Escalation
Germans view conflicts as fundamentally negative. Escalation should be an option of last resort. And since effective leadership is expected to anticipate conflicts, those which have “become public” are a sign of leadership failure. Patterns
Hearing
Germans avoid hearings. Allowing the conflict parties to go head-to-head increases tension, making it more difficult to resolve the conflict. In Germany the conflicting parties are interviewed separately. Patterns
Evidence
When resolving a conflict the German mediator focuses on reconstructing the causes and circumstances. Objective evidence is sought to answer the question: “Why did this have to happen?” Patterns
Speed
Germans are skeptical of rash action of any kind. Resolving a conflict requires patience. Hasty resolutions are seldom effective. The conflict most likely will resurface. German mediators take their time. Patterns
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. Patterns