Persuasion Archives - Page 2 of 3

Inform vs. Sell

German Approach

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

American Approach

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. Americans sell. Examples

American View

From the American perspective Germans don‘t sell. They only inform. Germans give long-winded, fact-filled, complicated, gray academic lectures. And Germans don’t ask for the sale. The audience is left hanging. “Why don’t they ask for the sale?”

German View

From the German perspective Americans sell. They all too often put on a show. Americans don‘t persuade. Information is not presented in a professional way. The audience is confronted with either buying or rejecting. This can make Germans feel uncomfortable.

Advice to Germans

Overcome your inhibition to recommend a clear choice (your choice) among the options. Make the sale. Ask for the order. Your American audience is waiting for you to do it. The worst that can happen is that you‘ll get a no. Life will go on. Or keep trying, keep asking.

Advice to Americans

Do not confront your audience with the buy-question. As Americans you can easily come across as a pushy used-car salesman. Take almost a take it or leave it attitude. Besides, Germans seldom make important decisions based on a presentation.

Message vs. Messenger

German Approach

Germans separate message from messenger. The presenter consciously and purposely moves into the background, so that the message takes center stage. Germans believe that arguments should speak for themselves. Examples

American Approach

Americans link message and messenger. The message, its form, and 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.” Examples

American View

Americans, in stark contrast, find the separation of message and messenger impersonal, abstract, sterile, even drab. To distance oneself from one’s own message is interpreted by Americans as risk-averse, disinterested, and anything but persuasive. “If he himself is not convinced by his message, why should we be?”

German View

Germans react ambivalently to linking message and messenger. An overly personalized presentation style is on the one side both motivating and attractive. At the same time, however, Germans are persuaded more by rational argumentation. “There must be a reason why he is appealing to our emotions instead of to our reason.” Germans are not persuaded by the messenger-first approach.

Advice to Germans

Identify yourself with your message. Literally use the word I. Draw on your personal experience by using anecdotes. Put your heart into it. Show emotion.

Give signals when you are a subjective participant in your story and when you are an objective observer. When persuading Americans you cannot take yourself fully out of the equation.

Advice to Americans

Temper the showman in you. Be a little coy. Hint at almost a scepticism in your own message. Neither invite nor challenge your listeners to like or dislike you as a person.

In fact, take yourself out of the equation altogether. It‘s all about the message and not about the messenger. You are not on any kind of stage. Speak to their heads, not to their hearts.

Inform vs. Sell

System vs. Particular

German Approach

Germans are systematic in their thinking. They believe that complexity is understood only by grasping how its component parts interact and interrelate. Explaining complexity is persuasive in Germany. Examples

American Approach

Americans are particularistic in their thinking. They prefer to break down complexity into its component parts, in order to focus on what is essential. Americans are skeptical of theory. Facts and experience are far more persuasive. Examples

American View

The German inclination to paint the big picture, especially with the help of theory, can make a professorial and arrogant impression on American ears. German comprehensiveness can come across as long-winded, overly complicating and impractical. Americans react impatiently.

German View

Facts and experience, without an understanding of the big picture, do not persuade the Germans. To concentrate on the key variables often means to misunderstand or to overlook other important aspects. Americans are often judged to be over-simplifying and superficial.

Advice to Germans

A wholistic approach is fine, but be careful not to get tangled up in theory. Warn your audience when you need to go into detail in order to get a particular message across.

Leave out facts and factors which are not pertinent. Do not be comprehensive for the sake of comprehensiveness.

If Americans need more supporting information, they will request it. Anticipate those questions. Have the data ready. Questions are a sign of interest, and not that you are unprepared.

Advice to Americans

Take the time to explain the analysis which led to your conclusions. Your German colleagues want to know the what (statements), the why (reasons) and the how (methodology).

Go into much more detail. Include facts and information about various factors. Germans rarely save information for the question & answer part of a presentation. Provide it up-front.

In the German context, the fewer the questions asked during Q&A, the more persuasive the presentation.

Message vs. Messenger

Past vs. Future

German Approach

Germans believe that a persuasive plan to moving forward depends on knowing your starting point. They expect an explanation of the path from the past to the current situation. Persuasive in the German business context is explaining the history of the starting point. Examples

American Approach

For Americans to be realistic means understanding what is possible. The possible is determined not only by past and present circumstances, but also by the ability to shape a new future. Persuasive is explaining how to move from the present into the future. Examples

American View

Too much emphasis on the present as a product of the past is seen as backward-looking. A vision of the future, forward movement, often demands moving away from the past. From the American point of view their German colleagues can get stuck in the past.

German View

Germans often get the impressions that American visions are not grounded or rooted in an accurate understanding of the status quo. Americans want to move forward without first establishing their starting point and direction. They “fly off into the wrong direction.”

Advice to Germans

Provide the historical context. But let your listeners know beforehand that you need to tell the full story. Your aim is for all to have a common understanding of the present situation before you can recommend how best to move forward together.

Advice to Americans

Try to hold back your natural American tendancy to jump from the present into the future. Take the time to explain the context of the situation. This will lengthen the presentation. That’s ok. Germans want depth and breadth. Do your homework and demonstrate it. It will be worth it.

Problem vs. Opportunity

German Approach

For Germans a core competence is the ability to identify, analyze and solve complex problems. The key to success is problem-solving. In the German business context to be persuasive is to focus primarily on problems. Examples

American Approach

Americans strive to see problems as opportunities. Competent is that person able to recognize opportunities in difficult situations. In the American business context to be persuasive is to focus primarily on opportunities. Examples

American View

The German focus on the weak points of a given situation is understood by Americans as precisely that: seeing problems primarily as problems and consciously seeking them out. Instead of searching for the positive in a given situation, Germans are viewed as pessimistic, negative, under certain circumstances even as destructive.

German View

Interpreting a problem as an opportunity and acting too quickly signalizes to Germans an inability to recognize the seriousness of the situation and its dangers. Americans can come across to Germans as naive and impatient.

Advice to Germans

Remain problem-oriented. It is a German strength. But choose different words. Americans are capable of discerning between serious and less serious problems.

Establish more balance between German problem-orientation and American optimism. Not all problems have to be addressed or even solved, in order to move forward.

Advice to Americans

Reduce your natural American optimism. Show more attention to the potential downside of a given situation. Acknowledge problems as they are.

Address them directly and openly. Not all problems are challenges. Not every cloud has a silver lining. Do not fear being seen as negative and pessimistic by your German colleagues.