Imagine a manager:
Does she wear an Armani suit or jeans and a T-shirt?
Do they come in a company car or by bike?
Do you address them as Sie or as Du?
For me, the picture is clear: jeans, casual behaviour and my opinion counts. As an entrepreneur, I even expect my team to disagree with me when I’m wrong.
But that’s not a given everywhere.
The way we see leadership and hierarchy is often more culturally influenced than we realise.
In Germany, we grow up with a strong sense of individualism: independence, making our own decisions and being treated as equals are important from an early age.
In collective cultures, on the other hand, the ‘we’ counts more than the ‘I’. Authority and clear roles hold the group together. Even in families, there is often a leader – a pattern that continues at school and at work.
This works well as long as you stay within your own cultural environment.
But when cultures clash, expectations collide.
A German customer once told me in frustration:
“My employees don’t do anything on their own. I have to approve everything. No initiative!”
Tip: In international teams, each side plays by its own cultural rules. If you understand this, you can avoid misunderstandings and create genuine collaboration.
What image do you have in your head when you think of a manager?
Curious to learn more about German culture and intercultural collaboration? Let’s get talking.