Every team has a lead and members. People who interact with each other. Personally, on a regular basis. The topic leadership is about that interaction. How do Germans lead and want to be led?
Strategy and Tactics
Germans﹣those leading as well as those being led﹣prefer generally formulated, mission oriented tasks. The mission addresses more the what and less the how. Overall responsibilitiy for results lies on the tactical level with the implementer, but is shared to some degree with the team lead.
Strategy Formulation
Germans believe that important decisions should be reached via consensus. Ideally within the entire management team, but at least among its key members. Once made, those decisions are best implemented when communicated, understood and accepted by the entire team.
Strategy Modification
Germans expect room to interpret decisions when implementing them. They consider that to be a key part of their work. In many situations deviation from an assigned task is unavoidable, thus accepted and expected by leadership. In certain situations Germans feel obligated to deviate greatly from a decision which they, as experts on the ground, judge to be unwise, counterproductive, or harmful to the business.
Lines of Communication
If Germans﹣those leading as well as those being led﹣prefer generally formulated, mission oriented tasks (more what, less how), it follows that they will maintain longer lines of communication with their team members: less interaction, less frequent status meetings, fewer iterations on tactical issues.
