German professional development insists that effective expertise requires both theoretical understanding and practical skill, developed together. Theory without practice produces analyses that can’t be implemented. Practice without theory produces skills that can’t be explained or adapted.
This is why the German dual education system has apprentices learning theory in school and practice in workplaces simultaneously. Engineers must understand both principles and applications. Physicians must know both science and clinical practice.
When working with Germans, expect questions that probe both dimensions. Can you explain the principle behind your approach? Can you demonstrate that it actually works? Credibility requires both—hand-waving about theoretical foundations undermines practical proposals, and untested theories don’t impress either. Bring both dimensions to the table.
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