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Performance
Germans separate the personal from the professional. Feedback, both formal and informal, addresses performance only. It is given in a neutral and unemotional way. Feedback, whether positive or negative, is not meant personally. Patterns
Praise
Germans give praise in direct connection with factually demonstrated performance. Praise in front of the team is seldom. Official awards are rare, for they could lead to envy and undermine team cohesion. Patterns
Criticism
Germans focus on reducing errors. When providing feedback they concentrate on weaknesses, on what is not working. Germans address that directly, openly, in a neutral, matter-of-fact way. Patterns
Discretion
Sensitive feedback discussions in Germany are done one-to-one. Germans will, however, openly criticize another colleague in the presence of the team. This is not seen as unfair, but instead a necessary in order to “get the issues on the table.” Patterns
Scores
Germans believe that feedback scores are most effective when they are accurate and realistic. When in doubt, Germans are deflationary.
The school grading system is: 1 is sehr gut (very good); 2 is gut (good); 3 is befriedigend (satisfactory); 4 is ausreichend (sufficient); 5 is mangelhaft (insufficient); 6 is ungenügend (failed). Patterns