At the end of a long trip through the UK, we met Gordon in London. Gordon had worked as a banker in Frankfurt for a few years. During this time, Gordon had visited us several times for intensive German courses in Meersburg. Now he was back home. We met in one of those wonderful wine bars in the City.
We exchanged experiences and impressions. Gordon raved about driving fast on German motorways. Then he asked what we had noticed most about the UK.
My answer: “You have so many ’roundabouts’ here, whereas in Germany we mostly have intersections with traffic lights. Do you have an explanation why that is?”
Gordon smiled. „Do you really want to know?“
“Of course. That’s why I’m asking.”
„You Germans want to be told what to do.“
It was clear what he meant. At the traffic lights, technology frees us from responsibility. But it also takes away our freedom to act responsibly. It is exactly the opposite at the roundabout. It gives us freedom, but also makes us responsible for our actions.
Later, I was talking about this conversation with my partner Anka. I had an idea. The roundabouts and the crossroads could be a model for a book about the differences between British and German management culture. Unfortunately, I didn’t pursue the idea any further.
Two years later I found a book in a Frankfurt bookshop called ‘Crossroads and Roundabouts’. So someone had not just had an idea like me. He had put it into practice.
If I now add that I don’t think this realisation was particularly successful, one might think I’m a bad loser. OK.
The good news at the end: Since this experience a few years ago, countless traffic light intersections in Germany have been converted to roundabouts.
Perhaps this also gives hope for changes in the management culture.
