Intercultural training USA – the land of limited impossibilities
A quote from Asterix and Obelix easily comes to mind for Europeans about the presidential primaries in the USA: “Are they crazy, the Americans?” Therefore, intercultural training in the USA is both a necessary and a very clever investment. You may well ask yourself what is going on in this country, how people feel and what they want. Donald Trump won the Republican race, an anti-politician who railed against the establishment with wild speeches and apparently hit the nail on the head. Hillary Clinton, the “grande dame” of the Democratic political establishment, is likely to run against him. But her Democratic challenger is not yet out of the race. Bernie Sanders, an outspoken Christian who is considered to be on the left in the USA.
What do they actually want?
On the one hand, Americans are obviously longing for real change. On the other hand, it is astonishing that they believe Donald Trump’s slogans, or at least think they are good. I haven’t followed in detail who he has been ranting against. The Muslims, who are also “grateful” whipping boys in Europe these days, were among them. However, I suspect that Americans are longing for a representative from the good old days when the USA was still the undisputed most powerful and richest country in the world and mass prosperity prevailed. Not that Trump can turn back the hands of time, but he is obviously saying what people want to hear. Added to this is the deeply rooted individualism in the USA. Trump is financing his election campaign from his own resources, he is a representative of the American dream who has made his fortune in real estate and therefore doesn’t need to take too much notice. In their hearts, Americans do not like it when the state dictates to them. That’s why Obama had such a hard time with his health insurance “Obamacare” and despite numerous accidents and rampages, no majority has formed in favor of stricter gun laws. John Wayne sends his regards, the frontierman who snatched the West from the Indians is still very much alive spiritually. From a European perspective, this is completely incomprehensible. Especially from a German point of view, where the welfare of all is repeatedly propagated, governments will be judged by what they do for the masses. The issue of pensions and poverty in old age has become very prominent again, especially these days. When you consider that all attempts to introduce a general speed limit on freeways in Germany have so far come to nothing, it is surprising that the Americans allow ridiculous speed limits to be imposed on them. Deep-rooted values simply play a role here. The Germans want to drive fast, the Americans want to arm themselves.
Is Europe so different?
Europe has other concerns than the USA. The biggest one at the moment is probably the refugee crisis, which is stoking fears. This can be seen from the fact that right-wing populists, as they are often referred to in the newspapers, are enjoying dramatic growth in almost all countries. Europeans want to remain what they are and fear foreign infiltration by Arabs and Africans. When you consider that Germany alone has taken in more than 1% of its population in refugees in a single year, it should come as no surprise that the AfD is gaining popularity. This also has to do with the belief in those responsible. Many people no longer believe Mrs. Merkel when she proclaims “We can do it”. No matter how much you insist on our constitution and appeal to humanity. The fears and problems, whether real or perceived, will ultimately get through. And this also applies to other countries that are regarded as bastions of liberalism, such as France, the UK, the Netherlands and Sweden. One can get the impression that the call for change is becoming ever louder and clearer on both sides of the pond and is increasingly drowning out the volume of “political correctness”.
United in the fight against terrorism
Donald Trump didn’t target Muslims for nothing. In Germany, too, the right-wing spectrum has reignited the debate about Germany and Islam. All Western nations are united in the fight against terrorism. And this is also a fight against radical Muslims, above all the “Islamic State” and al-Qaeda. In recent years, when attacks or even wars occur, Muslims are usually involved. The majority of Muslims may be peaceful and reject terror, but those who detonate bombs and shoot rockets make the headlines. After all, the USA was also affected. One could even speculate that the September 11 attacks were the trigger for the subsequent conflicts. The USA struck back, which is understandable, but it also helped to create the monster against which air strikes are now being flown. The different positions of the Americans and Europeans are also clear from the different positions in the Iraq war. But – in for a penny, in for a pound. Of course, the USA is the Germans’ most important ally and both nations are forced to get their act together. The Germans perhaps a little more than the Americans, as one could conclude from the way the phone tapping affair involving members of the government was handled.
Different value systems – Be prepared
These examples clearly show that, despite the close cooperation between the two nations, very different value systems prevail. This is of course also true in business, where the approaches are sometimes very different. For this reason, intercultural training in the USA is both a necessary and a very smart investment when dealing with Americans. Whether in the country itself or virtually. “Be prepared” – the motto of the Boy Scouts has an essential meaning here too. Follow this call for the benefit of your company and your own performance.
