Understanding Business Culture in the USA: Key Elements and Practices

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This article delves into the distinctive aspects of American business culture, highlighting key elements such as individualism, direct communication, and the emphasis on efficiency and results. It explores common practices, expectations, and norms th

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US Business Culture Coaching: Navigate American Success

INTRODUCTION Language teachers don t talk about it. It s mostly not in the university courses you took here in the US. It s .a secret that international people really have no way of knowing. And that s understandable. But the problem is, not knowing about this level of culture could impact your ability to succeed here. It s as if you were running a restaurant but had no idea what the ingredients in the food were or what the customers really liked.

3 SECRETS ABOUT US BUSINESS CULTURE YOU NEED TO KNOW

HOW TO COMMUNICATE Communication style: Get to the point and give enough detail. America is a low-context culture. This means we expect that information provided us be detailed, explicit, and well-organized. Not vague. Not implicit with conclusions left up to the listeners. And not beating around the bush. You have to get to the point, be concise and above all, be well-organized. What does well- organized mean here ? Well, I m going to talk about storytelling in a moment, but for now, and for all practical purposes, it means being clear and logical.

HOW TO EXPRESS AND RELATE EMOTIONALLY Emotional connections: be vulnerable. Share your story. Let people see what you re facing. Being vulnerable is not considered a weakness here. It s considered brave and admirable. In other cultures, it might be interpreted as weak or unprofessional, but that s typically not the case in the US. Americans believe it humanizes you and makes you relatable to your audience. So relax and let them get a sense of who you are as a human being, not just a professional fill- in-the-blank-with-your-occupation.

HOW TO TELL A STORY Storytelling. Americans love it. I had a client tell me once that it seems like besides fast food and football, Americans love stories above all else. He said that people in his country are more likely to judge a product or service based on its features and benefits, but Americans revel in the story and the vibe. It s critical for us. He s not wrong. If you don t believe me, I did a quick search on the importance of storytelling in business and came up with some major players weighing in: Forbes, LinkedIn and Fast Company, just for starters.