."

【Smooth-Running Teleconference Style】
Many meetings aren't just everyone gathering in one place to talk; often, people meet at several locations and then connect via teleconference (phone meeting). The basic approach is to distribute materials and content via email beforehand. But assuming "just read it" often means the message doesn't get across—or rather, it doesn't get across at all—so they gather on the phone to go over the content. Since it's a phone call, talking for too long is tiring, so they really stick to the key points and wrap up quickly. It's a super efficient method. But if you're not used to English, it's incredibly tough... (That's why I still really struggle with it).

【Large Table Munching Style】
If it's a large meeting involving presentations, we use a big conference room. But here, unlike in Japan, snacks or meals are sometimes provided, which is a nice touch. Even in large meetings, they rarely distribute printed materials to everyone. Instead, they project documents onto a screen or pin them to a board while discussing only the key points. Everyone's busy, after all. Compared to Japan, though, there seem to be fewer people apologizing for being late, saying "Oh, sorry, I have a call," or announcing "I have another commitment, I'll have to excuse myself for a bit." Maybe it's because, while busy, they maintain a good work-life balance and aim to make all decisions in fewer meetings. Since discussions are often projector-based, PowerPoint materials naturally become less dense with text and arrows, and more focused on clear storytelling with fewer words per slide.

When working in planning roles in Japan, you sometimes encounter people who oddly favor super-long meetings (you know the type? Peek into their meeting room, and everyone's sitting there arms crossed, dead silent, each seemingly deep in thought... then peek again an hour later, and still not a single person has moved... or is that just our company?). Or, you know, meetings where just handing out materials is considered the meeting itself—where you get that "I've had a meeting" feeling from thick stacks of documents. And honestly, the sheer number of meetings is just high, right?

Unlike the muggy Tokyo, New York is crisp and cool, the sky is an unusually deep blue, and the orange of the sunset is intense. Sipping my beloved Ground Support latte, I found myself wondering: could we possibly achieve productive meetings that blend the best of both Japanese and American approaches?

I was pondering how to combine the best of both worlds for productive meetings.

 Ground Support Cafe, a coffee shop recommended by a friend working in NY. It's in SOHO. It's one of my absolute favorite spots. I wonder if they could open one in Japan...