Americans expect the initial parts of a deliverable as quickly as possible. A partial deliverable early often meets the needs better than the complete product later. Speed beats completeness.
Follow-up
In the U.S. follow-up is frequent. Americans enter into many agreements and on a constant basis. Follow-up is how they maintain a common understanding of the status of those agreements.
Risk
Historically America has always had generous margins of error: resource rich, protected by two oceans, two neighbors posing no threat. Mistakes were seldom costly. Risk-taking often paid off. Americans take risks.
Time
In the U.S. an imperfect but fast decision is often preferred over a perfect but slow decision. Imperfect decisions can be corrected. For Americans speed is always of the essence.
Scores
Feedback scores are most effective when they are accurate and realistic enough, but also motivating. When in doubt, Americans are inflationary. The school grading system is: A is excellent; B is very good; C is good; D is unsatisfactory; F is failure.
Discretion
Sensitive feedback discussions in the U.S. business context are almost always done in one-to-one talks. Discretion is highly important. There is very low tolerance for open criticism of colleagues in the presence of the team.
Lines of Communication
Because Americans, those leading as well as those being led, prefer specific, command oriented tasks (both what and how), they maintain shorter lines of communication: more interaction, status meetings, iteration on tactical issues.
Inform vs. Sell
In the U.S. business world to persuade means to sell persuasively. Persuasive argumentation leads the audience to a choice. The audience is then asked to make a decision. Americans ask the so-called closing question in a direct and frontal way. Americans sell.
Past vs. Future
For Americans to be realistic means understanding what is possible. The possible is determined not only by past and present circumstances, but also by the ability to shape a new future. Persuasive is explaining how to move from the present into the future.
No
A no in the American context is more the exception than the rule. Americans pride themselves on being can-do people. They feel uncomfortable saying no. They couch their no in affirmative words.