GD9 CTW fileÒ  Business 01, â As human beings, our perception of time has grown out of a natural series of rhythms that are linked to daily, monthly, and yearly cycles. No matter how much we live by our wristwatches, our bodies and our lives will always be somewhat influenced by an internal clock. What is of even greater interest, however, are our perceptions of our usage of time. Rhythm and tempo are ways we relate to time, and both are discerning features of a culture. In some cultures, folks move very slowly; in others, they move quickly as the norm. Mixing the two types may cause uneasiness. People may have trouble relating to each other because they are not in synchrony. To be synchronized with another person is to move in step with the person. In general, Americans move at a fast tempo, although there are regional exceptions. In business meetings, people tend to be impatient and want to resolve issues quickly. They have been taught that it is best to come to the point quickly and avoid vagueness. Because American business works in a short time frame, prompt results are often of more interest than building lasting relationships. Time is the basic organizing system for events. Lead time varies quite a bit from one culture to the next. When you conduct business with people of other cultures, you must know just how much advance time is required for each event. For instance, many corporate executives schedule their time months in advance. They may consider requests at the last minute as poor planning.