1. How to work in Polish-German Teams?
Intercultural differences at the workplace.
A fish only discovers its need for water
when it is no longer in it.
Dr. Fons Trompenaars
Krynica, 24.02.2012
2. What is culture?
Culture is a system of values, beliefs,
assumptions, norms, shared among a group of
people.
This group can be:
a country (e.g. Poland/Germany),
region (e.g. Silesia),
religion (e.g. zen-buddhism),
profession (e.g. psychologists),
generation (e.g. generation X),
soccer club (e.g. Manchester United)
Krynica, 24.02.2012
3. Culture as Iceberg
Cooking/Food
Music
Explicit Culture Architecture
Clothing
Ways to handle emotions
Arrangement of physical
space
Implicit Culture Nature of Friendship
Patterns of superior/
subordinate relations
Patterns of decision
making
And much, much more…
Krynica, 24.02.2012
4. Why do we need to understand other
cultures?
➮ When two people from different cultures meet each
other, they behave according to their own standards
(own beliefs, values, norms…).
➮ Problem occurs when these standards are not
compatible: e.g. when deemed behavior (e.g. in Japan)
occurs to be standard in another culture (e.g. in
Portugal).
➮ In this situation these two people need to
understand the different behavior of others and at the
same to correct their own behavior.
Krynica, 24.02.2012
7. What does it mean to be “intercultural”
competent?
Awareness of one's own cultural standards
Understanding of the foreign culture standards
Ability to change perspectives
Ability to tolerate ambiguity and to control
emotions
Ability to integrate different perspectives in
own action
Ability to understand, recognize and appreciate
the logic of a foreign culture
Ability to independent cross-cultural learning
Krynica, 24.02.2012
(Kammhuber
2000)
8. Cultural standards
Socially shared and accepted norms and values
used by individuals belonging to the specific
group
Our orientation system, frame for thoughts,
beliefs and perception
Not objective, they need to be set in
comparison to other cultures
Krynica, 24.02.2012
9. Perception of Germans and Polish by other
cultures
Polish
…about…
German
Hard,
reliable
and
qualified
Bri3sh
Qualifica3ons
are
worker
important
Loud
and
open
Portuguese
Don’t
talk
about
private
life
Emo3onal
and
always
Japanese
Logical
and
always
have
a
explain
why
they
do
reason
what
they
do
something
Direct,
give
more
Taiwanese
Direct,
come
straight
to
the
informa3on
than
needed
point
Krynica, 24.02.2012
10. German cultural standards
➮ Pragmatic task orientation
Professional role comes first
Communication in a professional context without substantive goal is limited
Personal relationship doesn’t influence professional context
Facts have first priority - relationship building comes with the time
Task orientation and goal orientation can act over hierarchies.
Germans likes personal touch but they do not expect it
➮ Appreciation of rules and structures
Rules and regulations with rigid timeline & actions
Failure to comply may be punished by outsiders
Objective: Risk minimization and control over situation
Rules and structures = best way to overcome problems (for example, brochures / internet as
an information source)
Having grown up with confidence in the structures
Think in terms of responsibilities
Improvisation = poor planning
Priority by writing: Where is this in cold print?
Krynica, 24.02.2012
11. German cultural standards
➮ Attention to detail
Make exact and detailed plans
Minimize possible sources of errors beforehand
Are well prepared for meetings and presentations
Highly value neatness and orderliness
➮ Rule oriented internalized control
Consistency and reliability high recognisability
High tendency to avoid uncertainty.
They therefore develop binding rules and structures in order to foster certainty in
dealings with each other
➮ Time Planning
Appointments are precisely planned
It is expected that times which are set are adhered to
Punctuality is a matter of good manners
Krynica, 24.02.2012
12. German cultural standards
➮ Separation of areas of life
Adaptation of the behavior depending on the sphere of their life (private or business)
This frequently leads to Germans being seen as very remote and cold and even as overtly
unfriendly.
➮ Low-Context communication
direct and explicit communication
Important statements directly and openly and without 'window dressing'.
can appear rude and threatening without meaning to or even noticing it
Therefore they do not easily recognize and respond to verbal subtleties
And therefore they can often miss the decisive content of an interaction
➮ Individualism
Emphasis on single people in relative Independence of group membership
Focal point of my life, I’m
Self-responsibility, personal opinion, independence - important principles in education and
school
Symmetrical partnerships and gender roles
Contact possible without the personal connection
In private space very important to be left alone
Krynica, 24.02.2012
13. Polish cultural standards
Emotions-based relationships
Mixing of pragmatic and personal level
Every situation might be analyzed on personal level – which implications does it
have for me?
very indirect communication style
avoidance of open criticism
importance of nonverbal communication
High-Context communication
Indirect subtle communication between the lines
Depend on context and situation
Collectivism
Emphasis on groups and their collective decisions
Influence on indirect communication as you can not loudly express your feeling
or wishes in the group
Krynica, 24.02.2012
14. Polish cultural standards
Hierarchy-orientation
Respect for authority
Tendency not ask questions directly
Decisions are made by the person with higher authority
Addressing with title and full name
Flexibility of rules
Very secure dealing with unstructured situations
Flexibility, dynamic and improvisation
Ability to execute multiple tasks at the same time and to tackle problems in a
pragmatic and goal oriented way
Krynica, 24.02.2012
15. Clash of the Polish and German icebergs
Pragmatic task orientation Emotions-based relationships
Individualism Collectivism
Rule oriented internalized control Hierarchy-orientation
Appreciation of rules and structures Flexibility of rules
Time Planning Flexibility of rules
Separation of areas of life Emotions-based relationships
Low-Context communication High-Context communication
Krynica, 24.02.2012
16. How to run a successful teleconference?
➮ Keep statements short and ask for recording the call
frequent feedback
Different laws in different countries
Low-/High context communication
➮ Start on time
➮ Don’t use slides if you can avoid it
Time Planning
Attention to details and rules;
➮ Make sure the moderator dials in early
➮ If you must show slides, don’t send them Time planning
ahead of time.
➮ Don’t dial in from a mobile phone
Quality of calls
➮ Send out an agenda ahead of time and
➮ Set limits on call duration
stick to it
Time planning
Time planning. Attention to details and
rules
➮ Use video if possible
Emotions-based relationships
➮ Let the participants know if you are
Krynica, 24.02.2012
17. About Magdalena Kishizawa
Magdalena is a coach and trainer with a
successful track record over ten years in providing
leadership development support and executive
coaching as consultant.
She worked for such companies as SAP AG (HR
Department at Service & Support Executive
Board), Kienbaum Management Consultants
GmbH and O&P Consult AG.
Since 2008 Managing Director at PeOrg Consult
Ltd.
Because of her business and private experiences (like working and living in
Germany, Poland, Portugal, Russia and United Kingdom and her personal
connection to Japan) Magdalena has a deep understanding of challenges of
culture differences in business environment.
She studied psychology, business administration and education science; is
CIPD member; has finished a course in systemical coaching (accredited by
German Psychology Association).
