SUMMARY – STRATEGIES FOR BEING CLEAR AND PERSUASIVE WITH AMERICANS

Keep people in the loop and be accessible

This is a factor that will affect so many of your dealings with Americans, and we have more to say about it in Chapters 6 and 10. We summarize it here by saying: take the initiative to communicate – with customers, managers, and direct reports.

Naturally, you need not add to information overload by sending out useless reports and e-mail messages (which many Americans do). Over time, you will get to know other people’s particular requirements and concerns, and you can adapt the flow and frequency accordingly. It is essential, however, that you take a proactive approach: in working with Americans it is far better to provide too much information than too little.

Allow yourself to be (or appear to be) accessible to all Americans with whom you have direct dealings, regardless of their level of responsibility. They may not try to contact you directly, but they want to feel as if they can.

Treat American women in the same way as you do men!

Do not vary your communication style when addressing American businesswomen as compared to addressing men. A handshake as greeting, using first names, and all aspects of your speech style should be consistent. Leave out the backslap. . .

Do not, in your communication, call attention to the fact that you are addressing or referring to a woman.

Get to the point and spell it out

Be prepared to get down to business quickly. Spell out precisely what you need, offer, or propose. Only then will you obtain a real agreement – a kind of informal contract – from an American. (”If you’re ever in Dayton, Ohio. . .”) “Yes” means yes when there is something specific to be done.

If you wish to criticize, offer a better idea

Americans will receive your disagreement and criticism better if you offer a solution. They will be very impatient if you put things in terms of “right and wrong”, but will have a more open mind if you state things in terms of problems and solutions.

Remember that American senior management does not expect you to bring your problems to them, unless you have solutions to recommend. At that point, they can exercise their power of approval or rejection.

Sell your ideas

When seeking resources and co-operation from American colleagues or managers, present your proposal/request almost as if you were addressing a customer. Direct the conversation, state your objective, and use a short agenda, summaries and other techniques. American business communication is itself a kind of commercial transaction: you “own” the objective; you are “selling” your point of view; you want “buy-in”.

This sends out good signals to an American businessperson – confidence, readiness to get down to business, and a “can-do” attitude.