Hi all, I will soon start a strategy consulting position in Germany. As a foreigner, I started to read the book “THE CULTURE MAP” to understand what the German work culture looks like.
I was a bit confused about the difference in styles of reasoning between different cultures: principles-first / deductive reasoning (e.g. Germany) vs. applications-first / inductive reasoning (e.g. US).
The book mentioned that, in Germany, people try to understand the “theoretical concept” before adapting it to the practical situation. So when people begin by presenting the conclusions and recommendations (which are highly adopted in the US) without setting up the parameters and how they got to the conclusions, Germans may feel shocked.
I was quite surprised when I learned that there are such differences in the approach of reasoning between US and Germany. All the key consulting concepts that I have learned seem very US-centric, such as “answer-first” (starting presentation with a clear recommendation in a “top-down” approach).
Could you please share your experience on whether you have observed a clear difference in presentation/communication styles between Germany vs. the US? It would be greatly appreciated to gather insights from people who have strategy consulting experience. Did you have to adapt different styles when working with German vs. US clients?
Appreciate your advice!