Germany: Conversation - Part 2
From ExecutivePlanet.com
Welcome topics of conversation
Giving compliments is not part of German business protocol and can often cause embarrassment and awkwardness. Employees would, of course, be appreciative of praise from superiors, but do not expect it. Compliments, especially from strangers or very casual acquaintances can, in fact, be taken with suspicion [“What does he/she really mean to say or want?”].
Germans traditionally use “Wie geht es Ihnen?” [“How are you?”] as a literal question that expects a literal answer, in contrast to the common English usage of “How's it going?” to simply meaning “Hi”. It may, therefore, be considered strange or superficial to ask the question and keep on moving without waiting for an answer. Many people, when asked, will, in fact, give you a very detailed answer, including why they are not doing well at that moment! The “Americanization” of the usage of “Wie geht es Ihnen?” as a casual greeting is nonetheless catching on, something many people find irritating and label “superficial”.
If you are an invited guest, or coming for the first time from a potential partner company in a very relationship-oriented culture like the Middle East, Africa and the Far East, be prepared for a different margin of hospitality. The German fact-oriented culture makes a very clear distinction between time spent to cultivate business and personal relations. Unless a close personal relationship already exists between the business partners, businesspeople coming from very relationship-oriented cultures should not expect immediately to be invited into private homes to meet the family, or to be shown an effusive hospitality of the kind they know in their home culture. In such cultures, going all out for guests and personalizing an otherwise sterile connection is a matter of considerable personal pride and desire for “face” for everyone involved. In more individualist-oriented cultures, such as the German one, group harmony and the other's “face” are generally secondary to individual needs and comfort.
Therefore, even if you are staying for several days, do not expect German colleagues to take you out every evening for meals and an evening program, as they will assume that you will want to have time to yourself after business hours, since this has high priority for them in their culture. If you are hosting German guests, keep in mind that it may not be necessary to arrange a full program for them. It is very likely that they will want some time for themselves to pursue their own interests or simply to relax a bit away from business.
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Welcome Topics of Conversation
Sports, particularly soccer [the national sport]
Travel, recent holidays
Current events, politics [if you know what you're talking about]
Work and professions
Your previous experiences and travels in Germany and other parts of Europe [just make sure you know your geography!]
Among those who imbibe, beer is often a good topic of conversation. Germany produces some of the finest beers in the world, and seasoned drinkers enjoy comparing and contrasting the qualities of the various brews available.
Topics to Avoid
World War II/the Holocaust [although sometimes you will be surprised at how openly and frankly Germans of all ages will make reference to or comment on their history]
Personal questions [especially salary, cost of personal objects] among people you don't know or know well, especially in a business environment [work and family life are usually kept separate]
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