While working in America, there was a period when I was very resentful.
I do more.
Stay later.
Get more work.
But people are more trusted
Given more opportunities
Get promoted faster…
Not me again.
At that time I really thought:
“Maybe I’m not good enough.”
Only later did I understand…
👉 It’s not that I’m bad.
👉 I just don’t understand hidden law when working in the US.
And these rules… no one taught me when I went to school.
1. Law of “Visibility” – Hard work is not enough. You need to be seen.
In America, doing well does not guarantee victory.
Knowing how to let others see how good you are is the only way to win.
Don’t just put your head down and do it
You must report progress
You must say what you are doing
You must show people the value you create.
Not showing off.
It’s for others to know
you are making progress, you are creating value
Silence is not humility.
👉 Here, silence = invisible.
2. Law “Confidence > Competence” – Confidence > Capacity
Two people of equal skill.
Person A: speaks clearly, looks straight into the other person’s eyes,
Answer decisively, exuding confidence
Person B: speaks softly, stammers,
Apologize constantly, always afraid of being wrong
👉 Person A is almost always rated higher.
👉 In America, how you express yourself
is how others evaluate you.
Confident behavior is not an “innate personality”.
But it is a skill that can be learned.
👉 Learn to not be disadvantaged!
3. “If there are clear limits, then they will be respected.”
I’m a Vietnamese person – everyone who asks me nods.
Accept everything, always afraid to say “no”.
Thought that was good.
But in America,
The more you are “always available 24/7”
People despise you even more.
On the contrary, those who dare say:
“My schedule is full right now.”
“I can’t accept any more of this yet.”
Respected again.
Because they show:
Their time is valuable
Their energy is limited
👉 Here, having boundaries is valuable.
4. Law of “Small Talks” – Social talk is not meaningless
When I first came to America, I also thought:
“This social fishing machine takes too much time.”
Completely wrong.
👉 In America, trust comes first
👉 Work comes later
Job opportunities, research, letters of recommendation,…
Let’s start with very small sentences:
“How was your weekend?”
“Is there traffic jam at work today?”
“How is your family these days?”
But not:
“Let me see your CV.”
Social talk is a bridge.
👉 Learn a few social sentences to avoid being invisible.
5. Law of “Energy > IQ” – Energy is more important than intelligence quotient
There is a truth:
In America, people like to work with people who:
pleasant
positive
don’t complain
Rather than:
Good but negative
No one wants to be around “heavy energy”
all day, no matter how good that person is.
In America, ease of working comes with an advantage.
Because when it comes to layoffs, the company always keeps people who are easy to work with
Don’t keep people uncomfortable.
Please comment “yes” if you find it useful!
Dr. Christina Nguyen
Phoenix Medical Academy
