Agreements – understand-culture

Yes

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

No

The German no is more the rule than the exception. However, its level of firmness is based on context. The no can range from hard to flexible. Identifying the barriers to the yes reveals that range. Examples

Context

The German yes means a high degree of commitment. Before granting it Germans want to be sure that they can fulfill it. In order to decide they request a lot of context information up-front. Examples

Follow-up

In Germany follow-up is infrequent. Once an agreement has been made neither party feels the need to contact the other in order to check its status or priority. Agreed is agreed. Examples

Deliverables

The Germans prefer a complete deliverable, even if late, over an incomplete deliverable, even if early. Lateness is tolerated as long as expectations are met. Completeness beats speed. Examples