The political talk show

German public broadcasting runs several weekly prime-time debate programmes simultaneously — Markus Lanz, Caren Miosga, Maybrit Illner, hart aber fair, Maischberger.

One study analysed 1,208 episodes across four of them. Another found that around 79 percent of German television viewers watch them.

A country that schedules multiple hours of televised argument every week, in prime time, on the main public channels, and watches them in those numbers, has a settled view about whether disagreement is worth listening to.

Mike says “no”

Bonn. An online chat with the help desk at a major telecommunications company. It's about my mobile phone service.

German Company: "A hearty welcome to your personal online help, etc. You are speaking with Mike."

Magee: "Hi, Mike. I have an xyz contract. Can I add my 17-year old son to it?

Mike: "No. You son can only have his own contract after he turns 18."

That "No" struck me as rather direct, hard, immovable.

An "American Mike" would have written something like: "We would love to add your son to your contract. And we have all sorts of flexible ways for you to configure your family plan. To give your son, at age 17, his own contract is unfortunately not permitted by law. We apologize for the inconvenience. Would you like to hear about our family plan options?"

But the chat with Mike continued and he gave me helpful information and quickly. I was thankful.

German Veto

If discussions about a possible agreement are not business-like or unfocused, Germans will readily exercise their veto. Or, if they have an alternative approach, they will reject the initial proposal, thereby affecting a change of course and eliminating unnecessary discussion.

Germans tend to be well prepared before deciding on whether to enter into an agreement, and assume that the other parties are too. Usually, they have a plan or proposal ready. Instead of explaining point for point why they reject a given proposal, they simply respond with a 'no'.

Because the 'no' can come fast and definitively, it can throw the non-German party off balance. One needs to remain calm and describe clearly the reasons for one's own proposal. If they are valid, the German partner will take them seriously and actively seek out the best approach, including a compromise.

Anger at German Nay-sayers

In October 2009 the newspaper Westfalenpost published an article titled “Verärgerung über deutsche Neinsager” – Anger about German Nay-sayers. It was about Germany’s role in foreign politics.

The final demand was: From the outsider perspective Germany is considered to be a difficult political partner. Anyone listening to the buzz around Washington, Paris, or Peking will encounter Germany being discussed in a critical, but also derisive tone, which suggest an inability of German politics to represent Germany as the most economically strongest and most populous country in Europe.

“The trademark ‘culture of restraint’ which once sufficed for German foreign policy, can no longer be viewed as an expression of modesty, but rather as failure. The capitals of the neighboring countries are reacting with increasing bitterness to the German ‘nay-sayers’, who simultaneously point a finger in the opposite direction and try to teach their partners a lesson.”

Wily

Surreptitious: kept secret, especially because it would not be approved of. From Latin surreptitius: secretly and seize.

Sneaky: furtive, sly, reluctant.

Wily: skilled at gaining an advantage, especially deceitfully.

Clever: quick to understand, learn, and devise or apply ideas; intelligence. Derived from Middle English perhaps of Dutch or Low German origin. In the late 16th century, the term came to mean manually skillful. The sense of possessing mental agility dates to the early 1700s.

Willing to argue

The dictionary defines streitbar as follows: [constantly] prepared, having the will to, argue, with someone over something, to critically and activelydispute something; to fight for or about something, to take a stand for something or someone, a fighter; [older] prepared for battle; warrior-like, brave.

The adjective streitbar has a very positive connotation in the German language. In recalling famous persons one often reads the sentence Er war streitbar – he was streitbar.

Politicians are ever more frequently characterized as being streitbar. Streitbar does not mean that one seeks out conflicts in a negative sense. Rather, it means to stand up for ones beliefs, and not avoid serious confrontations.

Context Irrelevant

Germans strive to separate substance from person. They can argue vehemently and still respect each other, even remain close friends. This allows them to pay less attention to the specific context of the interaction.

It is relatively unimportant whether they are communicating with their neighbor in front of their house, an acquaintance in the streetcar, a relative on the phone or a colleague at their workplace. A discussion about a topic of substance has little to do with the person individually.

The ability to separate substance from person is in the German business context among the fundamental abilities expected not only of employees, but especially of those who lead them – management. The self-understanding of the German citizen includes – consciously or unconsciously – the obligation to argue a point, to address a problem, to state an opinion objectively, critically, fairly.

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