Business etiquette that moves Americans
The 7th “Communicate with Americans in a light conversation”
For Americans, small talk is an important part of business relations. People
from the U.S. are known for having a “get down to business” attitude and don’t
want to waste time when they are working. However, an appropriate amount of
small talk can really warm up the business atmosphere. Many Americans feel that
their Japanese colleagues are too stiff and reserved; having good small talk skills
can change this impression.
Japanese also love small talk, of course, but the problem is that they typically
discuss topics that are different than Americans. When people from the U.S. make
small talk, the emphasis is on neutral subjects ÿ it’s best to avoid private topics,
such as talking about someone’s family; love life or medical issues.
Shimada feels comfortable discussing work-related topics at the office.
However, he feels hesitant when he’s out to lunch or dinner with the consultants,
and during breaks between meetings. He feels that the situation is starting to get
awkward, and he senses that the consultants think he is a rather boring person.
The key to effective small talk with Americans is choosing the right topic. Too
many Japanese ask boring questions that don’t really lead to a good conversation,
such as “How do you like Japanese food?” or “How did you learn to use
chopsticks?” Rather than asking such questions, it’s better to talk about something that the other pTaro Shimada is working on a project with a team of consultants from the
United States. In addition to spending time with them during the day, he is expected
to accompany them at dinner in the evening.
Smart Ways to Conduct Business in America
Conversation stops at the moment
Choose a topic for the conversation
Small Talk Brings Big Business
English Zone #31 (2007)
Machine Translated by Google
business consultant. Japana provides cross-cultural training to Japanese multinationals in the United States, Japan and Europe
Completed the Academy of Business Administration. “How to deal with Americans who do not reflect” (ALC) and “Soft Management”
He has written many books, including “Toskill” (Nippon Keidanren).
President of Intercultural Consulting. Graduated from Yale University, Faculty of History, Shigago University
English Zone #31 (2007)
Music and movies are also good topics. “What’s your favorite kind of music?”
“Who is your favorite musical artist?” or “Do you play any musical instruments”
are questions that most anyone has an answer