American Culture & Customs

Greeting

• Man greeting Man – Men shake hands when greeting one another and maintain direct eye contact. A relatively firm handshake is the way to go. Light hugs are common between good friends and family.
• Woman greeting Woman- At a first meeting, a light handshake will suffice. Light hugs are common between good friends and family.
• Man greeting Woman- At a first meeting a regular handshake will do. Light hugs are common between good friends and family.
• Note: When Americans say “Hi, how are you?”, they are only expecting a “Fine,” or a “Fine, thank you” or a “Good” in response. It is not usually an invitation to a lengthy conversation.

Communication Style

• Americans tend to speak in a direct informal manner. They value logic and linear thinking and expect people to speak clearly and in a straightforward manner. To them if you don’t “tell it how it is” you simply waste time, and time is money. If you are from a culture that is more subtle in communication style, try not to be insulted by the directness. Try to get to your point more quickly and don’t be afraid to be more direct and honest than you are used to.
• They are usually polite and friendly.
• Conversation topics to avoid include politics, religion, homosexuality, racism, abortion, and criticism of the government.  It’s best to have a strong relationship in place before speaking about sensitive topics.
• Americans do not usually divulge how much money they make or how much they paid for certain things like a houses, car, etc.). It tends to be considered rude to ask and is even more uncomfortable to discuss.
• If you make a presentation, it should be direct and to the point. Visual aids should further enhance your case. Use statistics to back up your claims, since Americans are impressed by hard data and evidence.

Personal Space, Touching & Eye Contact

• Americans value their personal space and tend to be comfortable with 2-3 feet of personal space during conversations.
• For most Americans there is little to no touching during conversations.  This may be different  between good friends and family.
•  Hugging is reserved for close family members and friends
• Americans value direct eye contact during conversations.  It is viewed as a sign of respect and interest in what the person speaking is saying.
• Staring is considered rude and to be avoided.  Especially in the larger cities.

Time

• Americans value punctuality and expect things to be on time.  This includes appointments, services, and deliveries. In the Northeast and Midwest, people are extremely punctual and view it as a sign of disrespect for someone to be late for a meeting or appointment. In the Southern and Western states, people may be a little more relaxed, but to be safe, always arrive on time, although you may have to wait a little before your meeting begins.
• It is best to show up exactly on time for appointments and social functions.
• Time is money.  This tends to be followed more in urban vs. rural environments.
• With the emphasis on controlling time, business is conducted rapidly. Expect very little small talk before getting down to business. It is common to attempt to reach an oral agreement at the first meeting. The emphasis is on getting a contract signed rather than building a relationship. The relationship may develop once the first contract has been signed.

• Punctuality is highly valued so it is best to arrive on time for meetings or even a few minutes early.
• Meetings may appear relaxed, but they are taken quite seriously. If there is an agenda, it will be followed. At the conclusion of the meeting, there will be a summary of what was decided, a list of who will implement which facets and a list of the next steps to be taken and by whom.
• There is usually very little time for small talk as Americans like to get down to business quickly.
• Meetings do not tend to last that long as the focus is on accomplishing the task at hand and moving on to the next one.