Abgemacht ist abgemacht.
Ein Mann, ein Wort — a man, a word.
Darauf kannst du dich verlassen — you can rely on that.
Sein Wort halten — to keep one’s word, and sein Wort brechen, to break it, which is spoken of as damage done to the word itself.
The German expressions treat the agreement as a thing that exists after the conversation ends, independent of either party’s continued attention.
A German supplier contacted mid-project to confirm that the agreement still holds will hear the question as it was not asked. The enquiry implies that something might have changed, that the priority might have slipped, or that the supplier might have forgotten. None of those is a neutral suggestion.
For monetary claims, a German debtor falls into default at the latest thirty days after the debt becomes due and the invoice arrives — without any reminder being sent. The provision is § 286 Abs. 3 BGB. The creditor is not required to chase. The obligation runs on its own clock.
Pacta sunt servanda is quoted in German legal education as the foundation of contract law, and German civil law treats the binding force of agreement as a starting premise rather than as one consideration among several. An agreement is not a statement of current intention that both sides revisit. It is the thing that was settled.
Despite German reluctance to use follow-up, there are situations in which it is unavoidable: In order to stick to a well-defined plan; when the customer requests information; if work results are not delivered on time. The Germans prefer the term 'nachfassen' – literally, after hold. Or 'nachhaken' – literally, after hook or check.
Follow-up in Germany can be either negative or positive. Negative in the sense of control. Positive in the sense of support. Follow up – negative – questions one's ability and willingness to produce good work results. At the same time – positive – it is essential to checking technical details, getting necessary information, verifying due dates.
Organizations which are time-driven rely on follow up. News organizations are just one example. Any and all forms of logistics is another. Timing is critical. Schedules need to be met. Employees are under pressure. Deadlines are deadlines.
Follow-up can be supportive. An older, more experienced colleague can inquire in a friendly way about the status of another's work. A team lead who coaches her team well knows when and how to follow up by simply asking "How are things going? Can I help in any way?"
Follow-up by colleagues on a report, speech, or published article is positive. It means that they have taken sincere interest in your work. It also gives them an opportunity to demonstrate their competence by asking intelligent questions.
In German team meetings follow-up is the rule, not the exception. Open action items can be addressed directly. Team members establish a common baseline of information.
Finally, there is another very legitimate reason to use follow-up in Germany: If things are not going right, if an error has been detected, if the work is being performed improperly. In such cases there is only one course of action. Follow up, and fast!
Follow up in Germany is a sign of mistrust, of doubt in one's reliability, in that person's ability to deliver what they have promised. For Germans typically only commit if they are close to absolutely certain that they can execute.
Germans are very sensitive about mistrust, and do not deal with it well. A fictitious example: Small team. The members have their individual tasks, but need to collaborate at certain points. They work well together. The team lead can pay less and less attention to them. A new team member, though, begins to take advantage of the lead's hands-off management style by looking for personal advantage.
The other team members become a bit unsettled. A few others also begin to think only of themselves. Mistrust creeps into the team, the points of contact become strained, collaboration more difficult. Their boss sees the signs and reacts by scheduling team meetings more frequently, checking on each team member's work. Then come the emails and phone calls going into more detail.
The increased follow up strains relations. Several of the team members begin to look for alternative jobs within the company. A top performer is gone within a month. Others have sent out their resumés. Follow up can lead to mistrust, a virus with potentially deadly results.
Companies with a monopoly are the only ones who don't need sales and marketing. All others need to fight for new customers on a daily basis. In Germany, too. But Germans don't feel comfortable "knocking on doors", even less so following up on an initial contact if the first response was skeptical.
Follow up means making that second or third call, writing that second or third email, reaching out again. What's the problem? Germans don't like pushing their product or service, especially if they sense that the other party may not be interested. Often Germans are too polite, too slow, not aggressive enough.
Perhaps this is related to Germans identifying themselves strongly with their work. They want to "stand fully and totally behind what they do." Sales also involves uncertainty, unpredictability, and situations for which one cannot fully prepare. The interactions can be short, spontaneous, shallow. Germans prefer predictability and depth.
To be given a task in Germany is a form of advanced praise. It signals that one has the ability to complete it properly. It is a sign of competence. Every new task is also an opportunity to demonstrate that ability, perhaps even to surprise the boss and other colleagues with exceptional work results.
For Germans define themselves very much through their work. Recognition for solid work is for many just as important as compensation. "A job well done" in the German context, however, is work done independently, on one's own. Help now and then from the team lead or advice from colleagues are seen as bothersome, unnecessary, possibly even hostile, as a form of doubt that the personal can do solid work, on their own.
'Lästig,' bothersome. Germans find follow up annoying, both for the team member who has to report on the status of their work, as well as for the team lead who has to ask if the work is being done properly. Both parties believe that they have better things to do. Namely, their work.
Figures of speech: 'Viele Köche verderben den Brei.' Too many cooks ruin the porridge. 'Dazwischen Funken.' Literally, to radio in intermittently. Figuratively, to stick your nose in someone else's business.
In 2011 “Spiegel Online” published an article on how to write a job application for the American labor market. The beginning of the article points out differences between Germany and the US.
“Asking additional questions is not considered bothersome and the marital status should not be in your resume- if you apply at an American company it is easy to trip over cultural differences. Here is an overview over the most important concepts.”
After turning in your application, the article suggests: ”You should not expect that he or she will get back to you on his/her own.”
Conversely, asking additional questions is interpreted as annoying in Germany. The potential employer should get back to you on their own if they are interested. Asking further questions is considered as obtrusive in Germany.
The Berlin-Brandenburg Airport is a topic surrounded by discord. There is no end in sight for this odyssey. The costs just continue to rise into incalculable sums. This caused the association of taxpayers to heavily criticize the politicians responsible for it in 2012.
The airport was a “manifest of poor planning, mismanagement, incomplete construction plans, and expenses beyond the budget“. The association of taxpayers blacklisted the overseeing committee of high-ranking representatives from Berlin and Brandenburg and the federal government, accusing them of “political failure” and “blind trust” in the underqualified management” of the airport.
Should one have checked the project’s progress more rigorously? Perhaps through frequent feedbback?