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DIRECT IS BEST

Americans do not understand people who seem to be friendly
and say "yes" a lot just because it is expected in a business
situation. If you are friendly, seem to agree about many things, and
business discussions have gone well, Americans will think that
you have reached an agreement. If you then go back to your
country and decide that you cannot agree to certain points after all,
an American will feel betrayed. Americans are more comfortable
with conflict, and even outright aggression, than they are with
what they see as dishonesty.
The general American attitude to work and to any problems
that arise at work is a confident, we-can-do-it spirit, and they
generally expect this same attitude from anyone they work with.
The American workplace is also highly competitive, an attitude
that is encouraged early on in children and young people through
the competitive nature of American schools, sports, and other
activities.

TOUCHY, TOUCHY

If you think about it, it's logical that since Americans like
being direct and honest, they don't like jokes that insult people. In
other cultures, mild insults are just part of social joking; in the
United States, people take such comments seriously and get
offended. They do not like to be embarrassed in public, so don't
play any jokes on anyone unless you know that person very, very
well.

HAVE A NICE DAY

Most people who work in the service industries (restaurants,
hotels, shops) are expected to do their jobs with a positive and
friendly attitude. This may come across as somewhat false to some
people, who find all those cheery "Hi, theres" and "Have a nice
days" a bit annoying. But it is better than getting service with a