About

There are differences between cultures. The differences are in foundational areas. The difference influence collaboration within and between multinational teams.

Colleagues improve collaboration by addressing three questions:

Where do we differ in how we think, therefore in how we work? | What influence do the differences have on our collaboration? | How can we get the differences to work for, and not against, our collaboration?

We at UC address the first question. That’s our expertise. Colleagues in multinational teams address the second and third questions. With their tools. In their forums. Behind their firewalls. That’s their expertise.

Parked

You are colleagues. In a multinational team. Experiencing cultural differences. Convert the differences from a weakness into a strength. By addressing three questions:

Where do we differ in how we think, therefore in how we work? | What influence do the differences have on our collaboration? | How can we get the differences to work for, and not against, our collaboration?

We address the first question. That’s our expertise. You and your colleagues address the second and third questions. With your tools. In your forums. Behind your firewalls. That’s your expertise.

Let’s begin with Germany, the United States, and ten foundational topics.

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Welcome

We help colleagues. In multinational teams. To collaborate better. By explaining culture. Beginning with Germany, the United States, and ten foundational topics.

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Chief Slowdown Officer

Lex Fridman interviews Jeff Bezos about making decisions:

YouTube comments:

“I think this is very liberating for perfectionists, most decisions are not permanent and you can pick another door if necessary, if they are one way door decisions then you can allow for some perfectionism.”

“I’m the same age as Bezos. Also studied engineering and moved into management. What he’s talking about is, basically, exactly what we were taught in our control systems engineering classes back at university. Almost all engineer managers of our age group say the same thing.”

“I think everyone fails to understand the message of this discussion. It’s not about decision-making mechanisms, it’s about truth-seeking and the idea that no matter what the debate is about the objective should always be to try to get as close as possible to the truth to make the decision that resembles closest to the truth. That’s the whole point of this conversation, to leave the ego aside and search for truth.”

Nature of the Problem

H.R. McMaster, February 2017 until April 2018 National Security Advisor under President Donald Trump, describes how critical it was at the beginning of his tenure to get clarity on scope. Listen to minutes 3:00 to 4:15 about “the nature of the problem”, and about “framing out the problem”:

McMaster earned an M.A. and a Ph.D. in History, both from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He turned his dissertation on the strategy of the U.S. in the Vietnam War into his book entitled Dereliction of Duty.

Message vs. Messenger

Germany

Germans separate message from messenger. The presenter consciously and purposely moves into the background. In the German business context the message takes center stage. Germans believe that “arguments should speak for themselves.”

Patterns

United States

Americans link message and messenger. The message, its form, and most importantly its presenter create a unity. In the U.S. business context the presenter takes center stage. Americans believe that “you sell yourself first, then your product or service.”

Patterns

Inform vs. Sell

Germany

In the German business world to persuade means to inform persuasively. The argumentation guides an audience to its logical conclusion. Selling the conclusion is not necessary. Germans don’t ask the so-called closing question in a direct and frontal way. They don’t sell.

Patterns

United States

In the U.S. business world to persuade means to sell persuasively. Persuasive argumentation leads the audience to a choice. The audience is then asked to make a decision. Americans ask the so-called closing question in a direct and frontal way. They sell.

Patterns