The American Culture Key Values - 10736 Words

The American Culture Some Key Values †¢ Individuality †¢ Results orientation †¢ Pragmatism †¢ Direct communication style Greetings and Goodbyes For most Americans a smile and verbal greeting are appropriate. In a business context, however, a firm handshake is used. Weak handshakes can be perceived as a sign of weakness. It is likely the handshake will be brief. Men usually wait for women to offer their hand before shaking. Also, direct eye contact is also appreciated. Americans tend to dislike over-formalised greetings and can feel uncomfortable with too much protocol at first meetings. This relatively ‘casual’ approach is reflected in the speed with which they move to a first name basis, even with people they have just met. For an American†¦show more content†¦Overall, though, most people would describe North American communication style as ‘stated and straight’ – that is, they prefer a frank, straightforward exchange and they tend to admire people who can express themselves clearly and cleverly. 8 ï ¿ ¼Words are important to Americans and written words are often more important than the spoken word. Communication depends less on body language, social situations and implication. They will certainly pay more attention to the factual than the emotional content of messages. The approach is more of a â€Å"look for the facts and weigh up the evidence† than the more subtle style of â€Å"reading between the lines.† Many Americans are uncomfortable with silence and feel compelled to fill in any gaps in the conversation. If they interrupt you in mid-sentence (for example, when they are complaining about something) often it is not rudeness but more of an eagerness to get their opinion across at the right moment. Gestures In the US the normal interpersonal distance is about an arm’s length. North Americans generally stand and sit further apart than Latin Americans. There is less physical contact than in the Latin culture. They will use hand and arm movements to add emphasis and clarity. Impact is often linked to volume – some Americans will speak louder than others. ‘Thinking out loud’ for an American is a way of enabling a free