Most Germans hope to advance within the hierarchies of their organisations. But only if it is line with their area of expertise and work experience.
Compensation
Although compensation (Gehalt) is important to Germans, it is only one of several factors which motivate them. Nor is it the most important. Germans simply want to be compensated fairly for their work.
Why Germans don’t give compliments
The absence of criticism can be taken as praise in Germany, Courtney Tenz learned the hard way. On Compliment Day she explains why she misses superficial American compliments, but appreciates the German approach.
“Though it has taken me more than a decade, I have finally come to terms with the fact that in Germany, I won’t be complimented on everything I do and when — if — I garner attention for praise, it will likely be more sincere than anything I’d have heard in the US. Like the one a young girl recently gave me after I visited the beauty salon: ‘You look much better now that your gray hair is gone.'”
“We want negative feedback”
Statement made by a German working in the U.S.: “It bothers us Germans when our American bosses give is inflated feedback, meaning too positive. Negative feedback keeps us oriented on avoiding mistakes, and it sharpens our ability to remain self-critical.
How is someone supposed to remain clear-headed and self-critical if all they ever hear is great and super. Performance which is clearly suboptimal should not be sugar-coated. Management loses credibility that way.
And feedback loses its key purpose, which is to address primarily things that aren’t working well. At some point this will hurt us. The quality of our work will suffer.”
Germans are critical of rankings
Germans prefer to measure performance less frequently, but when they do so then in detail and exact. The German media has taken to the trend of ranking, but most Germans criticize them for not being truly representative.
Several academic organizations have called for a boycott of university rankings. Ranking tv shows such as Simply the Best or The Top 10 are also criticized by the public for not being objective, for relying on viewer voting which is overly influenced by current events.
The ranking show Die ultimative Chartshow went on air in 2003, is based on reliable statistics and continues to command a loyal viewership. Das Politbarometer, The Political Barometer, broadcasts the results of its political polling each month and is watched carefully by citizens and political professionals alike.
Germans take ranking serious only if they are based on a serious methodology.
German law school top honors
The grading system of German law schools is a discipline of its own. In total there are 18 points. Every three points are equal to one grade level (like a letter grade). Law schools, in addition to the usual levels of very good, good, satisfactory, acceptable, inadequate, and insufficient, also use the level entirely satisfactory.
Those who receive the grades of very good, good, or entirely satisfactory on their certification exam (comparable to the bar exam) graduate with distinction. A minimum of four points are required to pass the exam, and only 15% of students receive a score higher than eight.
To receive all eighteen points would give you a grade of very good plus. This practically never happens, becoming very clear when a lot of fuss is made over someone receiving a very good grade.
For example, Sonja Pelikan in 2010. She received 16.08 points, which was even worth an interview by a major German newspaper (Wie schafft man 16 Punkte? Süddeutsche Zeitung, May 10th, 2010).
Or Stefan Thönissen who was interviewed by the Baden news, because he received an evaluation of very good on his exam. The article emphasized: “In the field of law, 18 points is the magical maximum score, essentially unattainable.”
But why would one introduce a grading-scale in which it is impossible to reach the highest grade? Perhaps to convey the message: “It is always possible to do a little bit better, so put some effort into it!” Perhaps to keep the others “grounded to the facts”. Because nothing is worse than considering one’s self to be better than one really is.
“Always room for improvement”
The political barometer of the German television station ZDF regularly gauges the country’s political sentiments. As a part of this, the country’s top ten politicians are shown with their approval ratings. The scale ranges from -5 to 5.
In July 2014, the political barometer was titled “After the World Championship: Angela Merkel sees highest approval ratings.” This clearly meant that amongst the persons polled, Angela Merkel, with a score of 2.8 took first place amongst the most important politicians.
2.8 out of a possible best of 5.0 points demonstrates how deflationary grades are given in Germany, even when one is quite satisfied with the overall performance.
As the Germans like to say: “Es gibt immer Luft nach oben” – “There is always room for improvement”.
German School Grades
German schools have the following grading system: 1.0 very good. 2.0 good. 3.0 satisfactory. 4.0 unsatisfactory. 5.0 poor. 6.0 failure.
It is possible to receive a 1.0 in Germany, but teachers often purposely give a somewhat lower grade, for example 1.2, in order to communicate that the student should not slack off, and that there is always room for improvement. There has been a trend, however, of parents complaining about the deflationary approach to grading in German schools.
Marcel Reich-Ranicki
German literature, film and theater critics are particularly critical. They view everything with skepsis and are therefore considered by Germans – a skeptical people in general – to be more serious, more reliable. One German literature critic labeled a new novel the most impressive of the year, but still gave it four out of a possible five stars.
Marcel Reich-Ranicki was considered the most influential literature critic in today‘s Germany. He was known to tear apart the works of contemporary German writers both in his written critiques and on his television show. Active until 92 years of age Reich-Ranicki remained the most read critic in Germany precisely because of his very high standards of excellence.
Thirty minutes of Reich-Ranicki criticizing books.
„How are you?“
When it comes to using highly complimentary words the Germans are very reserved. Excellent, brilliant, great are words seldom heard. When asked „How are you?“, the Germans rarely respond with the equivalent of great, super, fantastic. For them everything could be better, can be improved. Germans avoid any form of exaggeration. If anything they will exaggerate in the negative.
Jemanden auf den Arm nehmen. Literally to take someone by the arm: to lie, cheat, fool, trick. Because children can be taken by the arm and led astray due to their naiveté.
Sensationell. Sensational. Stefan Raab, Germany‘s most popular tv-entertainer, has made the use of the term acceptable in Germany by using it an ironic sense. Sensationell are those people, things, events which are implausible, laughable, ridiculous.
Hochstapler. A person who lies about their background, abilities, achievements in order to gain respect, position or advantage. Hoch, high. Stapeln, to load up or stack. A Gabelstapler, is a forklift. Gabel, fork.