German colleagues often prefer to establish what happened before discussing what it means. Description first, interpretation second. This sequence prevents conclusions from distorting observations.
In a project review, first document what occurred—what was delivered, when, at what quality. Then evaluate performance and discuss implications. Rushing to judgment before establishing facts may seem hasty or biased.
This discipline applies to giving feedback, analyzing problems, and making decisions. It does not mean evaluation is avoided—evaluation matters—but evaluation should follow rather than replace clear description. When receiving communication from German colleagues, notice this structure. They may spend more time than you expect on establishing facts before moving to assessment.
This thoroughness on description produces better-grounded evaluations. Germany Communication
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