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“Made in Germany 2.0”—this is how it can succeed!

Friedrich Merz has sparked a heated debate with his statement, “We need to work more again in Germany”. Calls are now being made for a return to the office, longer working hours, and even the abolition of public holidays—all with the aim of finally revitalizing the German economy.

A second German economic miracle is the goal. The formula seems simple: if we all just work more again, we’ll also produce more.

But it’s not that simple. What truly determines success is less the volume of work and more the mindset and the methods behind it. In research, this is often described as the difference between a “culture of genius” and a “culture of growth.”

The former takes pride in what it has created. It has achieved great success and is celebrated for its capabilities. But over time, a certain overconfidence can develop—sometimes even arrogance. People compare themselves to others and like to showcase how good they are. However, when change or mistakes arise, they react defensively and dismissively—out of fear of losing the hard-earned “genius” status.

A culture of growth, on the other hand, thinks differently. These organizations are deeply convinced that abilities can be developed—and that mindset and effort determine our potential.

All the top teams I know think this way. Past successes are appreciated—but no one rests on them. What matters is what you do tomorrow to stay successful. People in such a culture compare themselves less to others—of course, they know the rankings and face the competition.

What matters far more to them is whether they are better tomorrow than they are today. They strive to become the best version of themselves. And when mistakes or challenges arise, it only fuels their ambition—because they know that setbacks are the greatest teachers. In the spirit of: “Thank you, mistake—you are my coach.”

I used to feel proud when people abroad referred to the label “Made in Germany.” Yes, German engineering and those outstanding cars—that was truly impressive. But hasn’t it also made us a bit self-righteous and arrogant?

Simply working more within a culture of genius will not move us forward. What we need is a culture of growth to create a “Made in Germany 2.0.”

This post was published by Wolfgang Jenewein on LinkedIn on June 23, 2025. Zum Original-Beitrag