The difference between indirect and direct communication
How we Germans communicate
Germans are known abroad for being rather cool, drinking a lot of beer and being arrogant. In international business life, however, one thing is particularly noticeable: the way we communicate. We like to say exactly what we want to have when and how. We draw up a precise agenda, which is worked through point by point and, above all, starts on time to the minute. At the end of a meeting, minutes are written in which everything is recorded so that everyone is on the same page and can read again by when they have to have completed which task. To prevent a possible late delivery, it is also quite common to remind colleagues before the agreed deadline when the delivery should arrive. However, if there is actually a delay, an email is quickly sent – approximately 5 minutes later – to find out what went wrong and when the delivery can be expected.
How people communicate in the majority of countries around the world
People in countries that use indirect communication not only perceive German communication as impolite, but in some cases also as a personal attack. So if you are communicating with colleagues from Mexico, for example, you should always make sure to express yourself as politely and indirectly as possible. This is the custom in Mexico and it is clear what Mexicans think of Germans in such cases and vice versa.
Communication is the be-all and end-all
If, as a German, you are communicating with a foreign country in which negative messages or demands are formulated in a rather coded way, you should avoid writing “I want the documents in my mailbox by 7 p.m. tonight. “. This Prussian way of expressing yourself will not make your foreign colleagues stand at attention, but will put them off. It is more clever to formulate your request in as friendly a way as possible and, if possible, even as a question: “In order to be able to continue with the project, I would need the documents today if possible. Could you do that?” Another example is to address deficits directly: “You have forgotten the sales figures in your report.” We are familiar with this form of expression in Germany. In a country with a high level of contextual understanding, i.e. indirect communication, this issue would be addressed differently, for example: “Thank you for the report. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find the sales figures. Could you show them to me again?” After all, you still want to work with your colleagues abroad tomorrow.
The journey is the destination
The strategy of using direct communication to communicate in a completely transparent manner and to be able to criticize openly works – in Germany. The main purpose of indirect communication, on the other hand, is to maintain a relationship and create harmony. As a “no” is a clear rejection of something, and the other person might find this offensive, many cultures avoid using this little word, even if it creates clarity. Unfortunately, this can often lead to problems, as has happened to me once as a “clueless foreigner”:
In a large city in South America, I asked for directions on the street. I quickly got an answer and relied on it. So I followed the description and ended up in a neighborhood that I had actually wanted to avoid. Irritated, I asked for directions again. Now I was sent in the opposite direction and I was not exactly pleased, and to be frank angry, to have wasted a lot of time just because I had been told the wrong way. I later learned that it would have been rude if the gentleman on the road had told me that he didn’t know the way. Besides, he might have lost face if he had revealed his ignorance. So he (unconsciously) decided to simply give me some (wrong) directions. In doing so, he was polite and did his best to be friendly. Possible misdirections were of secondary importance in this case. And this is where interpretation comes into play! Germans take messages literally and act accordingly. A local would certainly have noticed from the expression, facial expressions and tone of voice that the person giving the information had no idea. Nevertheless, the form would have been respected and everything would have been fine. How was the local supposed to know that you could have hurled an “I’m sorry, I don’t know” at a German without offending him? In fact, the German, i.e. myself, was offended and angry by the form-preserving message. Applied to business situations, it can also happen that you don’t immediately recognize a hidden “no” as such and don’t conclude that a customer is dissatisfied with the product, for example. The customer then ends the business relationship and you are left puzzling over what the reason could be. In order to communicate as effectively as possible, whether directly, by telephone or by email, you should be aware of the culture of the other person. Because only successful communication in which everyone feels respected will lead to a good result. This is a key aspect of our intercultural country training courses, so that you are suitably prepared and stay on the road to success in business.
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