Action Seekers vs. Truth Seekers

Transatlantic Letters from William Parks
Comments on German and American Culture and Society

#3 Action Seekers
Americans often become impatient with Germans and their love of thorough discussions. Americans are action seekers. We place high value on pragmatic action and individual initiative. We still have the frontier experience in us. We learned that you can't clear the wilderness, build homes, and defend them against wild animals by discussing these things. Better to take action, get something going, see how it works, and then make any corrections necessary.

Today we are no longer in colonial times or in the Wild West. The wild animals have been replaced by wild and savage competitors. We have to be lightening fast to the market, otherwise the competitors will control that market while we go bankrupt with our superior products. Microsoft is the epitome of the action seeker, valuing marketing over product perfection.

Discussion is important to reach a workable decision, but we need a leader to channel that discussion. Give everyone a chance to speak so they feel they're valued as individuals, get them all to agree by the deadline, and then launch the surprise offensive while the competition is still sleeping.

When transatlantic partners get together, there can be friction and misunderstandings. Americans easily see Germans as feet draggers who never do anything; Germans easily see Americans as juveniles creating one mess after the other. This means latent mistrust that can develop in any undertaking.

Nevertheless, we can recognize these differences and learn from each other. American action seekers are pragmatic and highly aware of market constraints. Germans can learn how to react faster to market pressure and accept the consequent risks. But first of all, set a definite time limit to the discussion.

#4 Truth Seekers
Germans tend to be truth seekers who take a lot of time in discussing the issues involved, and who strive for building up a broad consensus around any decision. Germans place high value on clarity and thoroughness. In making an important decision, you want to do it once and do it right. This prepares the groundwork for clarity of action. The action then taken represents full and final commitment resulting from the best possible use of the intellect.

Commitment to the right course of action can bring long-term benefits for generations: German engineering, postwar reconstruction, and two centuries of chemical research are examples. It is of supreme importance to seek and recognize the single best course of action, the "truth," and then put all your resources into this.

This is serious business. Do it right and the matter is settled for the rest of your life. Do it wrong and you have to do it again, and that is unnecessary. Listen very carefully to everyone who has something to say in the matter. Encourage controversy and very tough questions; that way you know people are serious about what they are saying and expect the same from you in return. Reach as broad a consensus as is humanly possible, so when you make that decision, everyone is totally behind it.

German truth seekers at their best prepare careful groundwork that prevents costly false starts. Furthermore, in their love of controversy, tough questions, and endless discussions, Germans are far more likely to take particular local conditions and needs into consideration when extending operations abroad. Americans can learn from Germans that careful, patient deliberation now can save a lot of time, money, and effort down the road later. But first agree on which topics require thorough discussion and consensus, and which do not.

(http://www.howtogermany.com/transatlantic/transatlantic.php)

Although this one is more about business relations it still made me laugh...