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Escalation

German Approach

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. Examples

American Approach

For Americans conflict is a fact of life. Escalation is often not only necessary, each individual has a fundamental right to seek resolution, to “have their day in court.” Americans escalate quickly. Examples

American View

Conflicts among/with German colleagues go unresolved, or unresolved for too long. The air needs to be cleared. Colleagues should seek resolution openly and confidently. German management should be engaged. „Isn‘t that what management is paid for?“

German View

Germans are surprised, irritated, at times shocked, at how often and quickly their Americans colleagues raise a conflict to the next management level. Escalation is a sign of their own failure. Competent, professional, rational people are expected to resolve their differences among themselves.

Advice to Germans

If you lead Americans, get ready to resolve conflicts on a regular basis. If you try to avoid them or to push them back down to the working level, you run the danger of being perceived as a weak leader who a.) avoids conflict and/or b.) is unsure about how to resolve conflict. Either way, your legitimacy as a leader will be undermined.

If you are a member in a transatlantic team, and come into conflict situations with your American colleagues, be prepared for those conflicts to be escalated rather quickly. Your American colleagues will be less inclined to go the extra mile with you in order to resolve the conflict at your level.

Advice to Americans

If you lead Germans, you may sense, hear about or even witness conflict among team members. Don‘t be surprised if they don‘t or after some time ask for your assistance in resolving that conflict.

This is neither a challenge to your leadership nor is it an indication that Germans like long, drawn out internal battles. Chances are, they are trying to resolve it themselves. They don‘t want to bother or embarass you.

If you are in a transatlantic team and have a conflict of interest with a German colleague, don‘t be surprised if he/she discourages you from escalating the issue to the next level.

The German attempt to resolve the problem with you personally should be taken at face value. Give it a chance. If you have a German manager, be very careful about escalating the issue too early.

In the German logic, you will be perceived by all – German boss, German colleague, German observers – as uncooperative, rash, possibly hot-headed.

Direct vs. Indirect

German Approach

Germans are direct. They say what they mean. And they mean what they say. Germans don’t use euphemisms to soften a message. They use unambiguous language. For Germans directness is efficient, effective, honest, transparent. Examples

American Approach

Americans approach sensitive work topics cautiously. Euphemisms communicate uncomfortable messages. Ambiguity can be helpful. For Americans indirect communication is considered to be both polite and effective. Examples

American View

Germans can come across as impatient, impolite, hard. Americans can quickly feel uncomfortable, thus hindering more than helping communication. In some cases, Americans will avoid contact with those Germans (mis)perceived for their particularly direct communication.

German View

For German ears Americans seem to wrap their messages in “wads of cotton”. As non-native speakers it is difficult and time-consuming to interpret carefully worded statements. And since euphemisms are context-related, they must be decoded.

Advice to Germans

Pay close attention to the differences between how you as a German and how the Americans communicate. Use a softer vocabulary. Approach important topics a bit more indirectly.

The most important points do not have to be addressed immediately. Establish a little rapport with the other person, even if it is just a few sentences.

Clarity can be communicated via nuance, also. Americans pay particular attention to nuances. And remember to remind the Americans every now and then that English is not your native tongue. That will be a reminder to them that if your style of communication bothers them that it is cultural, not personal.

Advice to Americans

Germans are communicating with you in what for them is a foreign language. Be thankful that no one has asked you to communicate in a foreign language. For addressing complex and sensitive topics in a nuanced way is very difficult for any non-native speaker.

So, expect German directness. It has great strengths. Germans will say what they mean, and mean what they say. You know where they stand. For your part, be frank. Get to the point more quickly.

Germans will not take it personally. And remember, if you don‘t understand something, or if you sense that Germans don‘t understand you, address it openly. Rephrase in other words what each party has said.

Speed

German Approach

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. Examples

American Approach

Americans become impatient if too much time is required to resolve a conflict. Festering conflicts are disruptive for any team. A suboptimal, yet prompt resolution, is often better than an optimal, but late one. Examples

American View

The negative effect of a festering internal conflict on a teams internal cohesion, and thus performance, is almost always costlier than the benefits of a perfect resolution. Maintaing forward movement has priority.

German View

Quick (hasty) decisions are rarely good decisions. If poorly resolved, a conflict resurfaces, demanding a repeat of the resolution process. Americans all too often address the symptoms, not the illness.

Advice to Germans

If you lead an American team, move much faster than you normally would. The longer the conflict festers, the sooner your American team will question your leadership capability. If you need time nonetheless, explain to the team why.

Don‘t leave them in the dark. If you have an American boss be prepared for a decision you might like or not like, but which either way will come much sooner than you think.

Advice to Americans

If you lead Germans, and a conflict has been escalated up to you, do thorough due diligence. That takes time. Don‘t rush it. In the German context Aktionismus (actionism) – acting before thinking or „shooting first, then asking questions“ – is a criticism which goes to the heart of your reputation.

If the issue has finally caught the attention of your German manager, alter your internal clock. The wheels of justice in Germany move slowly.

Remember, a German working in the U.S. – colleague or boss – is nationalculturally still German. Like snails or turtles, we drag our „homes“ with us whereever we go.

Risk

German Approach

Their history as a people, their experiences as an economy, the lessons they have learned, have taught the German people to be highly sensitive to risk, to what can go wrong, to how thin their margins of error can be. Germans are careful. Examples

American Approach

Historically America has always had generous margins of error: resource rich, protected by two oceans, two neighbors posing no threat. Mistakes were seldom costly. Risk-taking often paid off. Americans take risks. Exam p les

American View

Americans find the Germans to be overly risk-averse. Decisions are made too late, too carefully, via an overly complicated process. Forward momentum is lost. Opportunities are missed.

German View

Because their American colleagues are willing to take unwarranted risk, Germans feel the responsibility to apply stringency and methodology.

Advice to Germans

Your ability to analyze is strong. You strive for objectivity. But what about your Bauchgefühl, your gut feeling, your intuition? Trust it or at least take it into consideration along with your objective analysis. Be willing to take a little more risk. There is no such thing as a perfect decision. Every decision, if made in a timely manner, can be revised.

Advice to Americans

You know that your German colleagues anticipate, calculate and react to risk in ways different than you do. It is imperative that you engage in a discussion with them about the positive and negative impact of a given decision.

Quantify (measurables) and qualify (non-measurables) the down-sides as well as the up-sides. Anticipate your assessments being askew: German focus more on what can go wrong; American focus on what can go right.

Prepare convincing and detailed arguments for why your assessment is realistic, fact-based. It is fine to rely to some degree on intuition, but be sure that you can explain the concrete experience behind that „gut feeling“

Scope

German Approach

Germans think systematically. They view a decision in its broader, interconnected context. The scope of the decision is wide. German decision-making means making several decisions at the same time. Examples

American Approach

Americans consciously break down complexity into its component parts in order to focus on what is essential. Because of that the scope of their decisions is narrow. Americans avoid interconnecting too many decisions. Examples

American View

From the American viewpoint, Germans consider too many factors not determinant in the decision making process. Time is wasted. Momemtum is endangered.

German View

Germans see Americans as moving through the decision making process impatiently, without having thought through the complexity of the issue.

Advice to Germans

Remain systematic in your approach to a decision. At the same time be more pragmatic. Narror the overall scope of your understanding of the problem. Focus on the truly relevant factors. Keep the other factors within your peripheral vision, but do not allow them to distract you from the heart of the matter.

Advice to Americans

Engage with your German colleagues in their seemingly philosophical discussion about the nature of the decision to be made. You will gain insight into their thinking. You may find a broader perspective to be of value.

Once you are a full participant in the discussion, you can influence the course of the decision from the beginning. If you feel that your German colleagues are getting a bit too systematic, considering too many factors, this is your opportunity to reign them in.

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.

Consult vs. Serve

German Approach

The Germans prefer consulting over serving. To consult the customer is to work auf Augenhöhe, at eye-level. The German people instinctively reject any form of master-slave business relationship.

The German customer prefers a supplier, consultant, vendor who insists on a business relationship auf Augenhöhe. Germans don’t want to be served, they want to be consulted, by an expert, at eye-level. Examples

American Approach

Americans do not make a clear distinction between serving and consulting. They go hand-in-hand. They are two sides of the same coin. Consulting is a service to the customer.

Serving should include bringing into play subject matter expertise. However, an American consultant, supplier, vendor, seldom sees themselves at eye-level with the customer. The customer is always in charge. Examples

American View

Americans, on the other hand, also prefer consulting versus serving, and this for the same or similar reasons as their German colleagues. However, Americans are more willing than their German counterparts to serve the customer in ways which involve limited elements of consulting. From the American perspective there is nothing inherently demeaning or degrading in serving another person.

And serving a customer in the business context implicitly involves compensation. For an American, serving a customer only becomes degrading (meaning “not worth it”) when the compensation is not in an acceptable balance with the work performed.

From the American perspective, the German approach to serve versus consult will not lead to success. It comes across not as customer-oriented, but supplier-oriented. In other words, the customer has to orient himself to the supplier. It implies not a balance in the relationship, but an imbalance in favor of the supplier. The customer can easily gain the impression that he should be thankful to be served by the supplier.

For Americans this is a highly risky approach in the American business context, for customer-orientation is one of the very key success factors in the U.S. economy. The German approach to serve versus consult, therefore, can come across to American customers as simply arrogant and unresponsive to customer demands.

German View

Germans clearly prefer consulting over serving a customer. Consulting in the sense of imparting your expertise to one who is need of it. The relationship is more balanced in terms of power and respect. Consulting also involves problem solving and planning together with the customer. It is in a way a two-way street. Whereas serving is more of a one-way street.

The customer knows what he wants, chooses one who can deliver, then expects the deliverer (runner, messenger) to react as the customer wishes. Serving, therefore, is seen by Germans as a bit degrading, demeaning, a misuse of their skills. Serving is unworthy of the educated and skilled.

Germans can, therefore, find their American colleagues to be too eager to serve the customer in ways which are imbalanced. It can appear to them that Americans jump into action at the faintest sign of a request from the customer. From the German perspective, American customers are too, or unrealistically, demanding.

Germans believe that one can command more respect, and thus be more successful, by demonstrating more independence, and not instinctively giving the customer what he wants. In fact, the customer often does not know what is best for him.

To truly serve the client means then to maintain your independence and autonomy, in order to objectively advise the customer of how to solve his problems (a consulting approach). In the end, the German customer neither respects nor wants a servant, but an expert who is willing to place his expertise at the center of the business relationship.

Advice to Germans

Make unmistakably clear to your American clients that you are fully focused on serving their needs. Signal to them that you are listening and responding attentively to their situation and want to help them in any way possible.

Especially in the early stage of your collaboration avoid using the terms consult, consulting, advice or advising. Even if you are in fact doing those things, use vocabulary which say service and serving. Consult and consulting can be misinterpreted by an American customer as distanced, not fully engaged, not serving, merely advising, and not involved in the implementation of needed measures.

In your initial meetings with your American client it will be your natural tendancy to ask intelligent and analytical questions, perhaps many of them. And if it seems necessary, you will also ask critical and penetraing questions. If your American client is not familiar with your work, or working with Germans, he might be a bit surprised by your approach.

A highly analytical, dialogue based conversation, with questions going to the core of a business, implies a close business relationship. It could be that your collaboration has not yet reached that stage. Your American customer sees herself as managing the relationship, as deciding if and when you reach full collaboration.

Restrain your consulting oriented approach until you are sure that you have reached that stage. Work your way towards it carefully. Early in the business relationship focus on listening, understanding, and clarifying. Americans want to be sure that you have understood their situation, their needs and challenges, before they are willing to accept you as a consultant who serves their needs.

Advice to Americans

Germans respond positively to American customer-orientation. However, if that friendliness and responsiveness is not backed up by a solution to a German customer’s problem, they are viewed as providing little value. Give clear indications to your German customer – whether external or internal – that you are focussed fully on solving their specific problem. German customers expect a strong consulting element in your approach to serving them.

Early in the business relationship avoid the terms “serve” and “service”. Even if your actions are clearly customer- and service-oriented, use the words “consult” and “advise”. For German ears “serve” and “service” can come across as a substitute for real and proven knowledge and expertise. Seek some distance and detachment from the customer as a person. Depersonalize the business relationship in the sense of an outside consultant who applies his expertise to a specific problem.

As an American, your natural inclination is to avoid entering too early into a consulting dialogue with your customers. You will ask intelligent questions and listen attentively. You will hold penetrating and critical questions for a second or possibly third conversation. Your German customers, however, expect a consulting dialogue at the very outset of the business relationship.

Begin immediately a dialogue involving the most complex and critical issues. Ask the penetrating and sensitive questions. Avoiding these questions will give your German customer the impression that you either do not grasp the problem in its complexity, or are reluctant to address them. Neither of these explanations cast a positive light on you as a consulting oriented problem-solver.

Time

German Approach

Germans believe that the time allotted to a decision should be determined by the nature of the decision. And not dictated by internal or external pressures. Germans believe that patience leads to good decisions. Examples

American Approach

In the U.S. an imperfect but fast decision is often preferred over a perfect but slow decision. Imperfect decisions can be corrected. For Americans speed is always of the essence. Examples

American View

For Americans, Germans afford themselves too much time in their decision-making processes. It is difficult to understand why their German colleagues risk angering the customer by taking additional time.

Germans appear overly conservative. From this perspective, German process discipline in decision making can appear rigid, at times in conflict with the purpose of the decision. It is as if the process were more important than the decision itself.

German View

The American tendancy to move fast in order to achieve results quickly can become a source of confusion for Germans. They often have difficulty identifying a clear logic behind the actions taken.

What Americans would term rapid response coupled with a high level of flexibility, their German colleagues would call “Aktionismus” or nervous movement without or at the expense of thought-through action.

Unfortunately, this confusion on the side of the Germans can turn into irritation if they feel blind-sided by an American “Dezisionismus” (hastily decisionism) which endangers their standards of decision-making quality and rhythm.

Advice to Germans

Your operating assumption should be that you have less time at your disposal to make a good decision. Your decision making speed should be based on the time needs of whoever benefits from your decision, whoever is the receiver of your „decision making deliverable.“

Advice to Americans

Be guarded against the cliché that Germans are slow in deciding. Their decisions tend to be further-reaching than the American approach. German colleagues or team leads will allow you more time to make a decision, provided your approach is methodical.

Use the additional time wisely. However, when you perceive the need to decide quickly, inform your German colleagues a.) why this is so, and b.) how a quick decision, if later proven to be suboptimal, can be corrected.

Deliverables

German Approach

The Germans prefer a complete deliverable, even if late, over an incomplete deliverable, even if early. Lateness is tolerated as long as expectations are met. Completeness beats speed. Exa m ples

American Approach

Americans expect the initial parts of a deliverable as quickly as possible. A partial deliverable early often meets the needs better than the complete product later. Speed beats completeness. Examples

American View

There are seldom situations in the American context when missing a due date is easily justified. From the American point of view, their German colleagues are simply too slow, their deliverables too perfect, too abgerundet.

Opportunities are missed. Particularly frustrating is to have very little communication during the agreed upon delivery time, only to have the deliverable suddenly arrive.

German View

Germans are impressed with rapid response times. But all too often they misperceive the initial part of the deliverable as most or all that they will receive, falsely drawing the conclusion that their American colleague has not fully lived up to their side of the agreement.

To then learn that they need to aggregate several parts of the deliverable leads them to the conclusion that their American partners are either not capable or unwilling of putting together a complete product.

Advice to Germans

Completeness vs. schedule, quality vs. speed, whatever terms you choose, this is an area of potentially considerable friction. Address this issue from the very outset of an agreement.

Define the terms specifically. What deliverables are involved? In what form will they be delivered? In pieces or as a whole? By when? From whom, to whom? For the sake of clarity, recommend to each other that you document this.

And most importanlty, remain in constant contact with each other about any modifications to this crucial part of the agreement.

Advice to Americans

Communicate more literally with your German colleagues. If you cannot enter into an agreement, simply state so.

Provide your reasons, communicate regret, but try not to pack your „no“ into „wads of cotton“, as the Germans say. They won‘t break down into tears.

If you are willing to enter into an agreement, give clear indications to what degree your „yes“ is binding. Parameters can change. Use a percentage:

„Sure, Hans, I can deliver that by next Thursday. But, I have a lot going on at the moment. I can guarantee it 80%. Let‘s talk again on Tuesday.“

Follow-up

German Approach

In Germany follow-up is infrequent. Once an agreement has been made neither party feels the need to contact the other in order to check its status or priority. Agreed is agreed. Examples

American Approach

In the U.S. follow-up is frequent. Americans enter into many agreements and on a constant basis. Follow-up is how they maintain a common understanding of the status of those agreements. Examples

American View

If follow up does not occur, one party gains the impression that for the other party the status or priority of the agreement has changed.

„Hmm, odd, I haven‘t heard from my German colleague since last week when he requested that report. Perhaps he got a copy from another source. I suppose he‘ll call if he still needs it.“

Other tasks, projects or agreements are then seen as more important. The danger is evident. The German colleague saw no reason to follow up. He, indeed, is expecting to receive the report by the date agreed to. The American colleague assumes the opposite, however.

German View

Frequent follow up can be interpreted as lack of trust or even as a form of controlling. Germans will ask themselves: „Do they think we forget agreements we‘ve entered into? Do they think that we make promises which we don‘t intend to keep? Are they implying that we are not reliable, not zuverlaessig?“ Their reaction will be one of discomfort, irritation, impatience.

Advice to Germans

Increase your use of follow up by 100%. Your American colleagues will judge it to be neither a sign of mistrust nor control, but of cooperation and teamwork.

Follow up helps them to better understand how the agreement fits into your and their work context. The communication will allow you and your colleague to respond quickly to changing parameters.

At the same time, explain to your American colleague when and how follow up is appropriate in the German context.

Advice to Americans

Explain to your German colleague as early as possible the function of follow up in the American context. Warn them of your need to remain up-to-date on your various agreements.

Then ask that colleague when and in which mode (telephone, e-mail, face-to-face meeting) interim communication is acceptable. At the same time, try to reduce your need for follow up by 50%.