The US is still the world’s biggest market, drawing executives and companies from around the world. Yet, people say working with Americans isn’t always as easy or straightforward as they first expected.
In this time when business success depends on one’s ability to build lasting and fruitful relationships, even more than technical expertise, understanding the American approach to doing business is essential.
If you’re new to the US market, are considering expanding there or still, puzzled by aspects of its corporate cultures, you can avoid costly missteps and misunderstandings.
Take steps to know what makes Americans in business tick to reduce risk and keep growth on track.
Allyson Stewart-Allen and Lanie Denslow, authors of Working with Americans, share some of their insights here with the global tribe that is the Global Chamber. To learn more, you can also register for their free webinar on March 17th HERE.
Some of their observations which arose during their interviews with business leaders around the world for the book include:
- Keep it simple and measurable
Americans believe “what you see is what you get”, so hidden meanings, irony, implicit or indirect communication will cause delays, misunderstandings and a loss of trust. Affirmative, confident, quantifiable ways your US counterpart “wins” will make the negotiations more successful. The more explicit and direct (and of course, diplomatic) your approach, the more interest and attention you’ll receive.
- Evolve or die
As the national religion is Darwinism, if the Agreement is not being improved but stuck in the reviews of its shortcomings, then Americans will lose interest and move on to other priorities. Keeping the attention of US decision makers against the country’s noisy backdrop is critically important.
- Transactions first, relationships second
US negotiators and business leaders value speed as the business culture rewards those that are first, even if they’re not necessarily the best. As everyone in the US knows, “the early bird gets the worm.” So those that can “do the deal” are held in high esteem, recognizing the Americans preference for building relationship while working together, rather than requirement a relationship as the starting point.
- Optimistic and entrepreneurial
Even with the pandemic, the spirit of optimism and entrepreneurship is surprisingly alive. According to the January 2021 McKinsey & Co report “The Next Normal Arrives,” there were “1.5 million new business applications in the 3rd quarter of 2020 far beyond what was seen in the great recession of 2008/09. It shows a positive trend in entrepreneurship – linked, we suggest, to the underlying attitude that is unique to the US as captured in the saying “Fail Fast, Fail Forward, Fail Often.” This captures the very American attitude that attempting something new is to be encouraged, with failure offering opportunities for learning and developing personally and professionally.
- Make it my way
US business executives like to know you have configured your solution just for them, that the menu has been designed to put your counterparts in charge, even if your menu is the one you offer all your customers and clients. While standardization is what helped make American business such a significant and often copied powerhouse (thank you, Henry Ford), its economy of abundance means we like to feel invested in the product or service. The more we have a hand in designing it, the more committed we become.
Americans are open to new ideas regardless of their country of origin. There’s never been a better time to get on with staking your claim in the United States than now. Just do it!
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If you’d like to know more, register for the free upcoming webinar on March 17th with experts Allyson Stewart-Allen and Lanie Denslow, authors of the new 2nd edition of Working with Americans, where you can discover practical tips for communicating, influencing and negotiating with Americans including:
- Let’s make a deal - critical steps to successfully negotiate, communicate and influence US counterparts
- Pump up the volume – why size and scale matter in the US
- Entrepreneurship – a core and celebrated American business value
- Time is Money – what drives Americans’ obsession with the clock
- Fail Fast, Fail Often, Try Again - The optimistic attitude that drives creativity and innovation
Free registration can be found HERE.
Presenters
Lanie Denslow, member Global Chamber San Francisco, is a leading author, speaker and advisor on how culture shapes business practices around the world. She is the founder and principal of World Wise Intercultural Training & Resources, providing coaching and customized programs to enhance clients’ cultural awareness and ability to navigate a multicultural, global business environment. She holds both a Masters of International Business and an MBA and has conducted seminars for global business leaders and organizations in the US, China, Germany, Russia and England.
Allyson Stewart-Allen is a renowned advisor, author, broadcaster, educator and speaker whose expertise in brand internationalisation is sought by leading businesses globally through her consultancy, publications, appearances and corporate education. She has advised over 240 businesses in 26 countries and is a frequent media guest expert for BBC, CNN, Deutsche Welle, France 24 amongst others. Allyson applies her extensive international consulting experience, MBA education and languages to the company she founded, International Marketing Partners.
Originally published at https://www.globalchamber.org/blog/2021/02/26/global-chamber/working-with-americans-the-book-and-the-webinar/
