Difference between business in America and Australia
I remember the first time I had a meeting that only lasted 20 minutes in Silicon Valley. I was devastated. Afterwards I thoroughly analysed what happened to try and figure out why it went so badly.
It was such a horrible experience. I kept asking myself questions like, “What went wrong?” “Did I say something offensive?” and “Did he not like me?” It took a long time before I was able to nail what went wrong and why the meeting was so short.
I recently had an important meeting here in Australia. It lasted for 20 minutes also. Except everything went well, and I got exactly what I wanted out of it. The meeting however ran much differently that what I’m used to in Silicon Valley.
We entered the room, we said our greetings, we sat, we talked and then we left. Not even a handshake was given. There was no asking about the family. No small talk whatsoever. It was just pure business.
Australians are typically very laid back, and we generally hate small talk. There’s no fake love in Australian business meetings. Everyone just talks business. If someone goes off topic, and starts talking about their own personal life, they’re quickly snapped back into place by the other acquaintance.
What’s considered rude in the US is considered common practice in Australia. I’ve struggled with the culture shock myself when I first arrived in the US. Everything is just run so differently. People appear so nice. It makes Australians seem rude.
But so much of the American culture seems so unreal. When you enter into a business meeting in Silicon Valley, you greet your acquaintance – usually with either a handshake or a hug depending on how close you are. I’ve entered and exited many meetings in Australia without enduring a single handshake or hug. Sometimes you wonder whether these American businessmen genuinely do care about people, or whether they’re just manipulating your psychology.
I’m not exactly sure which one I prefer. It’s just two different styles. Australian meetings tend to be more efficient and straight to the point. American meetings tend to drag on longer, include fake love, and many times you’ll be stuck listening to someone you don’t care about droning on about their personal problems. But then, USA is the king of business.
