Process Archives - Page 3 of 3 - understand-culture

Success Factor

German Approach

If surveyed Germans would rank internal processes, how the work is done, just after people as the most critical success factor. However, often it seems that people serve processes more than processes serve people. Examples

American Approach

If surveyed few Americans would mention processes as critical to success. Instead they would state factors such as customer orientation, innovation, rapid reaction time, and pricing. Results are more relevant than how they were achieved. Examples

American View

German internal analysis of processes quickly leads to a form of navel-gazing. The longer and more intense the analysis the faster and further the company distances itself from the external world: customers, competitors, the market.

German View

Americans appear disinterested or unaware of the central importance of processes. Especially in times of crisis, when their German colleagues focus on structure and processes, their American colleagues seem to not engage in the internal discussion and analysis.

Advice to Germans

Analysis of how the work is done is important. But be sure to focus on its causal connection to the results for your external customers. Engage your American colleagues by starting with the market and your customers, then working back into your organization and its internal processes.

Advice to Americans

Be patient. Listen carefully. When Germans talk processes, they‘re talking output, and the business bottom-line. They are one and the same.

At their core Germans are European craftsmen. Success is based on craftsmanship. It‘s all about how the work is done. Get engaged in the discussion about processes. Add your pragmatic American business thinking.

Discipline vs. Deviation

Processes are most effective when they maintain a balance between discipline and deviation. Germans prefer generally formulated processes allowing for interpretation based on the “situation on the ground.” Examples

Deductive vs. Inductive

German Approach

Deductive thinking is by inference. The conclusion about particulars follows necessarily from general or universal premises. German processes are arrived at more deductively, based on standards and norms. Examples

American Approach

Inductive thinking is inference. It is a generalized conclusion based on particular instances. American processes and procedures are arrived at more inductively, based on experience. Examples

American View

German processes are developed in a vacuum, are theoretical, too far removed from everyday business. Deduced from principles (standards and norms) they have a one-size-fits-all character, not taking into account the particulars of our market, of our customers.

German View

Americans don‘t gain sufficient distance from the details of their work to recognize certain patterns. The basis is not there for process optimization, an analysis of what is and is not working. Abstraction is required.

Advice to Germans

Explain your standards and norms, and how you arrived at them, your data and methodology. Most importantly, engage in a dialogue with your American colleagues about when the processes can be adapted to the „situation on the ground.“ Strive to understand the impact of processes on their reality.

Advice to Americans

Don‘t sit just back and criticize German processes. Step into their „process laboratory.“ Gain distance from what you do. Get abstract. Search out the deeper-lying principles governing how you do the work. Engage in the discussion of when to deduce from the principle, when to induce from the particular.

Guaranty vs. Tool

German Approach

For Germans the product, and the processes which lead to that product, are two sides of the same coin. A work result – a product or service – is only as good as the processes which led to it. Good processes guaranty good results. Examples

American Approach

For Americans processes are tools, a means to an end. Processes enable people to organize their work and their interaction. Processes cannot and should not replace human judgment. Examples

American View

Germans attempt to analyze and solve all problems via processes, thus misunderstanding their limits. Many aspects of a complex business are difficult to objectify, made abstract, forced into the structure of a process.

Constant focus on incremental modification of internal processes often does more harm than good. Its added value is questionable, at best.

German View

American processes are often no more than a series of to-do lists, like cooking recipes, no more than tools, a helper‘s helper. Their potential is misunderstood and misused.

Advice to Germans

Naturally the question of „how we work“ is very important. But don‘t overstress it. Together with your American colleagues identify those aspects of your work which are best understood and managed via processes.

Other areas, due to their complexity and deeply human nature (leadership, customer interaction, innovative thinking), will only be frustrated, limited, hemmed in by forcing a process on them.

Advice to Americans

Join your German colleagues in the discussion recommended above. Explain to them when you rely on processes and when they are of only limited value. Describe how Americans use processes as a tool to achieve results. Make apparent the very practical and pragmatic role of checklists.