HOW OTHER CULTURES MAY PERCEIVE U.S. AMERICANS
by Susan Gandhi Schultz
As a cross-cultural consultant for over 25 years I have had the opportunity to have thousands of individuals from over 60 countries participate in cultural effectiveness workshops. Here is a summary of how many of them perceive (or misperceive!), U.S. Americans. Again, some of these are stereotypes which means they may not be true. However, this input can encourage us to pause and think about how other culture’s might react to our behaviors. It also provides us with the opportunity to address stereotypes, have deeper cultural dialogue, and discuss the cultural values of everyone involved.
1. CONFIDENT OR ARROGANT?
A Swiss client of mine once remarked, “There is a fine line between confidence and arrogance.” Even in the school system, children in the U.S. are encouraged to participate in classroom discussions, and students are often graded on this. A key requirement in U.S meetings is to, “speak up”, as this reflects knowledge and engagement. Further, the U.S. is an individualistic culture, so standing out is encouraged. Consequently, people from cultures where face and modesty are valued, often view Americans as opinionated and arrogant. Even people from countries like Australia and Canada sometimes share this perspective. Although participation is acceptable in these cultures, it is typically done when someone has something unique or important to add. As an Australian stated, “Americans are more likely to be at the center, while Australians are more spectators.” This focus on participation can even be a challenge for more introverted Americans.
2. HARDWORKING OR WORKAHOLICS?
American work ethic often means that people work late, take work home, and eat lunch at their desk. Scandinavia and other parts of Europe, value work-life balance and tend to keep to standard work hours. Home and office life are clearly separated. They may thus view Americans as focusing too much time on work. Many parts of Asia, Middle East, Africa and Latin America tend to take longer lunches, often enjoyed together with colleagues. A Venezuelan once remarked, “Americans are going to have health problems; they are too intense at work, eat at their desk and often gobble down their lunch!” However, in counties like Japan, S. Korea and India, long work hours in the private sector are the norm. In China, business depends on guanxi or relationship building, which is often done over dinner and social times. This means there is less time for the family. A S. Korean working for a U.S. company in Ulsan related that when he started going home at 6 pm, his wife asked him what was wrong and shouldn’t he be at work. These countries admire the U.S. work ethic of longer hours.
3. FRIENDLY OR COLD?
The U.S. propensity of smiling at strangers and asking “How are you?” gives the impression of friendliness. Sometimes, this is viewed as being superficial, because this is a polite greeting and not an invitation for a deeper conversation. Since the U.S. focuses on the goal, there is very little or no small talk at all in most work communication. Further, chit-chatting during work hours is viewed as an unproductive use of time. These behaviors can give the impression that Americans are cold or uncaring. On the other hand, in Russia, smiling at strangers is not the norm, and thus Americans may be viewed as insincere.
4. RUDE OR CONFUSING?
Americans believe in “open, honest, communication”. This is held true even if one has a disagreement. Many Americans remark, “This enables transparency, and reduces misunderstandings”. This can be viewed as rude or insensitive by some Asian cultures where face and feelings are a priority, and polite behavior is manifested in indirect communication. However, Americans also believe in “agreeing to disagree”. Further, the deep commitment to individualism means that a person has a right to their opinion. Thus, when someone disagrees, it is quite common to say, “I am not sure I agree with you.” This communication style is seen as not direct enough, and even confusing, to some countries in Northern Europe and parts of Latin America. A Dutch person in this situation took this statement literally and responded, “Well, let me know when you are sure!”
Of course there are regional differences that should be considered. For instance, New Yorkers are considered more direct than Southern U.S. So, suspend judgment and take the time to understand all the cultures involved in your interactions. This will result in less misunderstandings and conflict, and create a work atmosphere where you can leverage cultural diversity.
As an Intercultural Consultant, for over 25 years Susan Gandhi Schultz has worked with organizations to successfully develop global leaders, create effective global multi-cultural teams, and build a cross-culturally inclusive workplace.
Connect:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/susan-gandhi-schultz-82322959/
Twitter @SusanGSchultz
Blog: sangamcrosscultural.wordpress.com
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