Even if you are speaking face to face with someone, you may wonder whether or not you can really trust what this person is saying. Building rapport and trust across cultural boundaries is even more challenging.I used to think there was a single way to build trust and that was to be honest. After having lived abroad for many years I have learned that different cultures have differing ideas on what is “honesty.” It can be complicated to build trust in certain circles or places. Almost everywhere in the world you can find yourself in a setting where your neighbors and colleagues could be individuals who belong to several different cultures and subcultures and have different birthplaces, nationalities, ethnicities, family statuses, genders, ages, languages, levels of education, physical conditions, sexual orientations, religious beliefs, professions, place of work, etc. Each person's ideas on building trust differ.
A common struggle everywhere is building trust in the workplace. Usually research on cross-cultural trust has been based on models developed in North America. I want to refer you to an excellent Internet article, “Building Workplace Trust in Some Cultures is to Blur the Line Between Professional and Personal Life,” which is a joint study by Singapore Management University Professor Tan Hwee Hoon and Professors S. Arzu Wasti and Selin Eser of Sabancı University in Turkey. The research sets out to provide insight into the impact that different cultures have on trust in the workplace, based on research conducted in Shenzhen, China, and İstanbul, Turkey.
Tan is right to say that different cultures do affect how trust is built in societies. It seems that trust is not as common as one may assume in these two countries. However, when individuals place trust in another colleague, it is because of three key attributes: ability, benevolence and integrity.
The other day I had to go to the notary office (in Turkish, noter). I've been going to the same place for nearly 10 years, and they know me there. I wanted to sign over full power of attorney to my business partner in the event of a medical crisis or worse.
I found it very interesting that on this particular occasion the clerk questioned me a few times to make sure I really wanted to do this and also asked me if I really wanted to give this much power to this person. Even though the clerk knew the other person, too, as she uses them for any notary work, it seems when it comes down to it people don't trust others. All this questioning reminded me of the issue of “trust” in this culture.
It is not uncommon in the workplace here to discern that trust is not a strong point. I could not help but wonder what experiences the notary staff member has witnessed to make her want to quiz me so.
Whether it is a personal or work relationship, building trust involves time and contact. Tan, Wasti and Eser's research revealed that unlike in China, in Turkey, benevolence has a larger impact than ability. I chose the title “Being there says you care” for this reason. Mind you, I don't mean it in the “pesky” or “nuisance” sense.
Turks tend to be relational.
On an even more personal side, I find that my two dogs are very empathetic little ones. Trust can exist even among a pet and an owner. If they think I am upset they paw at me or brush my leg. Ginger, my younger cocker spaniel, will lean her whole little body against me or drape herself across my lap to let me know she cares. My dogs seem to know when there is trouble or pain and believe the most important thing they can do is to be there. Of course, my dogs do not have any idea what is wrong -- but they are there.
In a “trust-based” relationship, you build bridges. You show understanding and empathy and care -- whether it is friend, family or colleague or the person at the other end of receiver. Team work will be more natural, and you'll be able to achieve more.
“It is never too late to give up your prejudices.” -- H enry David Thoreau
Note: Charlotte McPherson is the author of “Culture Smart: Turkey, 2005.” Please keep your questions and observations coming: I want to ensure this column is a help to you, Today’s Zaman’s readers. Email: c.mcpherson@todayszaman.com
