Germans see knowledge as the team’s primary capital. They are keen to protect and expand their knowledge base. As individual colleagues. As individual teams. Germans are particularly sensitive to how and with whom that capital is shared.
Get vs. Give
Holschuld: Hol from holen, to get + Schuld meaning debt. Holschuld means get-debt or get-obligation. In Germany if a colleague has information important to your work, you are obligated to request that information.
Work-Life Balance
Work-life balance is of such extraordinary importance to Germans that it is embedded in their labor laws, in how their companies treat their employees, in their expectations as a society.
Advancement
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.
Contingency
Because Germans believe in discipline – in sticking to a plan – they plan for less unforeseen circumstances. Instead, they build in room for quick adjustments based on the situation on the ground.
Thirty Years War
The Thirty Years’ War was one of the longest and most destructive conflicts in European history, lasting from 1618 to 1648. Fought primarily in Central Europe, an estimated 4.5 to 8 million soldiers and civilians died as a result of battle, famine, and disease, while some areas of what is now modern Germany experienced population declines of over 50%.
Germans foughts against Germans.
German Reunification Negotiations (1990)
The reunification of East and West Germany required complex negotiations involving the Four Allied Powers, NATO, and the Warsaw Pact. Chancellor Helmut Kohl and Foreign Minister Hans-Dietrich Genscher employed a meticulously planned, methodical approach, preparing extensive legal frameworks to ensure a smooth transition. They insisted on clarifying every legal, financial, and political detail, ensuring that nothing was left open to interpretation.