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A Brit shared 7 ‘uncomfortable truths’ about the differences between the UK and US and of all the responses Dom Joly surely said it best
Few topics get people as riled up as discussing the differences between UK and US culture – especially when it comes to business and working.
Scottish-born copywriter Thomas Hornall recently spent time working in the US, and shared some opinions on Twitter/X about the big differences he noticed between American and British business culture.
And it’s fair to say the UK side of the equation didn’t come out too well from the comparison.
Here’s how he introduced it.
I’m British.
I recently spent 10 days in the USA for business.
And discovered the ocean between us isn’t water.
It’s mindset.
7 uncomfortable truths about US v UK culture: pic.twitter.com/ZsVK1PAxKi
— Thomas Hornall (@Thomashornall) December 10, 2024
And those seven points in full!
1.
1) Financial Openness:
Americans freely discuss salary, deals and revenue.
Brits are guarded and awkward on money matters.
— Thomas Hornall (@Thomashornall) December 10, 2024
2.
2) Belief In Possibility
Discuss big plans in America: “Why not!?”
In the UK: “Why bother?”
One culture expands, the other stifles.
— Thomas Hornall (@Thomashornall) December 10, 2024
3.
3) Rising Tide Mentality
Americans celebrate wins with genuine infectious enthusiasm.
It’s all: “LET’S GOs” high-fives, celebrations.
Brits tut, cringe with impotent envy, and think “who does he think he is!?”
One attitude lifts all boats. The other sinks them.
— Thomas Hornall (@Thomashornall) December 10, 2024
4.
4) Learning Focus
Every win shared triggered rapid-fire questions:
• “What worked?”
• “How’d you do it?”
• “Can you teach me?”Americans study success. Brits suspect it.
— Thomas Hornall (@Thomashornall) December 10, 2024
5.
5) Risk Tolerance
“Failure” in America’s proof you took a big swing and missed … this time.
In the UK, it’s like a generational stain we try scrubbing off quietly behind closed doors.
No wonder America scales while Britain stagnates pic.twitter.com/apQem5yACl
— Thomas Hornall (@Thomashornall) December 10, 2024
6.
6) Speed of Execution
US: “Let’s make it happen”
Jump on a call. Refer through networks. Action-first mentality.
UK: “Let’s be realistic”.
List all problems first. Worst-case scenarios. Every reason NOT to try.
They ship while we shuffle.
— Thomas Hornall (@Thomashornall) December 10, 2024
7.
7) Follow The Money
Britain will lose nearly 10,000 millionaires this year.
The US is forecast to gain nearly 4,000.
Capital flows where it’s respected, not resented.
— Thomas Hornall (@Thomashornall) December 10, 2024
And he left this final thought.
The cost of British cynicism:
• Our markets shrink while theirs grow
• Our talent leaves while theirs arrives
• Our companies stay small while theirs scale
_________________________Parting thought from @AlanJLSmith
“The next 4 years are going to be the biggest A/B split…
— Thomas Hornall (@Thomashornall) December 10, 2024
Thomas’ post went mega-viral this week and provoked a range of responses, many from people who wholeheartedly agreed with it.
1.
Thoroughly enjoyed these truths brought up by @Thomashornall, having lived in the US for nearly 3 years and operating Work in both UK & FRANCE, these couldn’t be more spot on. https://t.co/pZyB5LC1I6
— Fernando’s Horses (@Fernandolaffon) December 10, 2024
2.
Something I’ve said since I moved to the US in 2002. They’re more positive and supportive, and they get paid vastly more https://t.co/qJSOd3RXa8
— Adam Murray (@UrbanaAdam) December 10, 2024
3.
I agree with all except salary. I don’t think Americans are generally open about that. https://t.co/w9yrWKmjkG
— joyce b (@joycebyers77) December 10, 2024
4..
Moved to NYC back in July after spending a lot of time here the last two years. All of your observations are accurate.
There are people and places in the UK that I’ll always love, but it’s not a place for the ambitious. It hasn’t been for a long time.
— Tom Firth (@tdfirth) December 11, 2024
5.
As I’ve said before, all Americans descend from an ancestor that said, “F-it!” sold their belongings, threw caution to the wind, and started life over on the other side of the planet. The reverse is true of Europeans.
Optimism and entrepreneurial spirit are in our DNA.
— XDex9 (@XDex91) December 10, 2024
6.
As someone with American family and who spent considerable time there, I agree with about 92% of this.
Very astute observations. Us Brits hold ourselves back. https://t.co/pN2H9p7yjL
— Michael Stephens (@MikeRStephens) December 10, 2024
7.
Totally agree with all of this! But America would truly be great if they had pubs, roundabouts, and Greggs.
— Robert Bye (@RobertJBye) December 11, 2024
8.
I mean, he’s right. British people – for example – find this kind of hustle mindset thread, filled with banal nostrums, https://t.co/8fZyx1cOgs
— Godspeed You Black Tamperer (ft Maya) (@twlldun) December 11, 2024
9.
As an American that lived 15 years in London I feel that a lot of this is true. I don’t think it’s very healthy for either side. https://t.co/xlEMhNdsu1
— Chris Atwood (@freqflyer) December 10, 2024
But there were also plenty of people saying this. Not all Brits, just most of them. Okay, all Brits then.
This sounds absolutely fucking exhausting. I’ll stick with tutting and suspicion. https://t.co/kUAc03WcB9
— Jake. (@JakeAlex92) December 10, 2024
“I spent 10 days in a country working with a homogenous group of dorks just like me and now I know everything about that country” go away https://t.co/dMyvHb05nn
— adrian (@crawf34) December 11, 2024
In 2021, the most recent year for which complete data is available, 48,830 people died from gun-related injuries in the U.S., according to the CDC. There were 602 homicides in England and Wales in 2021/22, 28 by firearms. Just saying.
— Ramsay Millar (@MillarRamsay) December 10, 2024
I’ll no be taking mindset lessons from anyone who thinks wearing Crocs oot for dinner is in any way acceptable https://t.co/B8jGBks77W
— Georgios Stepharas (@chibchenko) December 11, 2024
To quote a great American https://t.co/ws9p7Oe3z9 pic.twitter.com/FFQ7vbALPb
— James Harris (@JamesHarrisNow) December 11, 2024
But surely the best response came from Dom Joly.
A list of all the reasons I’m proud to be British https://t.co/7qJBlFVGvO
— Dom Joly (@domjoly) December 12, 2024
Nailed it!
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Source: Twitter/X/Thomashornall