1. German Culture in
Cleveland & Bradley County
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Christian Hoeferle
Höferle Consulting
German-American Chamber of Commerce of the Southern U.S.
6. Social Impact
• at least 4,500 new jobs in the region
• influx of newcomers to the area (from inside
the U.S. as well as from abroad)
• new, sometimes different mindsets &
mentalities arrive in the TN Valley
8. Educational Impact
• drastically increased demand for German classes
• introduction of German style job training initiatives
• need for special programs at local schools for
expatriate children
• introduction of International Baccalaureate program
• German Language School (Montessori Kinder)
11. Peach
- extroverted with strangers
- open & curious
- makes "friends" quickly
- talks openly in public
- public & private interwoven
Coconut
- reserved, needs time to warm up
with strangers
- private & public strictly separated
- social distance determined by
status, social role, profession
- close, very intimate sharing of
experiences with friends
13. ze German use of ze
Englisch language
• most Germans speak English
• many know English only on an academic/
school level
• most schools teach mainly British English
• => misunderstandings (esp. with Americans)
• difficulties in understanding nuances,
reading between the lines
• native speech is full of "would", "could",
"please", "thank you", "might"
• Germans use "should", "must", "have to",
"yes" and "no"
16. Values & Traditions
• "Ordnung muss sein!" (= order must be)
• efficiency, tidiness, organization, clarity, duty
• clarity ("Klarheit")
• Germans are usually very direct & straightforward - even to the extent of being
brutally honest
=> they'll tell you what to do and how to do it
• "Paralysis by Analysis" - the process of analyzing a situation defeats the more
important goal of reaching a decision
• wish for clarity & honesty comes with a sense of duty; to say something and not do it
is seen badly
• doing your duty (what is widely believed to be the right thing) = important part of
peoples' lives
• sense of duty is linked to a belief in higher principles
• => the greater common good
• Gemeinschaft/Gruppenzugehörigkeit => consensus-driven society
17. Private vs. Public
• work hard <==> party hard
• strong distinction between work and play
• "Dienst ist Dienst. Schnaps ist Schnaps."
(= Work is work and drink is drink)
• friends & family <==> rest of the world
• Germans are experts in code switching
• formality vs. friends
• moral standards differ substantially from those in the
Southeastern US: nudity and sexually explicit material in the
media is perfectly acceptable, violence is not
• complaining isn't considered a rude behaviour, it is a control
mechanism to make sure rules are obeyed and systems are
adhered to
18. Business & Private
• Germans' analytical approach isn't limited to the
business world
• deep and detailed communication is a lifestyle
• German friends want to talk about politics, social
issues, philosophy, attitudes to life, etc.
• they will expect you to stand your ground and will
reprove you if they think you're not thinking things
through
• they'll treasure your directness and honesty
19. Managment Communication
• very direct & straightforward
• giving and receiving orders is important, as is carrying
them out to the letter
• Germans get to the point quickly with no or very little
small talk
• contained body language; not too much smiling
(= false mannerism in business environment)
• lack of praise: do not expect to be praised for doing
your job, because "excellence comes as standard"
• efficiency and charm don't have to go together
20. Presenting & Listening
• Germans are usually more reserved and serious
• Americans tend to misinterpret this as being unfriendly
• Germans want to be respected and seen as credible
• Americans want to be liked
• Germans present data & content centered
• Americans present audience centered
• => amount of humor/entertainment elements in
German business communication is far less than with
Americans
21. Thank you for
Your Attention!
(423) 284-5013
christian@hoeferle.com
christianhoeferle
LinkedIN.com/in/Hoeferle
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@Hoeferle
Facebook.com/HoeferleConsulting