Business Strategy Review, 2002, Volume 13 Issue 4, pp 53-57
Doing business
the American way
Allyson Stewart-Allen
The best way to successfully work with
American business partners is to think like
them. That means understanding and
accepting their values and in particular
their addiction to planning of all kinds.
To understand a business culture requires an
understanding of its values. Americans in business are
a straightforward and direct group, especially helpful
when trying to gain insights into what makes them
tick. True to the national constitution, there are three
things held dear in pursuit of the almighty business
deal: life (read: having fun at work); liberty (read:
having control and freedom over the work we do);
and the pursuit of happiness (read: money).
What is astounding is the constancy of the business
values in the US today – stable for the past several
decades – which have so quickly flavoured and
integrated with the national values and cultures
brought with the waves of immigrants starting their
new lives. Those values are:
Competition. There is a shared understanding that
competition raises the stakes of the game and that
winning brings sweet rewards. It is akin to playing
tennis with a better player because you know you rise
to their level. Our business language often looks to
competitive sports for its inspiration: slam-dunk, home
run, left field.
The love of rankings is an indicator, too, of our love
of competition: the Fortune 100; the 100 best
companies to work for in America; the best bosses;
the best business schools.
Win/win. This is one of the best and most productive
approaches to most business opportunities since it
works on the basis that both parties to a business deal
emerge victorious. The rules of the US business game
are clear: make as much money as you can, as fast as
you can. This game theory approach perhaps comes
from the economics of abundance rather than the
economics of scarcity and invasions, so well-known
in Asia and Europe. It’s apparent in the language of
business negotiations with phrases such as “how can
we both make this work?” and “we’re really excited
about working with you on this”. The downside of
this approach, however, is the assumption by
Americans in business that cash is the universal
motivator and language of business. An appreciation
that in most business cultures with which Americans
work, winning is measured in more rounded ways
(such as social inclusion, access to exclusive
information) is often lacking.
Anything is possible. Americans believe that if you
really want to pursue a business idea it’s possible to
make it happen and it’s even possible you’ll make good
money trying. How will you recognise this? Because
no matter how ludicrous an idea you present to your
American boss or colleagues, it’ll be given time and
treated with respect. And we know from the history
of business successes in the US (look at the success of
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54 Allyson Stewar t-Allen
pet rocks about 15 years ago and 3M’s Post-It notes),
some of the wackiest ideas really make it to the big
time. The downside of this positive and optimistic
outlook, however, is that those who raise concerns or
reservations are usually viewed as negative,
destructive, unhelpful and launching personal attacks.
Tact and well-structured objective arguments will go
a long way towards avoiding this perception.
Information is free. Phone any US company for your
market research exercise and they’ll not only usually
answer your questions but also route you to additional
information sources. It’s unlikely
you’ll be asked why you want to
know and you won’t be grilled
about who you are and any ulterior
motives. Most American companies
know that if they don’t tell you the information about
themselves you’ll find the information elsewhere – such
as via the Internet – and at least if you’ve gained the
information from them, they are controlling the
messages and the content.
This openness and lack of suspicion come from a belief
that it’s not what you know or who you know, it’s
how you’ve used what you know. In Europe, on the
other hand, companies are highly suspicious of the
motives of any researcher or enquirer (and even
customer) since power is derived by what you know
and who you know it from.
Liberty and justice for all. This phrase, recited daily
in American classrooms as part of the “pledge of
allegiance”, reflects the meritocratic, “all men are
created equal” ethos that runs through the business
culture. The classless society has proven that even those
from the most humble beginnings can (and do) become
business success stories. This belief in rags-to-riches is
reinforced regularly in the stories about such people
in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Fortune
and Business Week. Which is in part why everyone’s
ideas and opinions count – because you don’t know
from where the next “killer app” might come.
Calling the boss by his or her first name, wearing the
same “smart casual” attire as the mailroom boy, cleaning
out your own coffee cup regardless of your job title, not
putting a list of academic qualifications on business
cards are all indications of the value placed on equality
at work and the desire for equal treatment. It’s even
possible your boss is significantly younger than
Business Strategy Review
everyone else in the company (Steve Jobs at Apple, Jeff
Bezos at Amazon, Bill Gates at Microsoft, for example).
Insular. In part because the number of weeks allowed
for annual vacations is low in the US relative to other
countries, true insights, empathy and understanding
of other national and business cultures is very weak.
The negotiating power and confidence of non-
Americans when striking a deal with a US partner is
underpinned by the simple fact that Americans will
know less about your country and business culture
than you already know about theirs through the
pervasive distribution of American TV, movies and
books (remember Michael Douglas’ character, Gordon
Gecko, in the film Wall Street?).
The attitude towards non-American ways of doing
business is generally intolerant: “that’s different, so
that’s wrong”. Speaking languages for business other
than English and possibly Spanish is extremely rare
and most Americans in business who do venture to
foreign climes seek out local and familiar destinations:
US hotel and car rental chains and US food chains.
It’s based on the belief that anything you could possibly
want materially is already found in America so why
look elsewhere? A tip for your next US meeting: bring
a map of your region and show your colleagues where
your London and other offices are, explaining that
the region is not like a United States of Europe but
rather richer for its histories and cultures.
Welcoming. Despite the insularity of Americans in
business, the openness, informality, optimism, humour,
curiosity and friendliness instantly put most people at
ease. This is especially helpful when coming from business
cultures with steep class hierarchies and formal rituals.
Humour is a tool subconsciously used to relax the
mood and build an atmosphere of friendliness and
informality. Because of the belief that anything is
possible in American business, this optimism carries
over to your relationship too: the glass will be half
full rather than half empty. Don’t be surprised if your
American opposite number suggests that the
“problems” you foresee are actually “opportunities”.
Transactions rule. Doing the deal is more important
than building relationships and getting to know the
other parties to the deal. This is apparent when
beginning negotiations with your American colleagues,
who may forget to offer you tea or coffee since the
transaction is top of mind – which might explain why

so many bring their own Starbucks coffees along with
them. (As an American myself, I advise my own clients
not to take this single-minded focus too personally.)
The small talk that comes with relationship building
is usually saved for the end of the negotiations. After
all, “time is money” and transactions not only give
more immediate rewards (a high return on time) but
also deliver short-term positive commercial results at
a faster pace than do relationships. Which is at odds
with the usual American focus on all things to do with
the future.
Live to work. Generally, your occupation defines who
you are in the US and gives you a branding and
positioning despite your best efforts. Renowned for
the 60-hour week, Americans in the world of business
relish the satisfaction that comes from a good day’s
work – a sort of cleansing of the spirit, answering that
Puritan calling.
One way you can recognise this tendency towards
overachievement is by the display of trophies,
diplomas, sports medals and awards in the office,
demonstrating the love of work and reinforcing the
ethos that hard work pays off. Another clue is a
statistic from a survey by consultants Accenture in
2000 that 83 per cent of US office workers who went
on a summer vacation for a week or more stayed in
touch with their offices while away, usually by phone
or email.
The urge to plan
But what’s the context of these values? In what types
of corporate situations will you be exposed to them?
The likeliest and earliest experience you’ll probably
encounter is planning, one of our most fundamental
business needs. The strength and depth of this urge is
probably most closely linked to our heritage: the
immigrants who left behind their economies of scarcity.
By planning, you could plot your way to having a
share of the scarce resources such as food, shelter,
education and jobs.
Recent trends give added importance to planning and
the need to blueprint our futures, such as the
disappearance of the job for life, the receding social
security nets to look after employees in their golden
years and, of course, unpredictable acts of terrorism.
Where a few decades ago the optimism of US business
was that life would still get even better, we now live
Doing business the American way 55
in a more sober era of downsizing, restructuring and
unpredictability.
Our perception is that if you’re not first in the race to
conquer your environment, to stake your claim in the
“manifest destiny” then it’s not worth doing. The pace
of commerce is fast and our frontier spirit is alive and
well. Mastering one’s destiny is a shared cultural view,
an insight into our deterministic culture. We believe
we do control most (if not all) of our environment
and that through planning of any kind you can master
the elements in your environment. Fatalism is the old
world; determinism is the new.
Why we plan
According to the cross-cultural commentator Richard
Lewis in his book When Cultures Collide (Nicholas
Brealey, 2000), the American business philosophy is
plain: to make as much money as fast as you can.
And one of the best ways of doing so is through lots
of very good planning. Everything in our culture is
goal-oriented and action-oriented with a perceived
meritocratic pay-off of results-based rewards.
The construction of plans is a valued behaviour in
our culture; it’s not that not planning is destructive
but not planning is viewed as being poorly organised
and a signal that winning the race is not that important
to you.
Another driver of planning in US companies is the
linkage of personal performance to organisational
performance – a management practice known as
“performance management”. By
ensuring company goals (a by-
product of the planning process)
and individual goals are
interdependent, US enterprises try
to ensure individual acknowledgement and rewards
stay merit-based. For some companies, planning for
performance is about planning for fun. In a recent
interview in Fast Company, Mona Cabler, director of
fun at telecomms company Sprint, asserted that “fun
and work are mutually reinforcing”, adding “when
[US] companies say they’re employee centered, they
usually mean centered on helping employees achieve
the company’s goals. We emphasize helping individuals
achieve their personal goals”.
Accelerating decision making is one of our favourite
past-times since this fuels our need to take action, to
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56 Allyson Stewar t-Allen
do things. Sports company Nike’s long-serving
strapline “Just Do It” is evidence of this strong need,
communicated very well.
Other motives for our planning include avoidance of
the accusation that we’re following a “seat-of-the-
pants” strategy – an irresponsible, profligate,
unfocused, unmethodical set of steps towards pursuing
the Holy Grail of business: profits.
In order responsibly to allocate our
corporate resources, be they human,
cash or intellectual property,
planning helps us believe we’ve done
so in a considerate way. The planning process also helps
us believe we’ll minimise our risk of becoming just
another statistic in the graveyard of failed corporate
missions – our “plan or die” ethos must prevail.
The prioritisations that result from planning – making
and communicating choices – are ingrained in
Americans in business from an early age. We’re taught
these skills early in life and to believe decisiveness
means proactiveness, that indecision brings loss of
control. With decisiveness comes a perception of self-
reliance and independence. “The buck stops here”
religion reveals the importance we attach to making
independent decisions, whether for business or
private life.
We also plan – alone or with a team – in order to
construct the business case that lets us win budgets,
increased territory, authority and recognition from our
peers. He who crafts the plan usually controls the
resource purse.
Types of planning
The variety of categories of plan in use reveal the
pervasiveness of the practice. Strategic, operational,
contingency, business and financial planning add fuel
to the driver of the idea, the entrepreneur (the patron
saint of US business). It permeates every aspect of our
life at work and at home.
When not planning what to do for lunch, we’ll plan
our holidays, our investment strategies, our careers,
our parties and even our life. As if further evidence is
needed, an entire industry, “life planning”, has
emerged in the US over the last seven years with
counsellors helping busy workers to juggle the
demands of home and work, to prioritise life’s demands
for a happier, healthier, shinier, longer existence.
Business Strategy Review
There’s a relatively new category posited by US
calendar manufacturer Franklin Covey called the
“personal productivity planner”, which allows you
to plan gift-giving occasions using its online reminder
service. Franklin Covey, one of the leading personal
desktop calendar manufacturers, conducted research
in the last few years to better understand how
Americans plan.
It found that over 50 per cent use a calendar, 30 per
cent notebook-style organisers and that over 80 per
cent make lists. Nearly 75 per cent say they “always
or frequently” know what they want to accomplish
in life, nearly 40 per cent have written financial goals
and about 33 per cent have written career goals.
The vocabulary of battle is often prevalent when
Americans engage in planning. They get armed or
equipped; lead or defend; attack competitors; win
customers; slaughter the competition; win the war.
Whatever strategy is employed, clear winners and
losers are likely to emerge. There’s also the planning
acronyms: MBO (management by objectives),
SWOT (strengths/weaknesses/opportunities/threats)
and STEP analysis (sociocultural/technological/
economic/political).
Another phrase that’s successfully taken root, thanks
to the long best-selling Stephen Covey book Seven
Habits of Highly Effective People, is that we should
“begin with the end in mind” – a plea to visualise the
prize that comes with good planning. But to seize the
prize, a well-constructed “business case” – an often-
heard phrase – shows how the ROI (return on
investment) can be achieved.
Who does all this planning?
Planning is typically an event, a project usually done
in purposefully formed teams whose prime source of
cohesion is the need to complete the planning task at
hand. There’s no real need to get to know one another,
just to collaborate on the planning event to produce a
lucid series of arguments to support the business case.
If true friendship results, then this is a fantastic bonus.
Usually junior-level management and above, across
all functional departments and SBUs (strategic business
units) participate on a planning team of one sort or
another. Often the group is managed like a sports team,
which can alienate women members not familiar with
locker-room pep talks or sports analogies.

It is often an impersonal, routine and regular activity,
usually quarterly – borne out of our cultural needs
for independence and objectivity – which often hinders
the creation of true teamwork. The schism between
self-reliant, independent professionalism and wanting
to be popular with the planning team is often a
challenge, as task leaders and emotional leaders hardly
ever exist within the same individual.
Even the best laid plans…
… do go wrong. Especially when it comes to US
companies trying to grow in overseas territories.
Despite our intense hunger for “factoids” (thanks to
CNN for this word), figures and almanac trivia, doing
in-country research abroad is an often-neglected part
of the planning activities. It’s often unlikely that
anyone employed by a US company physically sited
within the 50 states speaks a foreign language or
profoundly understands a foreign culture. It’s very
often just too difficult to plan for more substantive
information gathering since no one locally understands
such far-flung places.
The marketing graveyard of misnaming (Chevrolet’s
“Nova” automobiles became “doesn’t go” in Spanish-
speaking markets), slogan mistranslations (Kentucky
Fried Chicken’s long-term strapline “Finger lickin’
good” became “So good you’ll suck your fingers off”
in Chinese) and other international blunders are proof
of such planning omissions.
Decision making
Planning the “attack” on the market is the front-end
of the business cycle; selling it internally with decision-
making colleagues is the critical, implementation part
of the planning process that allows us to demonstrate
our acute “action” skills. This hunting/gathering view
of business planning encourages the masculine, macho
behaviours often seen during this cycle of business.
According to some keen observations put forward in
a Harvard Business Review article(“What you don’t
know about decision making” by David Garvin and
Michael Roberto, September 2001), most US business
professionals see planning as an event, a contest rather
than a collaborative problem-solving process – with
team discussions serving as a platform for
demonstrating skills in persuasion and lobbying.
The team members charged with taking the decisions
about a plan typically play the role of spokesmen,
Doing business the American way 57
advocating a clear position, aiming to convert the rest
of the organisation, defending their collective point
of view and playing down any weaknesses in their
arguments.
While minority views are tolerated, they’re usually
discouraged or dismissed. The result: clearly
identifiable winners and losers emerge as a result of
the decision as opposed to a cadre of winners who
share collective ownership. Because planning is a one-
off event, it minimises the quality of decision making
by ensuring it is not an ongoing, iterative process.
Instead, the event, with its finite start/stop, can take
on a significance, drama and status all its own.
The resistance to overt conflict means decisions are
often the least well informed of all possible routes,
scenarios or options, which do not get debated by the
team. Once a decision is made,
rarely is it re-examined during the
fiscal year since this could imply
possible mistakes or omissions and
loss of face and embarrassment for
those who took the decision. After all, there are
reputations to uphold.
Our view as a culture that dissent is destructive means
that there’s a bias in favour of those who support a
team decision and advocate it. Members who question
a decision and the assumptions it is built upon are
viewed as negative, unhelpful, politically motivated
and are often unpopular as future team members.
Might this be one of the less attractive values that
allows dysfunctional cultures such as Enron, Tyco and
Worldcom to exist? Quite possibly. But it’s also the
force that quickly mobilises teams and implements
plans. Let’s not forget after all one of our fundamental
values: “time is money”.
Allyson Stewart-Allen
(allyson@intermarketingonline.com) is an
American international marketing consultant
who has been based in London for the last 15
years, founder of US and UK-based consultancy
International Marketing Partners Ltd and co-
author of Working with Americans: How to
Build Profitable Business Relationships. (2002
Prentice Hall).
Spring 2003