WELCOME TO

US CULTURE SENSITIZATION TRAINING PROGRAMME

PROGRAM OBJECTIVES
 To create awareness about how Americans think, behave, and approach business.  To be able to deal more effectively with clients in the US  To sensitize the trainees so as to appreciate cultural differences among people.  To impart confidence to trainees with respect to etiquette in business and social situations

PROGRAM OVERVIEW
 Introduction  Geography  Time zones  Ethnicity and race  Family Structure  American Beliefs  American Dream  Sports in America  American Holidays  American Food  Information relevant to US  Social Etiquette  Grooming & Hygiene  Work culture in the US  Workplace Etiquette  Business Visits  American Vocabulary  Etc Etc

WHAT DO YOU SEE?

WHAT DO YOU SEE?

WHAT DO YOU SEE?

WHAT DO YOU SEE?

WHAT DO YOU SEE?

RELATIVE PERCEPTION
We dont see things the way they are

We see them as we are

WHAT IS CULTURE?

WHAT IS CULTURE?
Culture is defined as a system of values and beliefs, which we share with others, all of which gives us a sense of belonging or identity.

REGIONS

The Northwest - (WA, OR, ID, MT, WY)

The Midwest - (ND, SD, NE, KS, MN, IO, MO, WI, IL, MI, IN, OH)

The Northeast /New England (ME,NH,VT,MA,CT,RI)

The Mid Atlantic - (NY, NJ, PA, WV, VA, DE, Washington DC, MD)

The Southeast - (KY, TN, AR, LA, MS, AL, GA, FL, SC, NC and parts of MO)

The Southwest - (Western TX, NM, parts of OK, AZ, CO, UT, CA and NV)

TIME ZONES

TIME ZONES
Continental USA is divided into four time zones

 Pacific Standard Time (PST)  Mountain Standard Time (MST)  Central Standard Time (CST)  Eastern Standard Time (EST)

DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME

 "Spring forward - Fall back"  Clocks are turned forward an hour, effectively moving an hour of daylight from the morning to the evening.  The main purpose of Daylight Saving Time (called "Summer Time" many places in the world) is to make better use of daylight.

SEASONS
Winter Dec, Jan, Feb

Spring - March, April, May Summer June July Aug Autumn Sept, Oct, Nov

MELTING POT
 Melting pot of cultures, languages and religions.  Immigrants have renewed & celebrated their varied culture  People from all over the world come to live and work together forming one nation.

SALAD BOWL
 Individual ethnic groups blend together; yet maintain their cultural uniqueness.  Ingredients in a salad bowl blend without losing its identity.  American society is a collection of many cultures living side by side within one country.

AMERICAAMERICA- LAND OF THE IMMIGRANTS

 The first immigrants came to more than 20,000 years ago  English - the dominant ethnic group among the early settlers.  Black African slaves were imported  Irish and German were followed by Scandinavians.  Influx of Spanish speaking people  Large nos. from Africa, Asia and Latin America.

ETHINICITY & RACE

     
Native American - American Indian Caucasians Whites African American - Blacks Asian American - Asians Hispanics Minorities

LIFESTYLE DISTINCTIONS
         
Independent Women Soccer Moms Single People Gay People Artists & Intellectuals The Handicapped The Elderly The Homeless Trans-Gendered People New Age

MARRIAGE & FAMILY

   
Modern and complicated The divorce rate is one out of two marriages One parent or stepparents. Live together without being married.  Prefer the word partner

FAMILY STRUCTURE
 Traditional structure  Single Parents  Foster Parents
 Step Parents or Blended Families  Adoptive Parents  Guardianship  Same Sex Parents

AMERICAN RELATIONSHIPS
 Approximately 40% of all the American marriages end in divorce.  Half population lives together as if they were husband and wife.  It is estimated that 10% of the population are homosexuals  Many people have problems with drugs, alcohol, or mental illness, which prevents them from maintaining a stable home environment.

AMERICAN BELIEFS
 The moral beliefs that shape a persons behavior  Enduring beliefs that a specific mode of conduct is personally or socially preferable  A value is a belief upon which one acts by preference

PERSONAL CONTROL
 Americans do not believe in the power of Fate.  You are responsible for taking control of your own life and determining your own future.  Most Americans find it impossible to accept that there are some things, which lie beyond the power of humans to achieve.

CHANGE
 Change is considered positive.  Change is strongly linked to development, improvement, progress and growth.  Americans believe in the march to progress and pursuit of perfection

TIME AND ITS CONTROL

 They place considerable value on punctuality  Schedules are planned and then followed in the smallest detail.  Their language is filled with references to time.

EQUALITY
 All men are created equal.  They believe that all people are equal and deserve an equal opportunity in life.  Service for almost anything is on a first-come, first-served basis  They believe that God views all humans alike without regard to intelligence, physical condition, or economic status.

INDIVIDUALISM & PRIVACY

 The ideal person is a, autonomous & self-reliant individual.  Self-expression is encouraged.  Americans do not believe in conforming to a general ideology or behavior.  Privacy is the ultimate result of individualism.

SELF-HELP CONCEPT
 A person can take credit, only for what he or she has accomplished by himself or herself.  They pride themselves at having climbed the difficult ladder of success .  In the average desk dictionary, there are more than 100 words, words like self-confidence, selfconscious, self-control .

COMPETITION
 Americans believe that competition brings out the best in any individual.  It challenges or forces each person to produce the very best  Competition being fostered in the American home and in the American classroom.

ACTION/WORK ORIENTED
 Americans are work oriented people who routinely plan and schedule.  Americans pride efficiency above all else.  Americans are firm believers that they must work to earn money so they may buy consumer goods.

INFORMALITY
 Americans are one of the most informal and casual people in the world.  Bosses often urge their employees to call them by their first names  Dress is another area where American informality will be most noticeable.

DIRECT, OPEN & HONEST

 Prefer the direct approach.  They prefer to speak openly, even when giving a negative opinion or delivering bad news.  There are organizations that are investing in training courses on "assertiveness" for their employees.

MATERIALISM
 Success is marked by the amount of money or quantity of material goods a person is able to accumulate.  Material objects are a reward for hard work.  They value newness and innovation, they sell or throw away their possessions frequently and replace them with newer ones.

IDENTIFY THE VALUES

1. He thinks hes better than so and so. Shes always putting on airs. That person should be cut down to size. Its gone to his head. 2. Talk is cheap. Put your money where your mouth is. Hes all talk and no action. 3. Shes always beating around the bush. Tell it like it is. Straight talk, straight answer, straight shooter.

IDENTIFY THE VALUES

4. She did something with her life.

Nice guys finish last. 5. Every cloud has a silver lining. Look on the bright side. Tomorrow is another day. 6. Where theres a will theres a way. 7. Stand on your own two feet. 8. Dont judge a book by its cover. All that glitters isnt gold. 9. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

AMERICAN DREAM
 Belief that through hard work & determination, anybody can achieve a better life  Financial prosperity and enhanced personal freedom of choice.  Major factor in attracting immigrants to America and has therefore resulted in wide cultural diversity.

WHAT AMERICANS LOVE?

 Their country.  Their free time.  The outdoors.  Sports

HOLIDAYS & FESTIVALS

 Based on the words holy and day, holidays originally represented special religious days  A holiday is also a period spent away from home or business in travel or recreation.  Most American holidays are highly commercialized.

HOLIDAYS & FESTIVALS

          
New Year's Day Martin Luther King Presidents Day Memorial Day Independence Day Labor Day Columbus Day Veterans Day Halloween Thanksgiving Day Christmas Day January 1 3rd Monday in January 3rd Monday in February Last Monday in May July 4 1st Monday in September 2nd Monday in October November 11 31st October 4th Thursday in November December 25

SPORTS
 Americans take part in sports as players and spectators.  Favorites are typical American sports like basketball, baseball and football.  All three have museums that tell about the sports and honor their best players .

OTHER SPORTS
    
Ice Hockey Auto Racing Golf Rodeo Tennis

OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES
 Picnic  Hiking  Boating  Fishing  Backpacking Other sports include hang gliding, parachute jumping, sky diving, downhill mountain biking, and bungee jumping.

AMERICAN FOOD ATTITUDES

 Extremely active food culture  They take for granted that the foods they eat will be satisfying  Cooking in America has iconic significance.  Food-related illness & eating disorders, especially obesity, are of great concern in the United States.

AMERICAN FOOD
    
Extremely active food culture Prepared foods Classic American breakfast Classic American lunch American dinner or cocktail party appetizers

AMERICAN FOOD

 Hamburgers

 Pizza

 Hot Dogs

AMERICAN FOOD - TIPS

 The best thing you can try when you reach a place and dont know where or what to eat is PIZZA.  To be sure about Vegetarian items, always ask for items with NO Meat rather than just saying VEGETARIAN  And remember that a CHEESEBURGER is a misnomer. It contains meat besides cheese, so be careful!  If you are ordering soup, please mention very clearly that you want vegetable stock and not chicken stock in your soup.  Be sure to say NO ICE if you prefer to have your drink without ice.

AMERICAN FOOD - TIPS

 Some vegetables have different names in the USA. For example okra instead of ladysfinger, egg plant instead of brinjals and so on.  At the restaurants, you wont be given finger bowls. Youll have to use paper napkins.  Must visit website for all the details of Indian Restaurants in USA along with the maps is www.zagat.com  All the Indian cuisine is available at the desi stores.  Tortillas is a Mexican dish, which is a good substitute of rotis.

GLOSSARY OF AMERICAN TERMS

     
1% milk All you can eat American Cheese Barbecue Blender Brownie

      

Candy Brunch English Muffin Fusion Cuisine Go Dutch Liquor Pop

LITTERING & RECYCLING

It is unacceptable to:  Throw trash into the street or onto the sidewalk.  To spit, blow your nose with your fingers or urinate on the street. Recycling of newspapers, cans, bottles and all sorts of packaging & containers is widely practiced in America.

CURRENCY
U.S. denomination for coins:  1 cent a penny  5 cents a nickel  10 cents a dime  25 cents a quarter  50 cents a half dollar  100 cents one dollar Dollars: $1, $2, $5, $10, $20, $50, $100, $500, $1000

SOCIAL ETIQUETTE IN AMERICA

GREETING
 Shake hands firmly  Refrain from greetings that involve hugging and other close physical contact  How are you today? or Hows it going?  The expected answers are expected are OK, fine thanks

RITUAL GREETING
   
There are two kinds of greetings. Formal Good Morning Simple Hello or Hi. The answer is usually Fine

INTRODUCTIONS
WHO FIRST  Introduce the person of lesser importance to the person of higher importance.  Introduce a younger person to an older person, a co-worker to boss, boss to a client and lay person to an official.  Whilst being introduced, stand up or at least makes an attempt to rise. Smile and greet the person before shaking hands

INTRODUCTIONS
RESPONSE For an informal occasion, Hello is fine. If it s formal, How do you do? followed by the person s name is best. Do not use a first name until invited to do so.. Try not to say, Pleased to meet you. If you don t know the person yet, how do you know if you re pleased?

SHAKING HANDS
 Men and women usually shake hands with each other.  A handshake should be firm but not crushing,  Involve eye contact  Never offer only your fingers.

SOCIAL GATHERING
 They want their guests to feel at home.  It is not an opportunity to display their wealth, good breeding or generosity  It is essential to arrive on time  Peer group parties are likely to be quite casual  Guests might bring some portion of the meal

FORMAL OCCASIONS
 Invitations to formal engagements are usually written.  It includes the date, time, place and description of the occasion.  Always respond to a RSVP invitation.  If you are unsure how to dress you can simply ask.

INFORMAL OCCASIONS
 Invitations to less formal gatherings will come informally.  Guest can arrive or leave at any time, and dress however they wish.  Potlucks are common for larger groups.  These gatherings are intended to enable people to relax and have fun with others.

EATING OUT
 If you are invited out for a business meal, the host will usually pay.  When eating out, the cost is sometimes shared with friends or colleagues.  Going Dutch  Split the bill  Ways to beckon a server  'Please' and 'Thank you'

TIPPING
 Common practice is to leave a tip that is equal to 15% of the total bill for acceptable service, and about 20% for superior service.  Other professions where tipping is expected include hairdressers, taxi drivers, hotel porters, parking valets, and bartenders.  The general rule is to tip approximately 15% of the bill. In situations where there is no bill (as with hotel porters and parking valets), the tip may range from $1 to $5, depending on the type of establishment and on how good the service was.

SMOKING
   
Restrictions in most public places. Before smoking, ask if anyone minds. Cigarette advertising has been banned Restaurants have a section where smoking is permitted.  Many hotels designate rooms as smoking and non-smoking.

TIMINGS
Time Schedules  Telephone Call- 9 am 9 pm  Dinner Between 5:30 & 9. Business Hours  Most businesses open at 9.00 a.m.  Many businesses always close at 5.00 or 5.30 p.m.  Some downtown businesses stay open until 9.00 p.m. on Monday and Thursday evenings.

KEEPING APPOINTMENT
 Impolite and inconsiderate to fail to keep an appointment without giving prior notice.  You should decline the initial invitation or request if you cannot make it.  Changing plans for an appointment or date does not present the same problems as breaking a date.

GIFTS
Bringing gifts  Invited to someone's home for dinner To whom are gifts given?  Close friends.  People with whom you have a casual but friendly relationship  Not given to teachers or others who hold an official position

GIFTS
When are gifts given?  During the Holiday season.  Christmas  Birthdays,graduation, weddings and childbirths  Invited as a houseguest for a visit Cards  Acquaintances  Business colleagues.

GIFTS
What gifts are appropriate?  Expensive gifts - close relationship  Business associates  Visit a home - flowers, potted plant, or a bottle of wine  Meal or other entertainment  Perfume/clothing is considered inappropriate  Parents would object to your giving a toy gun or a violent video game to their child.

GIFTS
How are gifts acknowledged?  Business gifts - after the deal is closed.  Gifts are unwrapped and shown to all assembled.  A thank-you note should be sent.

WAYS TO SAY THANK YOU

 Always verbally communicate appreciation. When the favor shown did not require a great deal of time or effort, a verbal "thank-you" is enough.  Write a short letter or "thank-you" note. Small note cards with "Thank You" printed on the front are sold in most campus bookstores, as well as "Thank You" greeting cards. However, regular stationary is often used and perhaps less expensive.  Give a small, inexpensive gift. The gift can be purchased or something you made.  Treat the friend to a meal, a movie, or just a snack (ice cream, frozen yogurt, pie and coffee, etc.)

RELATIONSHIPS IN AMERICA
Friendship  Shorter and less intense  Compartmentalize their friendships Romantic relationships  Free and casual in approach  Ask for a date  Unmarried couples may live together

MAKING CONVERSATIONS
 Start a conversation with a stranger but end it if the person does not seem to want to talk.  Conversation starter - "What do you do?"  Casual social circumstances  Compliments  Enjoy being with people who have a sense of humour.  Change the subject.

COMMUNICATIVE STYLE
Preferred Topics  Avoid - politics, religion, race, gender and so on.  Refrain from asking women if they are married.  Prefer - person's job/workrelated matters, weather, sports, jobs, travel, food, music, movies, books, people they both know, or past experiences etc..

COMMUNICATIVE STYLE
Depth of involvement preferred  Do not expect personal involvement.  Small talk is enough.  Personal topics. Channels preferred  Verbally adept  Restrained gestures  Do not touch.

Eye Contact  Alternate between looking briefly onto the listeners eyes & looking slightly away.  Listening - they look almost constantly at the speaker.  Distrust people who do not look into their eyes while talking with them.  Do not stare

NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION

NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION
Maintain distance  Stay at least 16 inches away from each other.  Standard space -two feet.  Uncomfortable standing at a closer distance.

NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION
Touching  No taboo on touching.  Men rarely touch each other, expect when shaking hands.  Women touch each other more often  Nervous if another person stands closer than an arms length  Closer side to side

OTHER GUIDELINES
 No taboo of any kind associated with the left hand.  Greet small children pat them on the top of the head.  Respect and deference - looking in the face.  Lack of formal posture is not a sign of inattention or disrespect.  Uncomfortable with silence

OTHER GUIDELINES
 Doors of rooms usually left open  O.K. & thumbs up  Backslap - sign of friendship  Crossing of legs and knee over knee is not considered arrogant  Giving an item toss it

FOREIGN LANGUAGES
 If you are with a group of mainly Englishspeaking people and the conversation is going on in English, it is not polite to speak in your own or another foreign language for more than a few sentences.  Whatever language you speak in, try to avoid swear words. Of course, you should avoid "dirty," "off-color," or sexually explicit stories or jokes.

SPEAKING ON THE PHONE

    
Hello. Name of the business and their own name. Hello and state your name. Answering machines Message - state your name clearly and leave your telephone number  Impolite - to carry on a long conversation on a cellular phone.

NAMES & TITLES

 When you meet someone for the first time, use a title and his or her last name.  Address people of your own approximate age and status by first name.  If the other person is older than you, you should use Mr., Mrs., Miss, or Ms. and last name.  Use titles such as Dr., Ms., Miss, Mrs., or Mr., followed by the last name.  If you are unsure of a woman's marital status, use Ms. pronounced mizz

NAMES & TITLES

 If a person has a title such as Dr. , Dean, Sir, Senator use that title and the last name.  The use of nicknames is often encouraged.  The letters Jr. after a man's name.  The Roman numeral III or IV after a man's name.  If you meet someone with a name that is difficult to pronounce, ask how to pronounce his or her name.

GROOMING & HYGIENE

     
Hygiene - Bathing Shaving Hair Care Tooth & Mouth Care Fragrances & Perfumes Clothing

WORKPLACE CULTURE
 The American Dream is a driving force behind many individuals' desire to come to the US.  It contributes to a strong work ethic and a system that is merit based.  This culture stresses individual initiative and achievement.  Individualism, equality & efficiency are cultural values particularly noticeable in American workplaces.

THINGS TO BE AWARE OF
Being misunderstood  American co-workers will either know nothing or be seriously misinformed about your country.  The world beyond America is a blur to them.  Be prepared to answer their questions.

THINGS TO BE AWARE OF
Company Culture.  Different workplace culture.  Workers will take on different roles in that culture. Chains of Command.  Sometimes "who's in charge" will not be obvious.  Learn the points of control in your workplace

THINGS TO BE AWARE OF
Informality.  Comparatively less formal  Do not formally acknowledge everyone they meet.  Arrive early and stay late.  Dress like everyone else Corporate Social Life.  Social events  Grab bag  Cooperate wholeheartedly  Coffee breaks and lunch periods

RELATIONSHIPS AT WORKPLACE
 Arrive at work punctually.  Ask questions about things you do not understand  If you encounter difficulties in carrying out an assigned task, tell your supervisor immediately.  When appropriate, offer to help other employees with their tasks  Be friendly and sociable with fellow employees.  Treat people with respect  When you are talking to people. Look directly at their eyes from time to time; do not keep your eyes turned away from theirs.  Consistently practice and improve your English.

THINGS TO BE AWARE OF
Office Politics  Decisions are influenced from outside the designated chain of command.  Failure to follow the chain of command can get a worker fired in a hurry.  Every office worker does have some autonomy and the possibility of affecting the course of the company and of his own career

WORK SCHEDULES
 Workday starts between 7am and 8am and ends between 5pm and 6pm.  Most people work Monday through Fridays.  The United States is very time conscious.  Many supervisors do not appreciate who arrive late, especially on a continual basis.

WORKPLACE ETIQUETTE
    
Speak in English Usage of office resources Punctuality Lunch Dealing with seniors and colleagues  Group behavior

PERSONAL SPACE
 Keep at least 2 feet of space between yourself and the next person.  Never bump into people carelessly.  Except for handshakes, avoid touching people.  Do not walk into someone's office without knocking or gaining permission.

RESPECTING WOMEN
 Women hold diverse position in organizations.  Allow women to enter/leave a room, restaurant, elevator before you do.  It is ok to be friendly, within limits.  Sexual Harassment laws are very strict in the West!

CORPORATE TELEPHONE ETIQUETTE

 Never leave a caller on hold for more than a minute  If you need to speak to a coworker who is on the phone, leave and try again later.  Dont listen in on co-workers phone conversations.  Keep it short and discrete when using a cell phone in public.

DOOR ETIQUETTE
 Always open doors for guests/clients/superiors and let them pass through first.  When exiting a meeting room with a self-shutting door, hold the door for the person behind you. Do not shut the door in the face!  At the same time, take over holding the door from the person ahead of you.

ELEVATOR ETIQUETTE
 Allow people to come out before you enter.  Let the people in front of you enter first.  Do not push to get in.  Do not face people in the elevator.  If you are being blocked as your floor arrives, say "excuse me", let people give space and then exit.

COMPLIMENTING
 Never ask where they got their clothes or what they cost.  Dont talk about what you paid for clothes or brag about designer labels.  At the office, compliment the work not the clothes.  If someone compliments you, accept the compliment graciously and with thanks.

BUSINESS VISITS
 Avoid attending/making unnecessary calls on your cell.  Stick to the agenda or objective of discussion.  If the meeting has not materialized into a success, don't express any resentment or frustration on your face.  Smoking in office/business visits is a NO.

BUSINESS CARDS
 It provides your information  Exchange business cards to establish names and positions to your counterparts in a group meeting.  Ensure your card is in good shape  Make sure your business card is handy.

ETIQUETTE DURING BUSINESS VISITS

 Don't stroll into a place as if its your own.  Be polite to everyone you meet.  While waiting in someone's office, don't touch anything on his desk or around his room.  Get your work done and leave.  On your way out, remember to thank the receptionist!

SPORTS TERMINOLOGY
           Ball park figures - Within acceptable limits Out of our league - Better than us Not in our league - Inferior to us Major league - Highest level of professionalism To Score - To achieve, to impress someone Getting to 1st base - Getting started Touch base with - Keep in touch with people To strike out - To fail Time out - A breather, time to pause and rest Game plan Strategy for winning something Team player One who co-operates

THANK YOU