CULTURE IN THE USA --- Time Sensitivity

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Americans are very time oriented and believe that time is precious. You will even hear some people go as far as to say "time is money." Valuing time is a core value of Americans.

As a result, promptness is of the utmost importance to Americans. You must be sensitive to this, or you will greatly frustrate, or even possibly anger, Americans. For example, if you have an appointment, you should plan on arriving early. Being late, even for good reasons, may minimize the likelihood of you getting what you desire from the meeting. As some Americans say, "To be early is to be on-time. To be on-time is to be late. To be late is to be dead."

Another result of this value to Americans is that you need to be to the point in your conversations. Americans speak of getting to the bottom line or getting to the point. In some cultures it is rude to approach someone and begin with business right away without asking about their family, how business is going, and how they are feeling. In the USA, the reverse is frequently true. Americans live a fast pace of life, and want to get right down to the issue. It is important to show interest in people, but to do so without taking up much of their time unless they indicate a desire to talk further with you about those non-business issues.