The result is a genuine business hazard in multinational meetings: a UK chair tables a motion expecting debate while US colleagues hear it has been shelved. Multinational teams either ban the word or define it once in the meeting norms; both work better than discovering the difference live.
Common questions
What does Tabling a Proposal (US vs UK) mean in simple terms?+
Tabling a proposal means opposite things on opposite sides of the Atlantic. In British, Australian and New Zealand usage, to table something is to put it ON the table: bring it forward for discussion now. In American usage, to table is to set it aside: postpone it, possibly forever.
What is the difference between Tabling a Proposal (US vs UK) and similar terms?+
The result is a genuine business hazard in multinational meetings: a UK chair tables a motion expecting debate while US colleagues hear it has been shelved. Multinational teams either ban the word or define it once in the meeting norms; both work better than discovering the difference live.