The Difference Between American and Russian Cultures in Business
Meetings and Teamwork
In Russia, meetings are formal, serious gatherings, and casual behavior is considered a sign of disrespect. Decisions are usually made in advance, either one on one (в частном порядке) or in small groups of decision-makers (те, кто принимает решения), with meetings held solely to share information and give direction. In contrast, in the United States meetings are slightly less formal, with participants interacting casually and frequently debating and discussing issues. Russian businesspeople value (ценят) personal relationships and trust, and tend to be suspicious (относиться подозрительно) of strangers. As a result, they usually work in small teams where people know each other well. Instead of forming a new team for each project, these teams often work together regularly. By contrast, in America teams are often created on a project basis, and the participants frequently have not previously met.
