This figure has long since found its way into management meetings and transformation papers. It crops up everywhere we talk about motivation, purpose and sustainability. But perhaps the real insight lies not in the number – but in how we collect it.
Gallup translates its questions into many languages. With great effort and methodical care. Nevertheless, something falls by the wayside: the tone, the context, what is not said – but is meant, the surroundings.
Rather cool in the north?
How people react to questions is not only influenced by language, but also by culture. In some regions, respondents were rather simple and reserved, in others more detailed and passionate. And so the same number sometimes says something completely different.
And even within a company, meanings can slip. Many people may feel very comfortable with their work – but say otherwise. Quieter. More hesitant. Sometimes not at all. If you don’t hear these nuances, you get a skewed picture.
German is spoken. Or not?
No? Why not? We’ll give it away: “layoff” sounds more harmless than “termination”. “Transformation pressure” sounds more ambitious than “exhaustion”. And “People & Culture” is more modern, but not automatically more credible than “HR department”. The fact is: the language we choose either creates closeness – or new distance.
This is precisely why language competence is no longer a nice-to-have skill, but a central, necessary ability. If you want to lead, you have to be able to communicate. And hear what is not said. Language can connect – or deter. And that often decides whether a team really goes with the flow or just runs with it.
In practice, this means that management must not only broadcast, it must also enter into discussions with an open mind and be able to detect subtle nuances.
Perhaps that is precisely the art: not just knowing how to speak – but sensing what needs to be said. And then to recognize when the silence is not a regional peculiarity, but actually a cry for help.