Each of us possesses our own set of values that are formed by our different ethnic backgrounds and philosophical views and religious beliefs. More than ever before companies must give priority to learning to promote a work environment that respects and supports employee diversity.
If you are interested in the challenge of surviving and thriving in the Turkish work culture, you can click below on my piece yesterday where I give some tips from Cerstin Diewald who has experience in human resources management and HR consulting for international companies. On January 19, she and Martha Hooper will be presenters at a special event sponsored by the International Professional Women of Istanbul Network (IPWIN). Hooper has conducted several market potential studies and public education programs for multinational companies in Central Asia and the Caucasus, including Sun Microsystems, Goodyear, Tetra Pak and Caterpillar. Hooper was general manager for Mmd Corporate, Public Affairs & Public Relations Consultants in Turkey in 2007. Under her leadership, the agency grew 400 percent in less than two years.
In Q&A format, let me share a couple of insights and tips that Martha Hooper offers to help you thrive and survive in the Turkish work culture:
Q: How do you see Turkey and the challenge in the Turkish work culture?
The easiest part in any job is mastering the task of management or leadership. But when this has to be done in a different culture, the challenges explode. I have met and known many executives who have worked in a wide variety of cultures, and without exception, they report that they are confounded by Turkish culture. Like the country itself, split between two continents, yet not a firm member of either, it’s exceptionally difficult to understand. I have seen too many foreign execs fall flat on their faces either dismissing or ignoring the many nuances of Turkish culture that could make or break their success. Unfortunately, most fall into the latter and leave Turkey after a few short years.
The same holds true for spouses and families. There seems to be a strong correlation between living happily in Turkey with understanding Turkish culture.
Q: Based on your years of experience in Turkey and Central Asia what do you think is important to understand in order to survive and thrive in the Turkish work place?
Marketing has been my field for several decades. For the past 20 years, I have worked in international marketing and communications. Psychology is a keen interest for me, and I received my university degree in this subject. So marketing and communications are ideal areas in which to study human behavior.
When the Soviet Union collapsed in the late 1980s, I began to work in Central Asia. There, I was exposed to a radically different culture from my own American culture. As I was leading a team of more than 70 Russian and Central Asian people who had never traveled outside their countries, there was much to learn from each other. This was an excellent introduction to culture. We “trained” each other. Living and working with people from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan taught me that no one way is the right way: There are just different ways to get things done. I needed to adapt; I needed to bring people around by patient questioning and suggesting.
When I came to Turkey in the mid 1990s, I had no intention of staying here for a long period of time. But I found that my experiences in Central Asia more than prepared me to adjust to Turkish culture. This is not to say that I am so successful at cultural adaptation. I simply understood the different beliefs, traditions, habits and communications style of the Turks.
An added benefit to my cultural learning was marrying a Turk. My husband is a never-ending cultural coach and counselor, adding to my cultural education.
Hooper has much insight to offer. In my piece on Monday we will explore the following:
• Different aspects of Turkish culture
• More tips from Hooper on surviving in the Turkish work place
• Points on how to train people to “thrive” in the Turkish work culture
Martha Hooper is so right when she says, “It’s one thing to survive in any new culture, but quite another to thrive.”
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
