Disney Strategy believes that an ideal team must have the following three roles: thinker, critic and doer.
A thinker just thinks wildly, thinks about strategies, and puts forward various suggestions, even if they are unrealistic; critics specialize in critical work, examining the thinkers' suggestions from different angles, so as to find the best; Create implementable solutions from the optimized proposals, turning the thinker's strategic intentions into reality.
A team is like this, a company is like this, and a country is no exception.
German society is an ideal "Disney team" structure. There is no shortage of critics in Germany. This is firstly due to the rational attitude of the public towards criticism. More importantly, German education encourages students to think independently, not to blindly follow authority, and to think about problems from multiple perspectives. Diversity of thought creates a multicultural society.
Because of the diversity of society, Germany has produced batches of great philosophers, educators, sociologists, psychologists, and law and economists, such as Kant, Hegel, Nietzsche, Schopenhauer, Leib Nitz, Weber, Humboldt, Wundt, Okun, Boehm and others. These people who look up at the starry sky can be said to be radiant, and they have contributed precious spiritual heritage and wealth to Germany and all mankind.
Today's "German Industry 4.0" is the spark of thinkers, leading the trend of industrial upgrading in the world. Ideas change the world, as evidenced by the "German Industry 4.0" strategy.
In addition to critics and thinkers, German doers come forth in large numbers, and they have created the world-renowned "Made in Germany" with their exquisite craftsmanship. Although Germany has experienced ups and downs, German manufacturing has allowed the German economy to grow steadily and firmly supported the crisis in Europe. The Eurozone is still standing today, thanks to Made in Germany.
The key reason why German manufacturing is so powerful is that the country has accumulated a wealth of "craftsman" resources, including engineers, senior technicians, and ordinary technicians. The German craftsman spirit is rigorous, standardized, and meticulous. It is stipulated that screws need to be screwed five times, and they will never screw four and a half times. Whether they are engineers or ordinary technicians, everyone has unique skills, some of which are inherited from their ancestors, but more come from vocational schools, technical schools, and even universities of applied technology all over Germany. In addition, training from German industry associations and field training within companies are also very common.
The question is, why are so many Germans willing to work as technicians instead of generally pursuing a university degree?
In Germany, there is no shame in being a technician, and they also enjoy the reputation and respect of other "higher occupations" in society. In the eyes of the Germans, what everyone does is just a different division of labor. Whether they are politicians, educators, entrepreneurs, engineers or technicians, they are just different occupations, and there is no distinction between high and low. The word "occupation" in German means vocation or God's call, and the occupation that everyone engages in is sacred in the sense of "vocation". Because of this, the Germans are serious and responsible in their work, and they can calm down and do their job well.
The second reason is that technicians also have high incomes. The income of 2,000-3,000 euros for ordinary technicians is no worse than that of university graduates, and it is easier to find a job. Senior technicians are the treasure of the enterprise. Their income is higher, and it is no longer a problem to support their families. They can also buy houses and cars and enjoy a high-quality life. Even if you are raising a family alone, you can also go abroad for vacation or focus on your own hobbies, such as collecting famous wines, antique calligraphy and paintings, etc. These are not "patents" that are only enjoyed by highly educated people. Graduates from vocational schools are also talents, and they also have the opportunity to be sent overseas to work and enjoy high wages and overseas subsidies. A friend of mine worked for Schenker Global Cargo after graduating from a technical school. After a few years of work, he was sent to Beijing and Shanghai as a technical supervisor. Not only could he save a lot of money, but he also invited his parents to travel to China every year.
The third reason is that the access to education in Germany is very open to anyone, at any time. Those who are engaged in technicians, if they want to "change the track", can also apply to enter the University of Applied Technology for further studies, and obtain a nationally recognized master's degree after graduation. Of course, you can also apply for a comprehensive university after obtaining the "Abitur" (complete secondary school diploma) through tutoring, and study for a master's or doctoral degree. There is no age limit for going to school in Germany, which is a typical example of living and learning. Therefore, if you see gray-haired old men and old ladies in college classrooms, it is not surprising at all.
Because Germans have a universal concept of equality, technicians also enjoy higher incomes, and can enter higher education institutions for further studies at any time, so many Germans would rather choose to be technicians than to compete for a university degree. Because of this, Germany not only has many thinkers who "look up at the stars", but also has a large number of "down-to-earth" doers.
