How to Read Between the Lines in a Singaporean Meeting

When Michael, a manager from the U.S., moved to Singapore for a regional role, he was confident his straightforward American style would serve him well. He liked to be clear, get to the point, and leave meetings with action items.

His first big client meeting in Singapore seemed like a success. Everyone smiled. People nodded. Someone even said, “That’s an interesting idea - we’ll think about it.”

Michael walked out feeling great. In his mind, that was a solid “yes.”

But a week later, nothing happened. No follow-ups, no responses, just polite silence. Finally, a local colleague pulled him aside and said gently, “Michael, when they said they’d think about it… that was actually a no.”

That was the moment it hit him - he hadn’t really understood what was going on in the room.

Singapore might speak English, offer world-class education, and be filled with globally trained professionals, but beneath that cosmopolitan surface lies a culture that communicates with quiet nuance. The words sound familiar, but the meaning runs deeper.

Over time, Michael began to understand the roots of it.

From Chinese Confucian values, there’s a strong respect for harmony and hierarchy. Saying “no” too bluntly can be seen as rude or disrespectful, especially in front of others.

From the Malay cultural heritage, there’s warmth, politeness, and a sense of community. The goal isn’t to win the argument - it’s to keep the relationship intact.

And from Western influence, Singapore inherits structure, professionalism, and efficiency. Meetings have agendas and clear outcomes, but beneath that order is an Asian sensitivity to tone, timing, and context.

So even when a meeting looks Western on the surface, the way people communicate and what they mean is far more layered.

Michael started to notice the small things he’d missed before. A nod didn’t always mean agreement. Silence didn’t mean disengagement. When junior team members stayed quiet, it wasn’t that they had nothing to say, it was respect for hierarchy.

He learned to pause more. To ask open questions like, “What are your thoughts on this?” instead of pushing for immediate answers. He followed up in one-on-one conversations where people felt safer sharing what they really thought.

Slowly, he got better at hearing what wasn’t being said.