Welche komplexen sozialen Mechanismen verbergen sich hinter dem gemeinsamen Weißwurst-Frühstück bei Possehl Analytics? Software-Entwickler und Weißwurstbeauftragter Franz Reismüller eröffnet faszinierende Einblicke in die bayerische Unternehmenskultur.
Tipp: Wer aus unerfindlichen Gründen sprachliche Probleme mit dem Artikel hat, dem hilft vielleicht die nachstehende Übersetzung ins Englische 😉
Jetzad hod mür dee Dame vom Markeding gsagt, i sui aa endlich amoi a so an Artiggl schreim, damit’s auf deem neimodischn LinkIn amoi wieda wos zum Postn für unsre Fürrma hod. „Content“ song de junga Leid do heid dazua.
Und wei i ned den zwoahundertsexaneinzigschdn Schmarrn üba irgend so a New-Work-Zeig raushaun wui, hob i mür denkt, dass i amoi üba wos schreib, mit dem i scho seit mehr ois zwoanzg Johr sauguate Erfahrunga beim Arban gmacht hob: Dee oamoi in da Wocha zelebrierte Weißwurschdrundn.
Ja, i woaß, mit deer Thematik wean jetzt wieda oi Vorurteile üba dee primitivn Bayern beschtätigt, aba dees is mir jetztad wurscht, wei – hear me out – do gibt’s a so an Hauffa, wo dafür schpricht, wenn ma oamoi in da Wocha mitanand a Boor Würscht vabutzt, dass dees fü mi a richdigs Müschderium is, wiaso dees ned a Pflichtveranschdaldung in jeda Fürrma is.
Zunächschd amoi freit mi si im Voraus scho aufn Dog im Büro und findt vui leichta ausm Home-Office naus, wemma woaß: Ja pfundig, heit gibt’s ja Weißwürschd! Dann hockt ma mit dee Kollegn mit a gewissn Vorfreid in so am kloana Besprechungszimma zsamma und stärkt den Teamgeist, indem ma zur Vorbereitung glei amoi den Semft aus oam oanzign Glasl teilen muaß. Deer Semf-Wart schaugt nämli, dass nur oa oanzigs Semf-Glasl gleichzeitig offn is, sonsch kimmt deer in Deifis Kich mit 8 offene Glasln. Von so am Senf-Wart leant ma Disziplin! Dees farbt glei amoi positiv auf de Werksstudentn o.
Dann kimmt in Folge fast esoterisch a würtshausartige Atmosphäre auf, wenn a so a leichta Weißwurschddampf in da Luft wabert. Do wean dee Zungn fast automatisch lockara und dee Loamsiada traun se aa amoi wos song. Und wer si bessa kennt, der arbat bessa zsamm!
I glaab ja, dass do uroide Inschdinkte ogschprocha wean, wenn ma do umma so an Weißwurschddopf rummasitzt. Dees is wia wenn a boor Cro-Magnons midnand a Mammut-Schteak aufm Lagafeia brutzeln oda a Contubernium (ja, Latein saung mür Baiern praktisch mit da Muattamuich ei, wei mür ja südlich vom Weißwurschdäquator aufgwaxn san) mitanand aus oam Dopf leffit. Dees schwoasst dann oafach zsamm, bevors beim nächschdn Moi geng dee letzdn Neandertala im Nachbardoi oda dee ungwaschna Germana nördli vo da Donau oda a andere Software-Schmiede geht, dee aa moana see sans. Dabei sans doch mia!
Ich wui jetzad need so weid geh, dass i sog, dass a jeda, der amoi mit mir a Weißwurschd aus am soibn Dopf gfischt hod, a so a Art Weißwurschdbruada is, aba in dee Richtung geht dees scho. Und dees is dann oafach guad für’s Betriebsklima.
Aussadem is dees a wundabare Gelengheid, neie Kollegn glei amoi a bissl kennaz‘leana. Wenn i siegh, wia der mit seina Weißwürschd umgeht, dann konn i den glei a bissl eischätzn. Wia da altrömische Haruspex (Latein, s.o.) aus den Tiereingeweidn glesn hod, wia der negschde Feldzug laffa wead, so lies i aus dem, mit welcha Sorgfoit mei Kollege dee Haud um seine Weißwürschd entfernt, ob deer sein Source-Code sauba kommendiern wead. Und i sog amoi a so: Deer Wahrsaga und i hom vermutlich dee gleiche Treffaquote.
I seba gheer übrigens bezüglich da Weißwurschd-Technik zur Querschneid-und-Rausziag-Fraktion. Dee hom, wos dees Weißwurschd-Horoskop betrifft, den Ruf, technisch raffiniert, aba recht phlegmatisch zu sein, während z.B. dee Da-Längs-noch-oamoi-Durchschneida dafür bekannt sann, dass se fürsorglich und gschickt in Fahrrad-Technik san.
Ja, i woaß scho, a rechter Bayer suit sei Weißwurschd zutzeln. Zumindest wenn’s noch dee krachlederna boarischn Weißwurschd-Taliban geht. Aba i moan, dass ma boarische Kultur ned vom Weißwurschdzutzeln kriagt, sondern wenn ma z.B. amoi a Buach vom Oskar Maria Graf liest. Und do feits dann oft vom Boa weg.
Abrobo Kultur: Für mi is so a Weißwurschdfrühschtück a Katalysator par excellance für an kuldurellen Austausch im Kollengkreis. Do fangt ma mit da Erfindung der Weißwurschd in Altbayern o, arbeitet dann dee Untaschiede zwischn dee Altbayern und Beute-Bayern (insbesondere dee sprachlich ziemlich suspekten Augschburga) raus, bevor ma in am weidn Bong mitanand tiefenpsychologisch unsern Kini Ludwig II. ergründet und dann mitanand festschtuit, dass dee Vorfahrn vom hannoveraner Arbeitskollegn sauba unser Neuschwanstein mitfinanziert hom. Do entdeckt ma plötzlich Gemeinsamkeitn, die nie ebba vermutet hätt.
Überhaupt: I muaß scho song, do kriag i glei an positivn Eindruck von meim neie norddeitschn Arbeitskollegn, wenn deer um Neine in da Friah glei amoi 3 Weiße mit oana oanzign Brezn nohaut, ohne dass er a Weißbier zum Noschwoam braucht. Reschpekt, sog i do! Cultural assimilation at its finest!
Und da Ausdausch is ja ned bloß auf an Kollengkreis beschränkt. Naa, a so a Weißwurschdessn is aa a wundabare Gelegnheit z.B. an zufällig anwesendn ausländischn Kundn unkompliziert amoi wos guads zum doa, eahm zu der Weißwurschtrundn dazua zu nemma und eahm so an kloana Einblick in dee subtile boarische Kulinarik zu verschaffa.
Aussadem is dees schon recht lustig, wemma an Amerikana a bissl ratlos vor oana so dubiosen „white sausage“ sitzen sigt und ma erkennt, dass a si fragt, ob ma eahm need vielleicht doch recht aufn Arm nemma wui. Aba ois geht dann guad aus. Dee Deitschn essn dees Ding ohne mit da Wimpa zu zuckn, und – mihoschghaut - dees schmeckt ja sogor. Und während der Typ, der den komischn weißen Zylinder quer rum schneidt, etwas langsam schaugt, kümmert sich der Typ, der den komischn weißen Zylinder der Längs nach aufschneidt, drum, dass i do sauber zrechtkomm und mi ned blamier. Dee Leid in dera Fürrma seng hoid oafach, wennschd a Problem hosch und hoiffa da prompt!
A so a exotische Erfahrung is dann ganz klar positiv für de Kundnbindung.
Ma sihgt: Vorteile über Vorteile und ein reines Wunda, warum Weißwurschdrundn need grundsätzlich vom Arbeitsminischderium geschponsord wean.
I jednfois, wer weita mein kloana Beitrag zum intakuldurellen Austausch leistn und dee Weißwurschrundn hochhoidn, indem i jedn Mickda an Weißwurschddopf aufn Herd schtui und püntkli um Viertel noch Neine lauthals die frohe Botschaft verkünd: „D’Weißwurschd san ferti!“
So jetzt hoff I, dass i mit dem Artiggl need in da Schublon „Seppl-Bayer“ land, weil mür Bayern san inwändig oft vui komplexa ois wia ma aussn ausschaung. Und nemmtsas need so bierernscht, denn manches hob i oafach zsammaglong. Bei Possehl Analytics gibt’s z.B. gor koane Loamsiada 😉
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Recently, the lady from marketing made it unmistakably clear to me that I should write an article in a timely manner, so that she could once again create a post for our company on this new-fangled Linkedin. "Content," as young people are accustomed to saying these days.
And because I have no interest whatsoever in writing the thousandth article from the, in my opinion, disproportionately frequently thematized area of "New Work", I have come to the conclusion, after much deliberation, that I would like to write about something with which I have already had above-average experience in my everyday professional life for more than 20 years: The once-a-week celebrated white sausage get-together.
I am well aware that this topic will once again confirm all the prejudices about the apparently primitive Bavarians. However, I don't want to pay too much attention to this idea, because there are so many good reasons for devoting oneself to the collective enjoyment of a few delicious white sausages once a week. In view of this, it is a real mystery to me why such an event is not part of every company's mandatory program.
First of all, one benefits from the anticipation of the day at the office and one or the other may find it easier to leave the home office if he can be sure of the following: Excellent, today there are white sausages! In joyful expectancy, one then sits together with colleagues in a small meeting room and strengthens the team spirit by having to share the mustard from a single glass as part of the preparations. The appointed mustard keeper pays attention to the fact that the number of open mustard jars is always kept within limits, otherwise he is confronted with the problem of eight opened mustard jars. From such a mustard keeper one also learns discipline! This has a positive effect on the working students straight away.
Afterwards, the participants can enjoy an almost tavern-like atmosphere, which is due to the light white sausage steam wafting in the air. In view of these circumstances, the conversational tone becomes noticeably more relaxed, and even slowpokes feel visibly empowered to join in the conversation. And those who know each other better are able to cooperate better in everyday work situations.
I am firmly convinced that age-old instincts are being addressed here when people gather together around a pot of white sausage. In this context, one could draw a parallel, for example, to a couple of Cro-Magnons preparing a meal of mammoth steaks together over the fire. Or compare it to a contubernium (yes, mastering the Latin language is an ability that comes naturally to us Bavarians from growing up south of the so called "white sausage equator") feeding together from one pot. This provides for a strong feeling of cohesion before the next battle against the last Neanderthals of the neighboring valley, the unwashed Germanic tribes north of the Danube, or even another software forge, who live in the unjustified conviction that they are it. But really we are it!
I wouldn't go so far as to say that everyone who has ever taken a white sausage out of the same pot with me has entered into a kind of brotherhood, but it tends to move in this direction. And that has an extremely positive effect on the working atmosphere.
It's also a wonderful opportunity to get to know new colleagues a little. Based on how a person handles the white sausage, I can already get a preliminary impression of their abilities. Just as the ancient Roman Haruspex (Latin, see above) once read the course of the next military campaign from animal entrails, I can read from the care with which my colleague removes the skin of their white sausage, whether they will comment their source code properly. And let's put it this way: The fortune teller and I probably have the same hit rate.
By the way, I myself belong to the cross-cutting-and-pulling-out faction with regard to the white sausage technique. Their members have the reputation of being technically refined, but quite phlegmatic regarding their white sausage horoscope. In contrast, the longitudinal-cut-throughs, for example, are known for being caring and skilled in bicycle technology.
I am well aware that a true Bavarian should "zuzel" their white sausage (i.e., suck directly from the skin with his mouth). At least, this is the point of view of the Bavarian white sausage taliban. But my point of view in this respect is that Bavarian culture is not conveyed by zuzeling the white sausage, but, for example, by enjoying a novel by Oskar Maria Graf. And this aspect is often severely neglected.
Speaking of culture: For me, such a white sausage breakfast is a catalyst par excellence for a cultural exchange among colleagues. Starting with the invention of the white sausage in Old Bavaria, you can then work out the differences between the Old Bavarians and the prey Bavarians (especially the linguistically rather suspect Augsburgers), before you go on to explore King Ludwig II in depth psychology with each other and discover that the ancestors of your work colleague from Hanover co-financed Neuschwanstein Castle to a not inconsiderable extent. Suddenly, one discovers similarities that no one would have suspected.
In general, I must emphasize at this point that I get an extremely positive impression of my northern German work colleague when he eats no less than three white sausages with a single pretzel at 9 o'clock in the morning. And he is not even dependent on liquid supplementation in the form of a wheat beer. Truly, I can only pay tribute to him! Cultural assimilation at its finest!
This kind of exchange is by no means limited to the circle of colleagues! No, such a joint white sausage gathering is a wonderful opportunity for international exchange, e.g. with customers who are on our premises for an appointment. In a very uncomplicated way, you can kindly include this person in the white sausage round and thus give him or her a little insight into the subtle Bavarian cuisine.
Moreover, it is also somewhat amusing to watch an American sitting a bit perplexed in front of such a dubious "white sausage". In these situations, you can tell he's wondering if you're not pulling his leg a bit. But everything turns out all right: The Germans visibly enjoy their sausage and - hard to believe - it really does taste good. And while members of the "cross-cutting faction" eye me somewhat questioningly, a supporter of the "longitudinal-cutting faction" makes sure that I can cope with my meal and don't embarrass myself. The people in this company simply recognize when a problematic situation is brewing and don't hesitate to help!
Such an exotic experience clearly has a positive effect on customer loyalty.
In view of the benefits listed above, I think it is bordering on a miracle that such culinary events do not generally receive support from the Ministry of Labor in the form of financial assistance.
I, for one, intend to continue making my small contribution to intercultural exchange and will honor the white sausage round by putting the white sausage pot on the stove every Wednesday and loudly announcing the good news at a quarter past nine on the dot: "The white sausages are ready!"
I sincerely hope that this plea for the white sausage does not catapult me into the "Seppl-Bayer" pigeonhole, because we Bavarians often are much more complex on the inside than we look on the outside. And I ask you not to take this article too seriously, because some of it I have simply made up. You won't find any slowpokes at Possehl Analytics, for example 😉
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