Lessons learned from the USA

I'm always amazed by the attitudes of people in the US - we could do with some of that positivity over here!

This week I am really suffering in the name of my work by sitting writing this on my hotel room balcony in Arizona in 38-degree heat.

Well, someone has to take one for the team. It is a tough call sometimes.

I am attending this year's CompTIA ChannelCon at the Marriott Desert Ridge resort in Phoenix, and as ever with the Americans, everything is done with just that little bit more enthusiasm than anywhere else.

Since taking over the Channelnomics brand as well, I am learning quite a lot about the American approach to all things business, and it is certainly different.

While the British are reserved, self-effacing and quite often self-deprecating, the Americans are often the opposite - confident, keen to share their viewpoints, and very very positive. I can understand their inherant desire to whoop along with things quite often. It is just an inbuilt mechanism going back to their Spring Break days - and good on them!

I have a number of meetings plumbed in while I am over here, and I am sure I am going to be drowning in positivity - but that certainly isn't a bad thing.

There seems to be more openness to actually attending face-to-face events over here, despite the considerable distances travelled to achieve that, with business leaders realising the importance of meeting up with and speaking to peers from across the country.

They are not afraid to share ideas and be vocal about their thoughts either, unlike their more reserved British cousins.

However the one thing that the UK channel still holds the trophy for is partying - no-one can party like the UK channel. My head after the UK Channel Awards is testament to that!