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How To Do Business With Americans: Forgive Their Blunders
There are news
magazines that cover international events, but again, only a minority of
Americans read them. Their circulation figures are in decline too.
Many American
companies are newcomers to international business. The American market is so
huge that most companies until recently have concentrated on domestic sales.
They have avoided the international market because they deemed it unnecessary or
because they lacked the requisite knowledge, and considered it too costly to
acquire it.
That is
changing. American business is globalizing rapidly. The new mantra
is free markets. American businesses are outsourcing and revving up sales
and marketing abroad. Mergers and acquisitions by foreign companies are
increasing the rate and level of contact.
Americans know
that they will have to learn to do business in a new environment. A significant
number are reading, taking seminars on international business, and hiring
consultants. Some Americans log tens of thousands of miles traveling to
international sites every year. A few Americans even become serious
students of the cultures where they do business. They fall in love with those
cultures and become life-long students. In short, Americans are becoming
better at global business, but they have a long way to go.
Most of the
cultural blunders that Americans make when dealing with international
businesspeople are just that–blunders. Americans are too friendly a people
to deliberately offend, and too pragmatic to do anything that might jeopardize a
profitable relationship. So, if an American businessperson offends you by
something said or done, more than likely it was just a blunder. Don’t take
it personally."
American Attitudes Toward The Rich
by Gene Griessman, Ph.D.
In
general, Americans who are not rich do not hate those who are. This
is in stark contrast to attitudes in many parts of the world where
there is deep resentment toward the rich.
Americans are negative about rich people who abuse their power, who
are arrogant, haughty, and rude. And they may resent the rich if
they find out that they have completely avoided paying taxes. But
even then, it is "may" resent.
The
reason for this is Americans generally feel that they have a chance
to become rich themselves. Even down-and-out Americans. We have
heard older Americans who are poor, when asked how they feel about
the rich say: "If I had made different career choices, I could be
rich myself."
If
you are rich, poor people will not attack you or vandalize your
possessions. There are exceptions of course but for the most part
they will admire you, defer to you, and in their hearts think that
they or their children might be rich like you one day. Some of them
will steal from you, if they get a chance, and do it with no pangs
of conscience. But that is true most anywhere, not just America.
If
you are rich, America is good place to live and a good place to do
business.
But
follow this advice. Always be nice to people. Even little,
insignificant people, like your housekeeper and clerks in stores and
waiters and waitresses and the valet that brings you your car.
Don't even think about ordering Americans around, just because
you're rich, telling them to do this, do that. And don't become
annoyed when ordinary Americans try to strike up conversations with
you. And don't be condescending toward ordinary Americans.
It's
OK to let people know that you are rich. No need to conceal it, and
if you do it in a friendly manner, you will be admired. We have
heard these people say, "She is rich, but really nice. Here's what
she said to me...."
"Phony
Analogies" By Gene Griessman, Ph.D.
These days you will hear lots of people compare the Federal
budget to family budgets and the budgets of small businesses.. Some
of these people don’t know any better. They simply don't know about
or understand macro-economics.
For
example, a freshman U.S. Senator told an interviewer the other day
that he owned a small business back home, and the reason he ran for
Congress was to make sure the Federal Government conducted its
business the way he ran his business--by not spending more than he
took in.
It's
become a folksy commonplace for politicians and commentators to say
that Congress needs to do what families do--sit down around the
table and figure out how to cut spending so as to live within their
income. Even President Obama has started saying this. It does sound
like common sense.
But
it’s not. It’s wrong-headed; it’s a phony analogy.
Here’s why. The Federal Government has so many more resources than
does a family or a small business that any comparison is ludicrous.
The budget of the US Federal Government is the largest budget in the
world, larger than that of any corporation or any other nation by
far.
Neither a small business nor a family can print money, control the
amount of money in circulation, levy taxes and duties, stimulate the
economy, control trade policy, or build and maintain the nation's
infrastructure.
Because the analogy is wrong-headed, any policies based on the
analogy can be just as wrong-headed.
If
the Federal government's revenues are down, and they are right now,
then one strategy can be to cut expenditures. That is essentially
all a family can do. But there are other options open to the
Federal government. The Federal Government can raise revenues. It
can increase taxes on individuals and companies that are doing just
fine, it can change the rules of trade with other countries, it can
regulate the amount of money in the system, it can catch tax-cheats,
it can close tax loopholes, it can stimulate the economy by funding
projects (such as building bridges, tunnels, and high-speed rails)
that employ lots of people, have a multiplier effect on the economy,
and save money in the future.
None
of these options are available to a family budget or the budget of a
small business.
So,
the next time you hear someone use this analogy, say something like:
"I wonder if that's a valid analogy." Then ask, "Does your business
(or family) have the ability to print money, levy taxes and import
duties, control the amount of money in the system, or build and
support the infrastructure?"
None
of these options are available to a family budget or the budget of a
small business.
If
that person is bright and intellectually honest, you won’t need to
say much more. If they’re not, what you say won’t matter very much
anyway.
Micro-economic principles are appropriate for family budgets and
small (even large) businesses. Macro-economic principles alone
should be used to explain an economic phenomenon as enormous as the
budget of the United States of America.
FEATURED ARTICLES
"HOW TO DO BUSINESS WITH AMERICANS:
OVERLOOK THEIR BLUNDERS"
By Gene Griessman, Ph.D.
"If you would
like to do business with Americans, make it your business to understand them.
In general, Americans do not know very much about history or international
affairs. They are too absorbed in the present and focused on the future to
spend much time thinking about the past. And too much is happening in
America for them to think long and hard about what might be happening elsewhere.
However,
Americans like to make money, and more and more Americans are aware of the
opportunities to be found in international commerce. Most are
late-comers and poorly equipped for the venture.
“Forgive them,
for they know not what they do” was not spoken with Americans in mind, but it
certainly is a realistic attitude to have when you deal with them. The
United States is a huge, focused-on-itself marketplace. Its people don’t
recognize that other inhabitants of the continent have a legitimate claim to the
word American. They will admit that there are South Americans and Latin
Americans and that Canada occupies a big chunk of North America, but in their
minds there is only one people known as Americans—without any kind of qualifier.
Indeed, the world has generally acquiesced to this act of cultural arrogance.
Only the
exceptional American has a deep knowledge of other cultures. The American
educational system is notoriously weak when it comes to teaching geography,
world events, or history.
Year after
year American college professors bemoan the ignorance of incoming freshmen. An
appalling number of college freshmen don’t know the difference between Austria
and Australia. When asked to identify Muhammad, many will tell you that he
is a great boxer. (That changed a bit after September 11, with a brief
flurry of interest in things Muslim, but for the most part the learning that
took place was brief and superficial.)
The
overwhelming majority of Americans do not read newspapers. Less than 30%,
including those who read very local papers, and that number is declining.
Even those who read most big city newspapers don’t learn much about what’s
happening elsewhere in the world. Except when there’s an overseas conflict
that involves Americans, only a few American newspapers devote much space to
international events.
If Americans
don’t get international information from newspapers, there’s always CNN, other
news channels, and network TV. But fewer than 5% of America’s TV sets are
tuned to the news channels except during a sensational trial or a major crisis.
The networks, which have many more viewers than CNN, do not devote a significant
part of their news programming to international topics—again, only if there is
an overseas conflict that involves Americans. For most Americans, TV is a
medium for entertainment.
There are news
magazines that cover international events, but again, only a minority of
Americans read them. Their circulation figures are in decline too.
Many American
companies are newcomers to international business. The American market is so
huge that most companies until recently have concentrated on domestic sales.
They have avoided the international market because they deemed it unnecessary or
because they lacked the requisite knowledge, and considered it too costly to
acquire it.
That is
changing. American business is globalizing rapidly. The new mantra
is free markets. American businesses are outsourcing and revving up sales
and marketing abroad. Mergers and acquisitions by foreign companies are
increasing the rate and level of contact.
Americans know
that they will have to learn to do business in a new environment. A significant
number are reading, taking seminars on international business, and hiring
consultants. Some Americans log tens of thousands of miles traveling to
international sites every year. A few Americans even become serious
students of the cultures where they do business. They fall in love with those
cultures and become life-long students. In short, Americans are becoming
better at global business, but they have a long way to go.
Most of the
cultural blunders that Americans make when dealing with international
businesspeople are just that–blunders. Americans are too friendly a people
to deliberately offend, and too pragmatic to do anything that might jeopardize a
profitable relationship. So, if an American businessperson offends you by
something said or done, more than likely it was just a blunder. Don’t take
it personally."
(Excerpt from "The Americans" to be published in 2011 )
If you would
like to be notified when "The Americans" is published, please
send an email at abe@mindspring.com
Every year Gene
Griessman does scores of seminars and keynotes for business groups and
associations. He is the creator of the highly regarded compendium of best
practices in communication--whatyousay.com.
If you'd like to know more about his seminar on social
trends, the future, and strategic planning,
click here. He also does
executive coaching and seminars for business people who want to understand
Americans better. For information, call 404-256-592 or send an email to
abe@mindspring.com
"In my 12 years as an
association executive I've never seen a speaker better at holding
the audience's attention."
--Hugh J. Rushing, Executive Vice President, Cookware
Manufacturing Association.
“You are the best, the absolute best! People still quote you to this day. We
got so many written notes of praise. The presentation was not
only entertaining but intellectually stimulating—a piece of history
that will live forever in our minds. And then the presentation
that you did for the students at St. James academy was a huge hit.
It made our 25th anniversary banquet a memorable experience.”---Bill
Kissinger, CEO, Kissinger Financial Services, Hunt Valley, MD.
Contact Information:
404-256-5927
abe@mindspring.com
www.presidentlincoln.com
www.whatyousay.com
DVD “LINCOLN ON
COMMUNICATION”
"One of the very best videos/DVDs ever
made. It's a classic like 'Gone With The Wind.' I show it in many of my
seminars. Everyone loves it.”
Brad McRae, "The Seven Strategies of Master Presenters"
This educational resource is ideal for the classroom—for students from middle
school and
 high
school to college, government, and business. It’s been acclaimed by
communication experts and educators alike.
It's perfect for self-study—for people who want to improve just like Lincoln
did.
The running time is 60 minutes, which makes it perfect for the
classroom. It comes with a trainer guide written by Dr. Griessman, which
includes discussion points and....MORE
$120.00 (Many videos of
this quality sell for as much as $1000.)
Bonus: Order from this site and receive celebrated audio books absolutely free:
"Lincoln's Wisdom" and "99 Ways to Get More Out of Every Day" ($64.95
value)
BUSINESS
ETHICS IN AMERICA: BRIBERY
by Gene Griessman, Ph.D.
If you are from another country, where bribery and kickbacks are
an accepted way of life, you may think that you must do it in the
United States, too. I know personally Indians whose relatives have
taken briefcases filled with money to pay off Indian politicians in
order to get lucrative contracts. Ditto for Nigeria. I heard an
American say that in Egypt nothing gets done unless you pay
inspectors, etc.
Is bribery necessary to do business in America? I wish the
answer that question was an unequivocal No, but it isn’t. The best
answer that can be given is that the United States, compared to
other nations, is probably on-average more honest than most.
Bribery, pay-offs, and kickbacks are often expected in America and
in some industries and in some locations, required.
The bribery can be subtle. In Louisiana they have a word for
it: lagniappe, which means “a little bit added.” There
bribery is often tolerated, even admired, if it is done with grace
and charm.
In many industries, you may be expected to give gifts to the
individual or to family members or do business with the individual’s
relatives or make donations to designated charities or political
events, causes or campaigns. You may get nothing outright, but if
you give enough, you will get access to important decision makers.
Here’s an example. A sales rep for a big company that
manufactures drilling bits for the oil industry, who made regular
calls to active drilling rigs, told me: “When I come back next
month, all of my boxes will still be stacked in front the foreman’s
office door—unless I leave a him a present…say, a bottle of whiskey
or hunting gear, or golf balls…something.”
In other businesses, you will be expected to provide theater
tickets, Christmas gifts, bar mitzvah presents, tickets to the Super
Bowl or the Final Four, golf tournaments, invitations to parties at
luxury stadium boxes, trips on private jets to resorts…the list goes
on and on.
But if you do decide to participate, you should be aware of the
danger. From time to time, there is a big scandal in America. The
media swarms in, names are revealed, and occasionally people are
sent off to prison. The person that you bribe just may be part of a
“sting” operation. You may be bribing an under-cover law
enforcement officer who’s getting evidence.
But there’s more. A growing number of companies—Wal-Mart is one
of them—prohibit any kind of unusually friendly interaction between
buyers and vendors. I know one Wal-Mart vendor who lost a long-term
contract simply because he had had a long-time contract. “I wasn’t
especially friendly with the buyer,” he told me. “Wal-Mart got
nervous because I had been their vendor too long, and they were
afraid the relationship might be getting too cozy.”
Why would Wal-Mart do this? Because Wal-Mart understands that
bribery and kickbacks add to the cost of doing business. In order
to compete in highly competitive markets, they cannot afford this
cost.
And there’s even more. Many American companies refuse bribes or
kickbacks because of their values. Some companies have a published
code of ethics. It’s not the right thing to do, and they don’t do
it.
Some American companies have turned honesty into a business
advantage. Near the end of his astonishing retailing career,
(Richard) Sears said: "Honesty is the best policy. I know, I've
tried it both ways."
More recently Warren Buffet stated: “I cannot tell you that
honesty is the best policy. I can’t tell you that if you behave with
perfect honesty and integrity somebody somewhere won’t behave the
other way and make more money. But honesty is a good policy. You’ll
do fine, you’ll sleep well at night and you’ll feel good about the
example you are setting for your coworkers and the other people who
care about you.”
RELIGION IN AMERICA: WHAT TO
SAY TO EVANGELICAL CHRISTIANS
Born-again Christians Have A Distinctive Vocabulary
By Gene Griessman,Ph.D.
If you are asked "Do you know Christ?" or "Have you been born
again?" or "Have you had a personal experience with Christ? what
you say in response is very important.
If you say "I believe in God" your answer reveals to the
evangelical that you probably have never been saved or born-again.
An evangelical Christian believes that life's most important
experience is an experiential knowledge of Jesus Christ, not just an
academic acknowledgment of God's greatness. Evangelical Christians
take seriously the declaration of the Bible, "You must be born
again."
The worst thing you can possible say in response is "I'm a good
person." Evangelical Christians believe that salvation is through
faith in Christ, not through good works or a moral life.
Here are phrases and expressions that are commonly used in
evangelical circles: "I have been born again." "I have
accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Savior." "I have been saved by
the grace of God.”
At the end of a prayer, the following phrases are customary and
expected: "In the name of Jesus Christ." "In the name of our
Lord." "In the name of our precious Savior" or "In the name of our
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." Sometimes "In thy name" is used if
non-Christians are present and the person praying does not want to
give offense.
The expression "In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy
Ghost" though not taboo suggests that the person saying the prayer
is probably a Catholic (or possibly an Episcopalian) and not an
evangelical. Evangelicals believe in the Trinity, but tend not to
use this phrase in personal prayers.
Just as in every other field of human interaction, knowing the
vocabulary of a particular culture or the sub-culture makes for
successful interaction within it.
***
Every year Gene
Griessman does scores of seminars and keynotes for business groups and
associations. He is the creator of the highly regarded compendium of best
practices in communication--whatyousay.com.
If you'd like to know more about his seminar on social
trends, the future, and strategic planning,
click here. He also does
executive coaching and seminars for business people who want to understand
Americans better. For information, call 404-256-592 or send an email to
abe@mindspring.com
“Gene Griessman visited our organization this week. He received the highest ratings our members have ever given
a speaker. He is spectacular. His opening one-man play is better
 than any evening at the theatre, and the following two-hour
discussion on leadership is filled with wisdom, energy and
inspiration.”
--Bill Peterson, Chairman, The Executive Committee, Saskatoon,
Canada
"In my 12 years as an
association executive I've never seen a speaker better at holding
the audience's attention."
--Hugh J. Rushing, Executive Vice President, Cookware
Manufacturing Association.
“You are the best, the absolute best! People still quote you to this day. We
got so many written notes of praise. The presentation was not
only entertaining but intellectually stimulating—a piece of history
that will live forever in our minds. And then the presentation
that you did for the students at St. James academy was a huge hit.
It made our 25th anniversary banquet a memorable experience.”---Bill
Kissinger, CEO, Kissinger Financial Services, Hunt Valley, MD.
DVD “LINCOLN ON
COMMUNICATION”
"One of the very best videos/DVDs ever
made. It's a classic like 'Gone With The Wind.' I show it in many of my
seminars. Everyone loves it.”
Brad McRae, "The Seven Strategies of Master Presenters"
This educational resource is ideal for the classroom—for students from middle
school and
high
school to college, government, and business. It’s been acclaimed by
communication experts and educators alike.
It's perfect for self-study—for people who want to improve just like Lincoln
did.
The running time is 60 minutes, which makes it perfect for the
classroom. It comes with a trainer guide written by Dr. Griessman, which
includes discussion points and....MORE
$120.00 (Many videos of
this quality sell for as much as $1000.)
Bonus: Order from this site and receive celebrated audio books absolutely free:
"Lincoln's Wisdom" and "99 Ways to Get More Out of Every Day" ($64.95
value)
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With Americans: Forgive Their Blunders
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They And How Did They Get This Way?
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