Our American cousins!

Americans & Europeans: the pitfalls of resemblance!

Last round of anecdotes received during the Intercultural Game organized by Akteos a few months ago.

They feature our American cousins ​​in three situations illustrating our differences:

• “UK English” vs. “US English”
• Strict application of the rule
• The label

They connect Americans with French and Spanish people but could have taken place in other environments.

Linguistic misunderstanding in the United States

A few years ago, as a young employee of an international company, I went for the first time to an American service provider in the Princeton region. First trip to the United States, first discovery of America: the American dream is offered to me!

I discover the procedures of an American service provider when the client is within its walls: we never leave them alone and we accompany them everywhere, even to the toilets! And I'm not at the end of my surprises...

As I was reviewing the listings with a pencil, I realized I didn't have an eraser. I ask my American colleagues for one in my “Oxford English”. Suddenly, all my American colleagues turn peony red!

“Did I make a mistake, explain to me?”” It was impossible for them, it was so embarrassing for them!!!

I then take out a mini French-English dictionary and show them the word “gum”. There, my colleague indicates that this word "is not appropriate" and remains confused and red-faced: I have just discovered that rubber in "UK English" means quite something else in "US English" and affects a more than private domain! I'll let you look on Google Trad!

It's my turn to excuse my youth, my naivety, my learning of "Oxford English" and I come to understand the very American phrase " it is not appropriate"!!!!!!

A Lyonnaise, R&D executive, pharmaceutical industry

I was young at that time... After this first field experience with the USA, I had 20 years of professional experience in R&D. I still have the same passion for cultures and work with the USA, Canada, Europe, Latin America, Asia, India,... quite a program!

Application of the rule in France and the United States

Here is a true story, revealing the difference in perception of the rule between French and Americans.

My commercial activities lead me to manage projects with large international groups and to be in contact with the parent company as well as their subsidiaries.

I had two major projects for the same group. With Pierre, my French contact, it was about organizing training for teams in 6 countries. With Mary, my American interlocutor, the project involved a large number of collaborators between France and the United States.

After spending a lot of time organizing and preparing for these numerous sessions: developing the calendar, choosing consultants, preparing content, booking plane and hotel tickets, etc., it turned out that my company had not been correctly referenced by the purchasing department of the client group. We were then a few weeks away from the first set dates... I warned my two contacts of this situation and informed them that we would quickly gather the requested documents so as not to slow down our project.

For Pierre, it was unthinkable to cancel or postpone the planned sessions.

For Mary, we absolutely had to put all our sessions on standby until the mandatory certificate was validated, and we could unblock the consultants' agenda.

Conclusion: we received the certificate after the dates planned for the first sessions. The training sessions scheduled for Pierre's teams took place unlike those organized by Mary which had been canceled.

Where we see that national culture takes precedence over corporate culture!

Pascale Habourdin, Akteos Project Director

In Spain, don't take your shoes off

Recently, while I was leading a Spain expatriation training course, suddenly the participant, a senior executive of a multinational, took off his shoes to make himself more comfortable.

Like him, I lived in the United States where this practice is socially accepted, and where etiquette and hierarchy are less restrictive than in southern Europe. In the United States, very often, when you are invited to people's homes for example, you will be asked, if you wish, to take off your shoes.

In Spain, taking off your shoes anywhere other than your home, a park or the beach is considered a lack of tact, even rudeness. I open up to the participant.

He understands and tells me that during a meeting with his Spanish colleagues a few months earlier, he had also taken off his shoes. They all protested, gently mocking him.

The Spanish are very particular about etiquette, posture and behavior. For some people, interpersonal skills are sometimes as important as your knowledge or skills.

Conclusion: In Spain, never take off your shoes, especially in business!