Britain, as movie star Gwyneth Paltrow will attest, can be somewhat of an acquired taste. The actress has aired some of her grievances about the UK in this month’s US edition of woman’s magazine, Marie Claire.
Dirty streets, cold and damp weather and “rubbish” customer services are her main gripes. Fair enough Gwyneth, it’s my homeland but I can only agree. It’s nice to hear though, that after years of finding Britain "cold and depressing", she says she’s now grown to like it.
I think Britain does take some getting to like. We’re a strange bunch, awash with foibles and full of contradictions. Reserved and understated one moment, brash and bolshie the next. There’s nothing we love more than to moan about our country, but secretly we adore its peculiar qualities. What may not be immediately obvious to outsiders is often what’s most enjoyable about the UK. I imagine that’s true for many countries, but Britain can sometimes be exasperating unassuming!
This can catch even the most Anglophile of transatlantic visitors off-guard. Travel to anywhere else in Europe and its taken as read that things will be different. And, though Americans don’t expect the UK to be the same as back home, our shared tongue lends a false sense of security. (The same goes for we Brits heading the other way.)
The reality is that British culture is as different to American culture as it is to any other in Europe. Even living in another country for a long time can fail to erode one’s intercultural incomprehension. I was in New York for over a year, but never got my head around the average US supermarket. The range of food available in a French store, though impenetrably labelled, somehow makes far more sense to me.
So, within Gwyneth’s experience, there is a lesson for all of us who are involved in transatlantic business: never underestimate the cultural divide between any two nations or how long it will take to cross it.
Frankly, language has nothing to do with it. Almost because communication is made easier, our preparation for change is reduced. The answer, as ever, is to ask a native. What does this mean? Why do you do that? Who are those for? How on earth do live without this?
If your business is contemplating transatlantic expansion, be sure to seek out support from those that can understand where you’re coming from and where you’re going to. As much as you might need multi-lingual assistance elsewhere, a cultural translator is a real advantage between the US and UK.
