Escalation
Germans view conflicts as fundamentally negative. Escalation should be an option of last resort. And since effective leadership is expected to anticipate and prevent conflicts, those which have “become public” are a sign of leadership failure. Examples
Hearing
Germans avoid hearings. Allowing the conflict parties to go head-to-head increases tension, making it more difficult to resolve the conflict. The conflicting parties are interviewed separately. Examples
Evidence
When resolving a conflict the German mediator focuses on reconstructing the causes and circumstances of the conflict. Objective evidence is sought to answer the question: “Why did this have to happen?” Examples
Speed
Germans are skeptical of rash action. Resolving a conflict requires patience. Hasty resolutions are seldom effective. The conflict most likely will resurface. German mediators take their time. Examples
Acceptance
In Germany a conflict resolution is successful when accepted by all parties involved. There is little tolerance for solutions that create winners and losers. Germans aim for mutually beneficial outcomes. Examples
