Germany – Page 65 – understand-culture

Success Factor

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

Quality

In Germany quality is more than just one of several product characteristics. The term Qualität is all-encompassing. It is a striving to go beyond the expectations and standards of the market. Examples

Speed

Germans are skeptical of rash action of any kind. Resolving a conflict requires patience. Hasty resolutions are seldom effective. The conflict most likely will resurface. German mediators take their time. Examples

Lines of Communication

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

Durability

Germans prefer long lasting products. For which they will pay a higher price. Durable products reduce replacement cost. Durability is a sign of craftsmanship, quality, tradition and continuity. Durable products “stand the test of time.” Examples

Evidence

When resolving a conflict the German mediator focuses on reconstructing the causes and circumstances. Objective evidence is sought to answer the question: “Why did this have to happen?” Examples

Strategy Modification

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

Reliability

Germans expect a product to never break down. Not only the German engineer thinks this, but also the German consumer. A reliable product, like a reliable person, always delivers on its promise. Examples

Hearing

Germans avoid hearings. Allowing the conflict parties to go head-to-head increases tension, making it more difficult to resolve the conflict. In Germany the conflicting parties are interviewed separately. Examples

Risk

Their history as a people, their experiences as an economy, the lessons they have learned, have taught the German people to be highly sensitive to risk, to what can go wrong, to how thin their margins of error can be. Germans are careful. Examples