Self-glory is the beginning

J Now comes the usual reflex: The German national team is eliminated from the main tournament, and immediately eager parallels are drawn between football and politics, society, the economy. In fact, the debacle of Kazan coincides with an unprecedented government crisis. CDU and CSU threaten to break up. Other, inconspicuous things suddenly seem symbolic. The trains are so unpunctual that the first impression of foreigners in Germany must be: You can not do it anymore. Or: you do not take it so seriously anymore.

But on closer inspection, this superficial analysis can not be sustained. Comparisons are limping. Thousands of German hidden champions are more creative than ever, devising key products and services for global markets. Hundreds of start-ups are driving established companies, who are accelerating digitization and exploring the opportunities of artificial intelligence. Dax companies like SAP , Bayer, Allianz are robust. In Germany, full employment prevails in many areas.

Football says something about life

At this point, the analysis could end. But if you still allow a view, the football reveals something about other areas of life – for better or worse. The Football World Cup 2006 in their own country is considered the moment in which foreign countries have noticed that the Germans are not so dogged after all. In English magazines the German culture was paid homage. Berlin became the coolest city in Europe. The duo Klinsmann / Löw invented the courageous vertical football that the national team did not dare to play this time. The looseness was also noticeable in the corporate world. Today you hear engineers say: In the past, I would not have dared to go to the customer with unfinished products, today I involve him early. The spirit of innovation and the further development of so-called German virtues has made the German economy and the national team strong.

But sadly, Table 4 in Group F also has something to say about the eternal patients of the German economy – the Deutsche Bank and Volkswagen , And about the economic and social policy. The decisive sentence has been said by coach Joachim Loew: Before the opening match against Mexico had a “certain self-importance” prevailed. The team, millions of viewers felt in front of the television, believed that as world champion with ten wins in ten qualifying games with half strength to tackle the international competition.

Do not be arrogant!

Unfortunately, this pattern can also be observed at Deutsche Bank. Self-glaring led to the crash of the share price to last under 10 euros. Even the payment service provider Wirecard has caught up with the institute on the stock exchange. Autonomously, Deutschbankers believed that they could catch up in investment banking in international competition. One fell into too much legal risk. The result: Billions of depreciation and a breathtaking loss of customer confidence – until today.

Volkswagen also considered itself to be smarter in international competition than the others. The automaker believed that it could offer more powerful products in America and still be able to comply with environmental regulations. It was abundantly self-righteous to be out of the competition and use fraudulent software in a way that seemed to produce a cleaner diesel at a higher output.

And the federal government? For years, well-being programs have been in the minds of the voters, although it is obvious that the good revenues of the state and social insurance are only due to the above-average economic growth. Mother’s pension, pension with 63, building costs, flood aid, digital funds – with a self-glorification is done as if you had opened the bubbling tap by its own power and as the demographic change would go away by itself.

Crisis groups and government suffer from a loss of trust and credibility. The national team is trying to avoid him. The first step was impressive: center-back Mats Hummels, one of the autocrats, witnessed a very honest and self-critical analysis just a few minutes after the lost game against South Korea. It was a lesson in humility that has not yet been experienced by German managers and politicians.

What would such a lesson look like? A clear and critical self-analysis should be followed by an explanation. Those responsible should make it clear that they want to advertise lost trust and regain lost credibility. Then they have to deliver for years – honestly. In addition, the diagnosis of self-importance should be instructive for others: not to believe that you can compete with half strength in international competition!