context Archives - understand-culture

Context

German Approach

The German yes means a high degree of commitment. Before granting it Germans want to be sure that they can fulfill it. In order to decide they request a lot of context information up-front. Examples

American Approach

Once Americans enter into an agreement they are in constant contact. They see no reason to go into great depth about the context. But also because they reserve the right to exit the agreement. Examples

American View

A German colleague requesting what can appear to be too much background information can give the impression of being overly conscientious, risk-averse, even mistrustful.

An American would wonder: „If we have an agreement, why does my German colleague need so much information up front. Let‘s get started. We‘ll be in touch as we proceed.“

German View

Germans are surprised that Americans would ask them to enter into an agreement without having first provided the contextual information necessary to make a decision.

They then experience Americans who become impatient with their questions. Depending on the sensitivity of the agreement, a German might suspect that an attempt is being made to gain their „yes“ without them fully knowing or understanding the potential effects. A German might become careful, sceptical, even wary.

Advice to Germans

Your American colleagues expect a higher level of communication during the time span of an agreement. Therefore, they need not know the whole story up front. Provide what they need in order to get started.

If and when they require additional information, you‘ll hear from them. Be prepared to communicate on a more frequent basis.

Now, if an American provides you with too little context information in order for you to make a decision, kindly indicate this. Tell them that you simply are conscientious, that you want to get it right the first time.

Advice to Americans

Remember, Germans separate between substance and person. Vigorous intellectual give and take on controversial topics is not personal.

In fact, it is one way in which the Germans demonstrate respect for America and Americans. It means that they take your point of view and America seriously.

So, engage with the Germans. Help them to understand the American viewpoint. And put some effort into understanding their point of view. It’s well worth it.

Conversation as Interview

Germans like to get to the point quickly. They are more interested in the content than the person. They know before the meeting what they want to learn, hear, the information they seek. The conversation is often more of an interview than a discussion, as if they came prepared with a list of questions.

Figures of speech: Es gibt keine blöden Fragen. Es gibt nur blöde Antworten. There are no stupid questions. There are only stupid answers. Gut gefragt, ist halb gewonnen. The right question is half the right answer. Fragen kostet nichts. Asking doesn’t cost anything. Fangfrage. Trick question.

Löcher in den Bauch fragen. Literally translated: to shoot holes (with questions) in the other person‘s stomach. Preisfrage. Price question. Das kommt nicht in Frage. Literally, that does not come into question, or absolutely not.

Iteration

The term iteration has become common within American companies: to communicate several or many communications, back and forth, between two or more parties, in which information is exchanged, decisions made, activities (action items or more simply actions) agreed to.

Merriam-Webster online defines iteration as a procedure in which repetition of a sequence of operations yields results successively closer to a desired result.

Americans iterate, some intensely so. It allows them to maintain flexibility, to ensure information flow, to discriminate between what is important and unimportant, to reduce risk. Like any strength, however, it can be inflationary: too much communication, too little action.

Instead of front-loading an agreement with in-depth discussion about the details, Americans iterate.

Hesitation

In American culture, waiting until you have all of the information is considered so negative that there are many popular phrases and quotes that warn against this behavior. Some of the best known follow:

“He who hesitates is lost” – a person who spends too much time deliberating before acting will lose the chance to act at all. The first use of this phrase in the United States was in 1858 in The Autocrat of the Breakfast Table by Oliver Wendell Holmes, although the phrase was first used in England in 1712 in Cato by Joseph Addison.

Liars always hesitate – a person who hesitates before speaking is probably not telling the truth.

Roommate Agreement

On The Big Bang Theory, an American television show about a group of physicists and the girl next door, two of the main characters share an apartment together. In order to ensure that things run smoothly from the beginning one of the roommates drafts a roommate agreement that outlines all of the rules by which the two characters will abide.

Additionally, anytime there is a change in the characters’ status (for example, if one of them starts dating), this roommate will write a modified version of the agreement to accommodate the new arrangement.

However, the second roommate hates having a fixed list of rules, and rather than being a way to solve disputes, the roommate agreement actually becomes the source of many arguments.

Lindenstraße

Lindenstraße. Overview: One of Germany’s longest-running soap operas, set on a fictional street in Munich. While not strictly a business show, Lindenstraße frequently explores workplace issues, social integration, and professional relationships. The show’s storylines demonstrate how social context—such as cultural background, community ties, and current events—directly impacts professional and personal interactions .

League of Nations

U.S. Refusal to Join the League of Nations (1919): After World War I, President Woodrow Wilson negotiated the Treaty of Versailles, which included the League of Nations. However, the U.S. Senate refused to ratify the treaty, and the United States never joined the League, demonstrating a reluctance to commit to binding international agreements that could limit national autonomy.

Paris Climate Agreement

Withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement (2017): Although not in the search results, this modern example fits the pattern: the U.S. entered the Paris Agreement on climate change but later withdrew, asserting the right to exit when national interests were perceived to be at stake.

Das Boot

Das Boot (1981). Plot: This classic war film follows the crew of a German U-boat during World War II as they face life-and-death decisions in extreme conditions. The submarine’s captain and crew meticulously analyze every situation, weighing risks and gathering all available information before making critical decisions. Their survival depends on only committing to actions they are certain they can carry out.

Gundermann

Gundermann (2018). Plot: The biopic of East German singer-songwriter Gerhard Gundermann explores his double life as both a celebrated musician and a Stasi informant. The film delves into Gundermann’s internal struggle with the commitments he makes, showing how he seeks to understand the full context and consequences before giving his word.