Germany – Page 71 – understand-culture

Small Talk

German Approach

In the German business context small talk is short in duration. Germans transition quickly to issues of substance. They see little value in talking about the weather, sports or their most recent vacation. Examples

American Approach

Small talk in the USA gets communication going. Small talk allows people to get a sense for the overall atmosphere. Americans seldom jump directly into serioius business subject matter. Examples

American View

Germans are aware that small talk in the U.S. is important. There are even books and seminars teaching the art of small talk.

Nonetheless, Germans get impatient with American small talk. It takes up valuable time. They begin to check their watches. For Germans it is not a must to be a personal friend with the people they do business with.

In fact, they can do business with people they don‘t like. Friendly relations are nice, but not a requirement.

German View

Brief German small talk can seem obligatory, as if they were just „going through the motions.“ Their sudden transition from casual conversation to serious topics is for Americans a sign of impatience.

The Germans, unfortunate and unintended, can come across as impersonal and unfriendly. And who wants to work with unfriendly people? Americans don‘t.

Advice to Germans

All American relationships, including those in the business context, are personal. If it isn‘t personal, it isn‘t a relationship. Small talk is the most basic form of how Americans maintain communication.

Learn how to do it. You can. Just go with the flow. Open yourself up. Get a bit more personal. If you have good rapport, you‘ll move through the business topics much more quickly, and in that way save time.

Advice to Americans

Keep small talk to a minimum. Listen carefully for signals when the Germans want to move from small to big talk. This is not a sign of disinterest, of being impersonal or unfriendly.

The Germans get personal in non-business settings, at lunch, dinner, on the weekends. They have a great sense of humor, have all sorts of hobbies and interests outside of work.

And keep in mind, that Germans can and will do business with you even if you have little or no personal relationship. Most importantly, they want to know if you are good at what you do. Personal is nice. Professional is better.

Yes

German Approach

The German yes is more the exception than the rule. Germans are reluctant to enter into an agreement without being sure that they can fulfill it. When you get the German yes, however, it is firm. Examples

American Approach

A yes in the American context is more the rule than the exception. Americans almost instinctively say yes to assisting a colleague. The American yes, however, has different degrees of firmness. Examples

American View

It should be of no surprise that Americans expect, and therefore miss, getting a yes from their German colleagues, at least the intention to say yes.

Americans sense immediately their reluctance. It can appear that Germans are not helpful, not team-players. When Germans respond that they need to first check out the details, Americans suspect it to be an excuse.

German View

The spontaneous American yes does not appear credible to Germans. Americans seem want to say yes to everything, without first thinking through if they can deliver on their promises. What Germans call American overpromising can become a serious problem in transatlantic cooperation.

Advice to Germans

Beware of the American chronic overpromiser! It‘s not a sign of unreliability, but of spirit. Gain clarity about the binding character of that „Yes!“ by asking the famed w-questions: who? why? by when?, and of course, how? Flush out how serious and practicable a well-intended „yes“ is. Get concrete.

At the same time, listen very carefully to the conditions. Chances are they‘re meant to signal a „polite no“. As a rule of thumb, the more conditional the „yes“, the harder the „no“ being communicated.

When in doubt, simply explain to your American colleague that your command of nuances in the English language is limited, that you are not sure whether you are hearing a „yes“ or a „no“. Ask your colleague to spell it out a bit more literally.

Advice to Americans

Remember, Germans separate between substance and person. Vigorous intellectual give and take on controversial topics is not personal. In fact, it is one way in which the Germans demonstrate respect for America and Americans. It means that they take your point of view and America seriously.

So, engage with the Germans. Help them to understand the American viewpoint. And put some effort into understanding their point of view. It’s well worth it.

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.

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.