Leadership Archives - understand-culture

Consensus via Dialogue

Precisely because it is so important to Germans to work in an independent, self-managing way, and because they usually have a clear picture in their mind of what the end result should look like, it is critical that customer and supplier reach as high a level of consensus as possible about what is to be achieved and how. All too often, however, the supplier simply asks for an okay from the customer about certain details.

When the details of collaboration need to be worked out, then colleagues from both sides sit down together and discuss them. Germans strive to work in integrated ways, including work processes. German customers and suppliers do their best to work as partners.

To clarify details is to address the how, whether it be a technical matter, how a given process is interpreted and lived, or how the organization is structured. Germans place great importance on clarifying as many details upfront as possible. They want to anticipate possible problems. Participating in and contributing to this upfront clarification process is critical to the success of customer-supplier relationships in Germany.

Abstimmen. Clarify, decide on, together; to decide based on voting; to bring things together, harmonize, agree on; to co-decide, to discuss with another person; to listen carefully and consider the other point of view, then find a joint solution; to establish consensus together.

Do it Yourself

Often German managers would rather complete a certain task themselves instead of passing it on to a team member. Many do repairs in their house, fix their cars, and some sit in their office at home until late into the night.

For those with limited financial resources, doing things yourself might be a question of economics. For others, there is a German reason: they often have a clear picture in their mind of how the final product should look. That they don‘t hand it off to a team member is not a sign of mistrust or lack of confidence.

Instead, Germans are skeptical that the other person will fully understand what is expected. By the time they have explained the task and how the final outcome should look, they most likely will have completed half of the work.

For the team member will create her own picture of the final product. Two pictures of what the work should look like. A dilemma for every customer-supplier relationship.

Critical Loyalty

Capable consultants not only provide good advice, but they also denken mit, think with. With the client about solutions, ideas, approaches to implementation. Therein lies the added value. That is why consultants are paid. Mitdenken, thinking with, however, also means thinking independently, including correcting or contradicting the customer.

A good consultant is not an order taker. Instead she knows when to challenge the customer, when to point out what is best for the customer, even when the customer does not recognize it, believe it or want to hear it.

Criticism and critique are in general positive in the German culture. To accept criticism, though, is not easy for anyone. Criticism can be interpreted as disloyalty, even though constructive criticism is in many ways the highest degree of loyalty. Criticism points out dangers, identifies ways to optimize, helps to make difficult decisions.

Germans are a direct people, including how they communicate criticism. But they also see it as their duty, as their responsibility, to point out to their colleagues, boss or customer what does not or will not work. Discreet conversations under four eyes which address critical issues is what capable consultants do. These conversations are a sign of loyalty and trust.

Kritische Loyalität. Literally critical loyalty, or loyalty which voices criticism, which address critical topics.

Strategy Modification

German Approach

Germans expect room to interpret decisions when implementing them. In certain situations Germans will deviate considerably from a decision which they, as subject matter experts, judge to be counterproductive to the mission. Examples

American Approach

Decisions which cannot work or would damage overall efforts are communicated up the chain of command by those working on the tactical level. There is very low tolerance for modifying decisions without authorization from next-level management. Examples

American View

Americans in positions of authority, indeed, do not tolerate creative implementation deviating too far from the original intent of a decision. They note with astonishment to what degree German team members modify or “revisit” their decisions. In some instances this can border on insubordination.

American team members are surprised to hear from their German team leads that they should interpret more actively the tasks assigned to them. They wonder why the team lead simply doesn‘t make that task more clear. And they are equally surprised by how freely their German colleagues interpret management decisions.

German View

German team members quite often find American decisions too rigid. They feel degraded to mere implementers, following orders, forbidden to apply their education, training and experience to ever changing parameters „on the ground.“

German leads are surprised when their American team members do not take the initiative to interpret and implement the tasks assigned to them. They appear to want those tasks to be spelled out in detail first before implementing. German team leads can get the impression that Americans are not sufficiently self-managing.

Advice to Germans

Expect your American team members to ask for approval before they diverge from your decisions or strategy. They will be less willing than their German colleagues to act independently of you on important matters.

This is not a sign that they cannot self-manage, but of respect for your authority and judgement. At the same time, encourage them to make necessary adjustments without your approval.

If you are a German with an Americn team lead be very careful about making adjustments or changes to decisions without first getting a sign-off.

Your American lead sees herself as ultimately responsible for the results of your work. Check with her first, discuss your recommendation, get permission. If your advice is good, you will be given more freedom to act independently.

Advice to Americans

Your German team members will consult you far less frequently during implementation. And they will make adjustmens, even major deviations, without getting your approval.

This is not a challenge to your authority. Discuss with your team when they need your input before deviating from your decisions or from the overall tactical plan.

If you report to a German lead, and you see the need to immediately adjust your tactical plan, do so without asking your lead for approval. Maintain forward movement. If the decision itself requires reassessment, first formulate your advice, then inform your lead of the options.

Strategy Formulation

German Approach

Germans believe that important decisions should be reached via consensus. Ideally within the entire team, but at least among its key members. Once made, those decisions are best implemented when communicated, understood, and accepted by the broader organization. Examples

American Approach

Americans believe that important decisions should be made by the team lead. Ideally with input from key members of the team. Once made, those decisions are best implemented when communicated and understood by the broader organisation. Examples

American View

The German pursuit for consensus on strategy and important decisions rarely succeeds. Inevitably it requires too much time, or the internal debate never ends, or worse, a suboptimal strategy is chosen in order to please as many interests as possible. Leadership by consensus is a contradiction in terms.

German View

Input is sought only from selected members of the management team. These, together with perhaps other trusted colleagues who may not be directly involved, form a kind of „kitchen cabinet.“ There is low tolerance for open discussion and debate about important issues within the entire management team.

Advice to Germans

From the point of view of your American team members you are expected (and paid) to make decisions, especially strategic ones. Request and take seriously input from your direct reports. But in the end, you decide, you take responsibility. Americans expect you to lead from the front, not from the middle, and certainly not from the back.

If your American lead neither builds consensus nor consults your opinion, choose wisely the time and place to request a one-on-one talk. Don‘t insist that your opinion be considered on important decision or strategic issues.

And certainly do not hint that he/she does not listen. Finessefully lead your manager to the conclusion that your viewpoint could be of value to his/her thinking. If it does have value, you will be consulted, and more often than you expect.

Advice to Americans

Regardless of how clear you are in your strategic thinking, and how confident you are in your decisions, if you don‘t get the buy-in from your German direct reports (or the wider German organization), they will be neither able nor willing (or both) to implement them.

At the same time, let them know when the point has been reached for you to decide. Germans, too, see the downside of exaggerated consensus building.

Welcome your German lead‘s invitation to influence decisions and strategy. But do not misinterpret it as a strategy or leadership void.

And be careful. Your Advice might be accepted. If accepted, be prepared to remain involved and to carry part of the responsibility for your strategic input.

Strategy Formulation

Lines of Communication

Because Americans, those leading as well as those being led, prefer specific, command oriented tasks (both what and how), they maintain shorter lines of communication: more interaction, status meetings, iteration on tactical issues. Examples

Strategy Modification

Decisions which cannot work or would damage overall efforts are communicated up the chain of command by those working on the tactical level. There is very low tolerance in the U.S. for modifying decisions without authorization from next-level management. Examples

Lines of Communication

German Approach

Because Germans, those leading as well as those being led, prefer generally formulated, mission oriented tasks (more what, less how), they maintain longer lines of communication: less interaction, fewer status meetings, fewer iterations on tactical issues. Examples

American Approach

American View

German team leads undercommunicate. “Face time” with the boss is in short supply. It becomes difficult to know, understand, or predict what the lead wants. It requires unnecessary guesswork, can be demotivating, and in most cases is seen as a lack of involvement.

German View

American leads overcommunicate. “Visiting the troops” and „management by walking around“ is interpreted as unwarranted and annoying supervision and control. It is distracting, demotivating, and in many cases viewed as a sign of mistrust.

Advice to Germans

Manage more like a player-coach versus a teacher-coach. Stay engaged with your people on the tactical level. You need not become overly prescriptive. You need not „change into your uniform and get onto the field“, but at a minimum stay involved as their coach.

Increase your communication with the team by 50%: staff meetings, phone calls, „drop by and say hello“. You won‘t feel comfortable doing it. You‘ll think it‘s a waste of time. You‘ll fear it will distract, or even unsettle, your team. It won‘t do any of they things. You won‘t succeed without shorter lines of communication.

Your American boss overcommunicates? It is not a sign of mistrust. On the contrary, you should worry about your performance if you see and hear less and less from your American lead!

The higher the level of communication, the more relevant your work, the more important you are for the success of the team. Enjoy the interaction. Engage with your team lead. You can exert influence on strategy and important decisions.

Advice to Americans

You lead Germans? Reduce your communication by 50%. You won‘t like it. You‘ll feel deprived of the key tool in managing your team. You‘ll wonder what to do with your time.

Focus on the broader strategic issues which can positively or negatively impact on your team. Remove roadblocks to their success. And, use the time to protect your team from those constant internal turf-battles so famous within German companies.

Your German boss undercommunicates? Experiencing „face time withdrawal“? It is not an indication that you have a problem, in fact, it‘s the exact opposite!

Your German lead is communicating with you. The message is: „Hey, you‘re doing a great job. I can leave you alone. I spend my time on the problems, not on the areas which are working. Keep up the good work. Maybe we‘ll bump into each other some time!“

Strategy and Tactics

German Approach

Germans, those leading as well as those being led, prefer generally formulated, mission oriented tasks. The task addresses more the what and less the how. Responsibilitiy for the how lies with the implementer on the tactical level. Examples

American Approach

Americans, those leading as well as those being led, prefer specifically formulated, command oriented tasks. The command addresses both the what, and the how. Overall responsibility for the how is shared by both levels. Examples

American View

German leadership is seen by American team members as distanced, not adequately involved, almost passive, at times even absent. Tasks assigned are so broadly defined that implementation can be difficult to define. Americans expect more detail concerning the what, but are often reluctant to address the issue.

German View

Germans experience American leadership as too involved on the implementation level. American hands-on coaching can come across as top-down micromanagement. They perceive their American lead as “telling me how to do my job.”

Advice to Germans

Make clear to your American team members to what degree you will spell out the tasks you assign. In other words, how they should do their work on the tactical level. Take the time to speak with them about where you draw the line between strategy (what) and tactics (how).

Develop an on-going dialogue about where that line is. It is, and should be, fluid and flexible. Americans are motivated and successful when their team lead is actively involved in their work. If you don‘t manage on the tactical level, you run the risk of becoming irrelevant.

You work in a team led by an American. Your American lead wants you to succeed. Your success is his/her success, also. If for you the how is too well defined, too prescriptive, first reflect on it.

Formulate your approach, then discuss it with your lead, so that he/she remains involved, can agree, overrule or modify. Engage, and remain, in that dialogue, for the entire duration of your work together.

Advice to Americans

When leading Germans be more teacher than coach. Germans want to succeed on their own and in their own way. Give them space. They‘ll come for advice soon enough. If they need your advice, but don‘t request it, send discreet, respectful signals that you‘re approachable, that you want to help.

As recommended to your German colleagues who lead Americans, establish a dialogue with your German team members about where you draw the line between strategy (what) and tactics (how). Depending on the situation, that line will move in one direction or the other. Remain in constant contact with each other.

Your boss is German? If it is not clear what she or he expects, don‘t request clarity immediately. Define your role. Rely on your education, training and experience. Then either execute based on that or request input.

If you do ask for input, go into the discussion like a junior partner in a consulting firm seeking advice (not direction) from a more experienced colleague. But, be prepared to hear: “There is no need for me to spell that out for you. You’re a professional. You should know how to do your job.”