This document provides guidance on how to effectively tell your story when communicating with audiences from different cultures, like those in the United States. It notes that New Zealand business culture is perceived as lacking urgency and risk-taking compared to more entrepreneurial cultures like the United States. To improve reception, it recommends tailoring your message by providing clear benefits, using examples and evidence the audience can relate to, and presenting in a polished, professional manner similar to US styles of communication. Frequent follow up is also important to maintain the connection and transmission with overseas audiences.

1. How to Tell Your Story
In the US
Rob Wishnowsky
Chicago, October 6, 2009
© Cruxio, Inc. 2009 Cruxio ‐ the crux of the story (SM)

2. Degree of Difference?
Image & Identity
Concept of Success
Communication
Doing Business
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Very Small Very Large

3. Nielson Research, 2006
New Zealand is not telling its story
well enough or in a way that
resonates with USA or UK business.
Source: AC Nielson Summary of Findings, based on research conducted for NZTE Aug-Sept, 2006

4. Transmission strength?

5. Transmission frequency?

6. Tuned between stations?

7. Cultural disadvantage

8. Differences in Transmission
Implications for Reception
Changing Your Broadcast

9. Image and Identity
Regional

10. Image and Identity
Confederacy, 1861-1865
Seceded States
States & Territories Claimed by the CSA
Regional

11. Image and Identity
Regional

12. Image and Identity
Globally: the model

13. Image and Identity
Self‐Made Achievers

14. Image and Identity
National

15. Image and Identity
National

16. Image and Identity
Quiet Achiever

17. Image and Identity
Self‐Effacing

18. Image and Identity
My work is functional
and reasonably strong
and ok in both the
microwave & dishwasher.
Self‐Effacing

19. Image and Identity
Symbolic

20. Image and Identity
Symbolic

21. Image and Identity
Symbolic

22. Image and Identity
Symbolic

23. Image and Identity
Symbolic

24. Image and Identity
Symbolic

25. Image and Identity
Symbolic

26. Concepts of Success
CEOs' Pay
(as multiple of the average worker's pay)
600x
500x
400x
300x
200x
100x
’60 ’65 ’75 ’85 ’95 ’05
Winners & Losers
Source: Prof. W. Dornhoff, UC, Santa Cruz

27. Concepts of Success
% Share of Capital Income
60 Top 1%
50
40
30
20
10 Bottom 80%
1979 1983 1993 2003
Winners & Losers
Source: Prof. W. Dornhoff, UC, Santa Cruz

28. Concepts of Success
Families are not going
broke over lattes.
Families are going
broke over mortgages.
Elizabeth Warren (2003)
Symbols of Wealth

29. Concepts of Success
Symbols of Wealth

30. Concepts of Success
Status & Network

31. Concepts of Success
Lifestyle

32. Concepts of Success
Lifestyle

33. Concepts of Success
Lifestyle

34. Concepts of Success
Family

35. Concepts of Success
Fair Play
Source: The Marlborough Express

36. Concepts of Success
CEOs' Pay
(as multiple of the average worker's pay)
600x
500x
400x
300x
200x
Paul Reynolds
100x
’60 ’65 ’75 ’85 ’95 ’05
Fair Play
Source: Prof. W. Dornhoff, UC, Santa Cruz and Statistics New Zealand, June 2008 Data

37. Concepts of Success
Experiences

38. Concepts of Success
Experiences

39. Concepts of Success
ka nui tēnā
That’s enough; that is sufficient
Life Balance

40. Communication
Regional Variance

41. Communication
Assertiveness Ratings
(Anglo Cluster)
S. Africa 8
US 10
Australia 22
England 29
Ireland 41
NZ 60
3.0 3.5 4.0 4.5 5.0
Assertive
Source: Culture and Leadership Across the World, The GLOBE Book of In-Depth Studies, 2007

42. Communication
The Surface Matters

43. Communication
The Surface Matters

44. Communication
The Surface Matters

45. Communication
The Surface Matters

46. Communication
Caught & Taught

47. Communication
Performance is prized

48. Communication
Confident, Articulate

49. Communication
Loud, Proud

50. Communication
Big, Bright, Bold

51. Communication
Big, Bright, Bold
image © Betielle / Wikimedia Commons

52. Communication
Big, Bright, Bold

53. Communication
Warts & All

54. Communication
Few are Taught

55. Communication
New Zealanders don’t
resent success; what we do
despise, and will cut down
to size, is the braggart and
the show‐off.
Tall Poppies
Source: Culture and Leadership Across the World, The GLOBE Book of In-Depth Studies, 2007

56. Communication
New Zealanders don’t
resent success; what we do
despise, and will cut down
to size, is the braggart and
the show‐off.
Soft‐spoken; laid back

57. Communication
Inarticulate

58. Communication
Performance is risky

59. Communication
a bit of a problem
Understated

60. Communication
Understated

61. Communication
Understated

62. Doing Business
Specialization

63. Doing Business
Silos & Complexity

64. Doing Business
Food Expenditure Away from Home
($Billion)
49%
400
Average person 205x/yr
300
200
100
37%
25% 0
1956 1966 1976 1986 1996 2006
Service
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service, as cited by naturalresourcereport.com

65. Doing Business
Food Expenditure Away from Home
($Billion)
49%
400
Average person 205x/yr
300
200
100
37%
25% 0
1956 1966 1976 1986 1996 2006
Service
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service, as cited by naturalresourcereport.com

66. Doing Business
Convenience

67. Doing Business
Competition

68. Doing Business
Competition

69. Doing Business
Credentials

70. Doing Business
Credentials

71. Doing Business
Network (credentials)

72. Doing Business
Generalists (DIY)

73. Doing Business
Inventors
image © Alex Proimos / Wikimedia Commons

74. Doing Business
Accessible

75. Differences in Transmission
Implications for Reception
Changing Your Broadcast

76. ISTJ ISFJ INFJ INTJ
ISTP ISFP INTP INTP
ESTP ESFP ENFP ENTP
ESTJ ESFJ ENFJ ENTJ

77. ISTJ ISFJ INFJ INTJ
32.1% 15.8%
ISTP ISFP INTP INTP
ESTP ESFP ENFP ENTP
5.3%
ESTJ ESFJ ENFJ ENTJ
28.0% 9.4%
Among Executives Σ 90.6% Source: Type Talk at Work

78. ISTJ ISFJ INFJ INTJ
ISTP ISFP INTP INTP
ESTP ESFP ENFP ENTP
ESTJ ESFJ ENFJ ENTJ

80. Truth
x0.5=25% x2=400%
...Really! 50% ...Really?
200%

81. Pity… I’m
looking for
outstanding.
Oh, yeah, our
technology’s
pretty good.

82. Research Findings: Culture
US Work to secure capital gain for self
Finance is important; money end in itself
Benchmark of success: capital gain
NZ Work for income or passion
Values are important; money means to end
Benchmark of success: family & quality of life
Source: AC Nielson Summary of Findings, based on research conducted for NZTE Aug-Sept, 2006

83. Research Findings: Values
US Entrepreneurial attitude
Value individual wealth creation
Highly competitive; eye for opportunity & $
NZ Small business attitude
Value independence & self-reliance (cant let go)
Highly lifestyle driven; modest aspirations
Source: AC Nielson Summary of Findings, based on research conducted for NZTE Aug-Sept, 2006

84. In a Word
US The Entrepreneur
NZ The Lifestyler or Inventor
Source: AC Nielson Summary of Findings, based on research conducted for NZTE Aug-Sept, 2006

85. Entrepreneurship Education
US >2000
NZ 2
Source: Professor Howard Frederick, Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia

86. How NZ Business is Perceived
Lacks hunger
Source: AC Nielson Summary of Findings, based on research conducted for NZTE Aug-Sept, 2006

87. How NZ Business is Perceived
Lacks sense of urgency
Source: AC Nielson Summary of Findings, based on research conducted for NZTE Aug-Sept, 2006

88. How NZ Business is Perceived
Often seen as complacent
and risk averse
Source: AC Nielson Summary of Findings, based on research conducted for NZTE Aug-Sept, 2006

89. How NZ Business is Perceived
People are self-deprecating and
this does not win NZ any favours.
Sources: AC Nielson Summary of Findings, based on research conducted for NZTE Aug-Sept, 2006; Dr. Jodyanne Kirkwood, Otago University

90. How NZ Business is Perceived
…admire in themselves some of the
very things other lament:
Modest aspirations
Sources: AC Nielson Summary of Findings, based on research conducted for NZTE Aug-Sept, 2006; Dr. Jodyanne Kirkwood, Otago University

91. How NZ Business is Perceived
The US tends to romanticize NZ...
As long as NZ businesses are willing
to learn & open to being coached,
Americans are willing to ‘show them
the ropes.’
Source: AC Nielson Summary of Findings, based on research conducted for NZTE Aug-Sept, 2006

92. How NZ Business is Perceived
In short, NZ has a business culture
which is perceived to be high in
human values and low in
business acumen.
Source: AC Nielson Summary of Findings, based on research conducted for NZTE Aug-Sept, 2006

93. Differences in Transmission
Implications for Reception
Changing Your Broadcast

94. Arrogant
skite!
Hype and
nonsense!
Eliminate the static

95. People root for
Oh, well, y’know, we
the underdog
thought we’d give it
and warm to
a bit of a go… and
humility.
here we are!
Eliminate the static

96. I am not like
you, and I don’t
Good as gold, Mate! ever want to be
like you.
Eliminate the static

97. I am being
Yeah, well, I know
honest and
this looks a bit rough
transparent.
around the edges,
but here’s the idea…
Eliminate the static

98. They need to
New Zealand’s got a
know that we
lot going for it, and I
can execute
can be here 3 or 4
from NZ.
times a year…
Eliminate the static

99. Your presentation is a signal
About you!

100. The 5 Basics
1. Clear Point?
2. Clear Benefit?
3. Clear Flow?
4. Uncomplicated?
5. Right length?

101. The 5 Magic Elements
1. Engage immediately?
2. Bite-size scenes (stories)?
3. Explain through metaphor?
4. Provide credible evidence?
5. Professional (US) polish?

102. It’s hard work (not an afterthought)

103. We must adjust (not our audience)
Image & Identity
Concept of Success
Communication
Doing Business
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Very Small Very Large

104. Powerful transmission (presentation)

105. On the right frequency (theirs)

106. That they’ll tune to (their win)

107. Stay on the air (follow up)