I then told them that if the audience been American, I was sure the response would have been different. Chances are that many Americans would have found the characteristics listed under Bush preferable to those listed under Blix.

Let’s look at this a little closer. An American, describing Blix might see him as indecisive rather than patient, too picky instead of thorough, dull rather than calm and lacking nerve rather than cautious.

On the other hand an American might describe Bush not as impatient, but daring to take a stand, as a strong leader rather than power hungry, patriotic and proud rather than nationalistic, and inspiring rather than theatrical.

The point is that most of us don’t realize how the way we act and what we do may look from other perspectives. Underlying values and beliefs color our actions, as well as our interpretation of what others do and how they do it. Because of this, we are often surprised to find out that someone from another culture completely misunderstands us.

In the current political climate, where the dirt is flying in every direction and the division between Europe and the U.S. has been growing, it would be helpful for all of us to take a deep breath and try to understand what the other side sees. If we are willing to look and listen we can probably find that many explanations can be found in our cultural differences. And it certainly would behoove politicians around the world to brush up in this area as well.

The examples of overlooked cultural cues are many. IKEA originally tried to sell sheets in Swedish sizes to their U.S. customers. Unfortunately they did not fit the thick American mattresses. The introduction of the Chevy Nova in Mexico is a classic example of lack of information -”no va” means “it doesn’t go” in Spanish! A German food manufacturer wanted to sell potato salad made with sliced potatoes in Canada. It met with little success because the Canadians expected potato salad to be made with cubed potatoes. All these could have been avoided by checking with (and listening to) those with a thorough understanding of the culture.

In a recent seminar for a group of Swedes and Americans, I asked, “what do you think is most important when buying a car?” To last a long time, be safe and good gas mileage were the top concerns for the Swedes. Not so for the Americans. They chose appearance, a good deal, comfort &”extras” as their top three. If we are going to sell cars in the U.S., we obviously will need a different approach than we would in Sweden.

A few suggestions for successful marketing in the United States: ·

1. Don’t assume that you know the best way because you have been successful in other markets. ·
2. Get expert advice from someone who understands the culture and the market from the inside. ·
3. Remember the size and diversity of the U.S. What works in California may not work in Texas or New York. ·
4. Think of marketing as an investment, not an expense. ·
5. If you get an unexpectedly big order, be sure that you have the staff and resources available to fill it on time. ·
6. The “customer is king” and expects to get what he wants when he wants it.

The concept of lagom colors Swedish attitudes and beliefs and is used in all possible contexts. For Americans, who strive for that which is biggest, most and best, and for whom “the sky is the limit”, the Swedish desire for lagom often seems very limiting.

If the basic belief is, “lagom is best”, it is not difficult to understand the Swedes’ lack of appreciation of anything that appears to be excessive. So, what happens when the Swedish lagom approach encounters the American attitude, which often thrives on pushing the limits?

One example, frequently mentioned by Swedes in the U.S., relates to how to prepare a resume. Most career counselors in the U.S. reccommend making accomplishments sound as impressive as possible in order to make the job seeker stand out from other applicants. To the Swede, for whom anything that feels like an exaggeration is uncomfortable, the resume is usually a factual account of experiences and skills. As a result, the resume by the Swede, although accurate, may appear less than impressive when compared with a resume by an American with the same qualifications. Both the Swede and the American will benefit by being aware of this and by making appropriate adjustments.

The value of lagom, if you consult a Swede, is indisputable; it does after all keep things from getting too extreme. It also offers a comfortable guideline for conducting one’s life. However, from an American perspective, lagom often seems less than ideal. How can you excel if your aspirations must be held in check? Why should you settle for less if you don’t have to.

Lagom may be a little word, but its impact can be great. Whether you believe that it represents an ideal rule for living – that lagom is indeed best, or see it as an obstacle to reaching greatness, one thing seems clear – for Swedes living in the U.S., the best policy may be to be lagom lagom! And for the American who wants to impress a Swede, cutting back on the superlatives is not a bad idea.