The West Wing (1999-2006) presents a more politically nuanced depiction of negotiation in a scene where President Bartlet and his Chief of Staff, Leo McGarry, negotiate with congressional leaders over a contentious budget deal. Bartlet employs a strategic, results-driven approach, leveraging political capital and making calculated compromises to secure bipartisan support. The negotiation is framed as a chess match, with each side maneuvering strategically to secure key concessions. The scene illustrates the American emphasis on strategic negotiation as a means to achieve political objectives.
television
Shark Tank
In the popular series Shark Tank, entrepreneurs pitch their businesses to investors who openly negotiate equity percentages, valuations, and funding amounts. The entire premise of the show is rooted in the American cultural belief that negotiating is not only acceptable but expected in business settings.
Harvey Specter
In Suits, Harvey Specter is portrayed as a ruthless negotiator, leveraging every possible advantage to secure the best deal for his clients.
Tatort
In the long-running crime series Tatort, scenes involving financial transactions or business deals often depict Germans adhering to strict price structures without negotiation. Detectives and businesspeople engage in straightforward exchanges, where the focus is on procedural integrity rather than negotiating a better deal. This portrayal reinforces the perception that price bargaining is unprofessional and potentially disreputable.
Bernd Stromberg
In Stromberg (2004-12), a German mockumentary-style sitcom, Bernd Stromberg, a self-serving middle manager, attempts to negotiate a promotion. Stromberg’s negotiation style is overly blunt, structured, and devoid of charm, aligning with the stereotype of German directness. He presents his case as a series of logical arguments, emphasizing his adherence to company policy and his ability to maintain order, even at the cost of personal relationships. The scene satirizes the German focus on structure and protocol-driven negotiation tactics.
Soup Nazi
The U.S. tv series Seinfeld. Jerry, George and Elaine visit a new soup stand. Jerry explains that the owner is known as the Soup Nazi due to his insistence on a strict manner of behavior while placing an order, but his soups are so outstandingly delicious that the stand is constantly busy.
At the soup stand, George complains about not receiving bread with his meal. When he presses the issue, George’s order is taken away and his money returned. On a subsequent visit, George buys soup (with a warning that he is pushing his luck), but Elaine, having scoffed at Jerry’s advice on how to order, draws the Soup Nazi’s ire and is banned for a year.
Wait, stop ! We’ll let the video tell the rest of the story.
Why this now famous American TV series episode? In the context of German-American collaboration? And as it relates to the topic customer? Well, show it to any Americans working in the Germany-USA space and then ask them what it is like for them as the customer interacting with Germans as the supplier.
“Best pitch ever”
Shark Tank: Present the positives. Answer questions about the negatives.
As Wen Muenyi – born and raised in a small African village – of Jax Sheets pitches his men’s bedding company, the Sharks fall in love with his candor. When Kevin O’Leary questions whether the business is worth $2.1 million, Wen responds ‘I mean, I said it, but it might not be true!’ getting a big laugh from the Sharks, and Wen explains why he’s already living the American Dream.
Yes, candor can sell, too.
“We’re gonna keep going”
They simply could not overcome the critical questions.
YouTube comments:
“Best pitch ever indeed! Lesson to learn about how to hold your poise when the unexpected happens in perhaps the biggest moment of your life! Applaud Scott and his mate for doing an amazing job!”
“Let’s make kids safer in school.” … “No, the margins are awful.”
“They’re now worth over 8 million and still sell online :)”
Sharks in sales-mode
This is an extaordinary episode. Both sides – the entrepreneurs on the one side and the sharks on the other side – are strongly in the mode of persuasion. Interestingly, the entrepreneurs made clear early why they are seeking help: they don’t understand the American market.
YouTube comments:
“Turning the tables and asking the sharks if they were committed and if they’d give them the time is superb. You can tell they’ve been in business before.”
“These two knew EXACTLY how to handle the sharks, and pitched their product extremely well.”
“The minute the gentleman admitted how he initially failed in the US market, aka realizing the results from his trial and error and learning from them, was when I saw these men were successful businessmen.”
An Android’s Nightmare
Small talk is so important to American culture that it often appears in American science fiction, usually in the form of an alien species (or other non-human) refusing to use it or having difficulty understanding it.
In the American television show Star Trek: The Next Generation, Lieutenant Commander Data, an android, makes several attempts to master the skill, usually with disastrous (or at least comical) results. In one particular episode, he writes an algorithm for small talk, and then annoys many of the members of the Enterprise crew by attempting to engage them in conversations that are a little too non-relevant even for small talk.
Other species’ lack of small talk also caused discomfort among the humans in the various Star Trek incarnations. In Star Trek: Voyager, Tuvok, a Vulcan, refused to participate in small talk, and when asked to participate, stated that Vulcans do not make small talk.
Also on Voyager, the Doctor (a hologram), often commented that he was not programmed to make small talk, saying such things as Small talk only compromises my performance.
However, it wasn’t long before the Doctor changed his opinion about the social behavior, and soon he was even teaching Seven of Nine (a former human turned Borg then turned human again) how to use small talk, telling her that it was “a vital … skill (that) helps to establish a rapport.”