gestaltend handeln

English translation: acts decisively

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
German term or phrase:gestaltend handeln
English translation:acts decisively
Entered by: CGK

08:12 Jul 9, 2014
German to English translations [PRO]
Bus/Financial - Management
German term or phrase: gestaltend handeln
In a CV, someone is an "unternehmerisch denkende Manager, der zukunftsorientiert und gestaltend handelt"

So far I've come up with "a manager with business sense and a constructive and future-oriented approach" but I'm not so happy with "constructive". I'd appreciate any ideas.
CGK
Local time: 12:09
acts decisively
Explanation:
This is trickier than it first looks because of the way that both 'gestaltend' and 'zukunftsorientiert' qualify 'handelt'.

If we go with my option above (I have others), then I would rephrase the whole section as 'a manager who thinks entrepreneurially and acts decisively with an eye on the future' or 'an eye on future trends'.

I think 'has business sense' is a slight under translation of 'untermehmerisch denken'.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 43 mins (2014-07-09 08:56:03 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

The reason why it's an UT of 'unternehmerisch denken' is because you can have business sense but not be entrepreneurially minded, i.e. Someone who like to set things up on his or her own and lead a business or a business unit.
Selected response from:

Dr Andrew Read
United Kingdom
Local time: 11:09
Grading comment
Thank you for all your suggestions. This is the one I used in the end. Thanks Andrew.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +2acts decisively
Dr Andrew Read
4leads from the front
Dr Andrew Read
4takes charge of events
Dr Andrew Read
3 +1exhibits strategic leadership
Michael Martin, MA
3to act proactively
BrigitteHilgner
3formative
Ramey Rieger (X)
3negotiates with creativity
billcorno (X)
3adept at turning visions into results
gangels (X)


Discussion entries: 5





  

Answers


38 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
leads from the front


Explanation:
This is clearly a 'buzz term' but I think it also captures the sense of the ST phrase.

Dr Andrew Read
United Kingdom
Local time: 11:09
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 23
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

35 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
acts decisively


Explanation:
This is trickier than it first looks because of the way that both 'gestaltend' and 'zukunftsorientiert' qualify 'handelt'.

If we go with my option above (I have others), then I would rephrase the whole section as 'a manager who thinks entrepreneurially and acts decisively with an eye on the future' or 'an eye on future trends'.

I think 'has business sense' is a slight under translation of 'untermehmerisch denken'.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 43 mins (2014-07-09 08:56:03 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

The reason why it's an UT of 'unternehmerisch denken' is because you can have business sense but not be entrepreneurially minded, i.e. Someone who like to set things up on his or her own and lead a business or a business unit.

Dr Andrew Read
United Kingdom
Local time: 11:09
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 23
Grading comment
Thank you for all your suggestions. This is the one I used in the end. Thanks Andrew.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  dkfmmuc: I am convinced that this is perfect. "Gestaltend handelnd" is a tautologous term, just the typical type of language used in CVs. In view of this I would also choose act decisively. It clearly transports the message that the client is not a laggard.
1 hr
  -> Thank you. However, although I suggested this, I don't agree it's absolutely perfect. Every translation will have some element of loss, as I think this one does for the reasons stated by Michael Martin in his answer. :)

agree  philgoddard: Plenty of possibilities, but you were first.
4 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

44 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
takes charge of events


Explanation:
Another one for you consideration. :-)

Dr Andrew Read
United Kingdom
Local time: 11:09
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 23
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
to act proactively


Explanation:
I'm not keen on the word "proactive", but it is frequently used.

BrigitteHilgner
Austria
Local time: 12:09
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 12
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
exhibits strategic leadership


Explanation:
Although decision-making skills are implicitly contained ("implizit enthalten") in the overall skills set, decisive leadership is a much too narrow interpretation of gestaltende Fähigkeiten. I can think of quite a few leaders (in the political arena at least) who seem to have no trouble making decisions but exhibit no leadership in a strategic or planning sort of way..

Michael Martin, MA
United States
Local time: 06:09
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 63

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Dr Andrew Read: In spite of my own answer(s!), I do like this one as it does capture something I felt was missing about the word 'gestaltend'.
6 mins
  -> Thanks, Andrew!
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

8 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
formative


Explanation:
....a manager with good/strong business acumen, actively formative and with an eye to the future.



to boldly go.....

Ramey Rieger (X)
Germany
Local time: 12:09
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 16
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

1 day 16 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
negotiates with creativity


Explanation:
Lots of results for "gestaltend." This I deduced from the link below:

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day16 hrs (2014-07-11 00:41:41 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

And possibly "with vision" for "zukunftsorientiert?"


    Reference: http://www.duden.de/suchen/dudenonline/gestaltend
billcorno (X)
United States
Local time: 03:09
Native speaker of: English
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

2 days 4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
adept at turning visions into results


Explanation:
who is forward-looking and adept at turning visions into results

gangels (X)
Local time: 04:09
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 51
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.

You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs (or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.

KudoZ™ translation help

The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.


See also:
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search