Germany: Public Behaviour - Part 1
From ExecutivePlanet.com
Acceptable public conduct
If you do not speak German, be careful of automatically addressing a person in English. While Germans generally speak very good English, some may well feel offended at the presumption. There is some noticeable resentment among especially the 45 to 60 age group, which generally doesn't feel as secure in the language as the next younger generations, which have grown up with a prevalence of English introduced into many aspects of German commercial life.
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Germans do not expect to be greeted by strangers, even when eye contact has been made, in the office environment. The fact-oriented thinking is, “since I don't know this person, there is no relationship, so there is no need to get into superficial pleasantries”. Generally, the smaller the office is, the more greetings will be forthcoming and expected, but the bigger the environment is, the less it will be expected and offered, especially if you are not a permanent member of the staff.
Generally, Germans prefer third-party introductions whenever possible. This has to a significant degree to do with a “wait and see” communication behavior that evolved from the historical “village mentality” They will not expect to be approached by complete strangers and will not as a rule do the same to establish some points of commonality through fluent small talk. Small talk is an elusive and difficult skill for most Germans, even in business, as the nature of their social relations does not require communication tools to support initial relationship-building between strangers. Therefore, the traditional “Gemütlichkeit” [“cosiness”, or “relaxed mood”] Germans talk so fondly of when getting together socially, is reserved for, indeed only possible, within a close circle of family and friends.
The German culture is considered a “middle hierarchical” culture. That is to say, institutional hierarchy is well defined and strictly observed, and is quite obvious in the individual's communication behavior. Corporate rank demands a degree of privilege and respect from subordinates which can result in much less open channels of communication than found in cultures with flatter hierarchies, as in Scandinavia, and/or a very strong individualist orientation as in North America/Australia. Therefore, keep in mind that to whom, when and the way you are introduced will indicate how you are perceived and how Germans fit you into their corporate hierarchy.
Firm, brief handshakes at the time of arrival and departure are standard in both business and social relationships. Hugging and kissing on both cheeks are common only among good friends and family members [though hand-shaking between parents and grown children, or between adult siblings is not at all uncommon]. When arriving and leaving, take the time to shake hands with everyone individually in a group. The simpler American “group wave”, for example, will not be appreciated in all but the most casual and familiar gatherings.
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