Here is an excerpt demonstrating the violent nature of the language:

As I flipped through tv channels, watching left and right wing politicians and pundits battling in a ‘cross-fire’ of blame, each side looking for a ‘smoking gun’ to explain or cast blame for the Tucson tragedy, I became increasingly aware of how we US Americans unconsciously use gun language to express ourselves, even during the most innocent interactions.

In conversation, we often value the ‘straight shooter,’ yet are wary of those who ‘shoot their mouths off,’ those who ‘shoot from the hip’ or glibly end an argument with a ‘parting shot.’ We caution our friends and colleagues to avoid ‘shooting themselves in the foot,’ and counsel them not to ‘shoot the messenger.’

In other kinds of sensitive business negotiations, I’ve advised patience, urging colleagues to avoid ‘jumping the gun.’ When the moment is right for getting the biggest ‘bang for the buck,’ I’ve agreed to bring the ‘big guns’ to the table. We look for ‘silver bullet’ solutions, hoping for ‘bulletproof’ results.

I’d bet many of us don’t think twice about the provenance of these everyday expressions. America’s historical relationship with guns and explosives is an obvious link, but how else has the obsession transferred to language?

Please tell us what you think about this unknowingly violent way of communicating. How does it impact the business process when Americans are taken out of their own cultural context and placed in another, e.g. in China where an interpreter is employed?

For more information about Joe Lurie and his work, click here to see his LinkedIn profile or contact him at joelurie@gmail.com.

Sean
RW3 CultureWizard

And now, according to New York Times columnist and social commentator David Brooks, comes a lecture from the Aspen Ideas Festival, where Brooks supposes that society teeters on the verge of collapse because of unabated “self-importance.” (In fact, this blog covered the topic in 2009, read “Extreme Individualism” here)

According to Gillian Tett’s article in FT Magazine,

If Brooks is to be believed, an important shift has taken place in relation to the concept of ‘self’ – and ‘self-importance’ – in American society (if not the western world more generally). In the first half of the twentieth century, Americans were generally reluctant to talk too much about themselves, or promote themselves too aggressively in public. They were also cautious – or modest – when assessing their own skills.

Nowadays, however, Americans are so over-fueled on self-esteem and confidence that it’s tearing away at the very fabric of American society, so goes Brook’s commentary. As evidence of the decay, he points to how the two major US political parties are unable to negotiate and compromise in addition to the continued abuses on Wall Street.

Brooks didn’t seem to have any of these insights when he was championing the “over-confident” ideas (some might say) of the Bush administration. Nevertheless, Brooks raises a few interesting points regarding America’s obsession with self-confidence and how such an inflated sense of self-esteem can have drastic consequences.

Tett writes the following in observation:

Having spent time living in different cultures around the world, I have always been struck by the level of self-confidence and self-promotion in modern America. The contrast is particularly striking when compared with a place such as Japan, where self-effacement is ingrained. Even compared with Britain there is a cultural gap.

A classic American tale of self-confidence

Take any global business meeting as an example, the Americans in the group will more likely than not be outspoken in contrast to non-Westerners. The Little Engine That Could was first published in the US in the early 20th century, which affirms the place of optimism in American society as a core value. Of course, this is related to individualism and the “I think I can, I think I can” mentality.

What’s your opinion on self-confidence when it comes to working across cultures? What challenges come out of US – Asia joint ventures, for example, where what works in one place does not at all in the other?

Adam

RW3 CultureWizard

The episode has forced many native French people to tease out what part of them has evolved into an American and what part has never left France, which coined the word ‘chauvinism’ in the patriotic sense. (Nicolas Chauvin was a soldier fanatically loyal to Napoleon.)

The media has largely recognized the French and American opinions on Strauss-Kahn’s behavior and have drawn a distinction between the two approaches, which have made many French-Americans question their identity.

…French-Americans believe the case has ‘tarnished our image,’ said Marie-Monique Steckel, president of the French Institute Alliance Française, which promotes French culture and language. When she heard news of Mr. Strauss-Kahn’s arrest, she said, she found herself ‘extremely emotional,’ adding, ‘My Frenchness came to the fore with more force than I would have thought.’

And although some French-Americans may think Americans react too prudishly to the sex scandals of their leaders, Ms. Steckel said, ‘There is a difference between a womanizer and rape.’

From a cross-cultural perspective, this also brings to mind the importance of appreciating the difference in definition of sexual harassment between US and European workplaces. It also points out how important it is for businesspeople working globally to have an understanding of what constitutes appropriate workplace behavior.

The “perp walk” Strauss-Kahn took was another salient issue the French community raised because it’s illegal in France and considered an unnecessary form of humiliation. What is your view? The notion that you are innocent until proven guilty, concerned about individual rights, but we don’t think it’s bad to do the perp walk.

Various issues of French-American identity add to the conversation regarding the French penchant for conspiracy theories:

French people who have lived in New York for a long time, she said, have moved beyond seeing the world in such a conspiratorial fashion. ‘The French adore the idea of plots,’ [Steckel] said. ‘They see plots everywhere. French-Americans become more factual.’

To our French and French-American readers, do these comments resonate with your cultural values? What is your take on bi-cultural identity?

To the rest of our readers, how does the question of (dual) cultural identity inform your opinions on the way justice systems prosecute and/or defend highly visible officials such as Strauss-Kahn?

We look forward to your comments.

Sean

RW3 CultureWizard

The cover story of this month’s American Executive, titled “Global Mindset,” features Charlene Solomon, Michael Schell and their book Managing Across Cultures. The growing need for executives and their organizations to effectively do business in a very global market is highlighted by the crucial role culture plays worldwide. “The most serious errors made by Americans when dealing with other cultures include ignoring other cultures’ need for relationship building and assuming other cultures share our love for risk-taking, say Schell and Solomon…One reason Americans tend to underestimate the need for relationships, said Solomon, is that time is so important to us. ‘We don’t realize that building relationships and taking time to talk to people are really important. We tend to think these things are gratuitous.’”

A strong sense of relationship and rapport prevails in many cultures outside North America and Western Europe. In East and South Asia and the Middle East, business is built on trusting, personal relationships that extend beyond the workplace.

According to Solomon, this relationship building takes “a few minutes to chat about something on a conference call, taking a little bit of a personal interest in the person on the other end of the phone, and being polite in an opening note in an e-mail.” Cognizance of the cultural need for this kind of behavior is not difficult, and practice makes perfect. “We practice it internally,” she said. “Opening an e-mail with a hello, if appropriate saying you hope they had a good weekend, closing it with your name, just being polite. Also, we take some time before meetings start and see that time of relationship building as part of the business process.”

Owning this knowledge of other cultures empowers you as a global professional, and builds on your global mindset, a must-have for the 21st century.

Click here to jump to the full article online.

RW3 CultureWizard