FATE

“Work like you will never die and pray like you will die tomorrow.” Nothing better explains the Turkish approach to fate than this old Turkish saying. Being right between the East and the West for 700 years has shaped the culture of this country, creating a perfect combination where you will find the norms and values of both worlds.

Eastern civilizations have been around for thousands of years, teaching delicately balanced ways of responding to external factors and to nature. Nature will always be the dominant power and will win in the end. What you should focus on is how to react to it. Life repeats itself like a learning curve. In order to live in harmony with nature, you always have to improve yourself. Earthquakes are inevitable facts of life, so buildings should be built to keep the balance when an earthquake hits.

The same is true for business cultures. Eastern business cultures are more responsive to external changes than their Western counterparts. The latest economic crisis is a good example of this. Eastern countries have been quicker in responding and adapting to the new standards of the world. The West still has problems coping with the new world order. Cultural norms and values are important factors in the differences in these reactions.

The West has developed a “relatively” new school of thought over the last 300 years. It is based on internal control. The key motto is, “If you think, plan and execute, nothing can stop you.” Business cultures act the same way, relying on the accuracy and existence of rules and the regulations. However, the recent crisis again showed these cultures that everything can change overnight, no matter how well you plan. If you are not prepared for these external changes or are unable to adapt to them, you are bound to lose. The trick is to find the right balance between external changes and internal control responses when establishing your management.

Turkish business culture has been taking shape since it took its first step toward economic liberalization in 1984. It has recently become an actor in the international arena. It has experienced hiccups every 10 years. Each of these crises has brought us a great deal of external changes. As the country is still building its own business infrastructure, the rules keep on changing. Sometimes these changes happen quickly, giving you very little time to respond.

Turkish businesspeople do make plans and budgets, but they also take into consideration sudden external changes. Therefore, plans usually span quarters to three years. The belief in three-year plans is still not there as we have had a relatively stable economy for only the past 10 years. Before that, we witnessed how high inflation and sudden devaluations could crush our perfectly developed five-year strategic plans overnight. Even an average citizen in Turkey can teach you the importance of keeping a systematic portfolio of currencies. General Turkish skills of flexibility and calm during crises are natural outcomes of these periodic fluctuations. In general, all Turkish businesses are accustomed to building their financial systems and operations with buffers for sudden changes. Management teams are taught to be very flexible. They quickly adapt to a new situation and act as if the previous situation never existed. While you’re managing in Turkey, these hardworking and flexible people are one of your main assets. On the other hand, don’t expect energetic participation in long-term planning sessions yet. They will be happy to hear the long-term objective and even happier to get involved in short-term tactics, but you can only impress them if you explain your B-scenarios developed for changes down the road.

Whenever we were hit by a change beyond our control, my friend, my right arm, and my CFO for 12 years would use another Turkish saying that sums it all up. “Don’t worry, Zafer Bey. When tomorrow comes, it will surely bring new prospects for us to consider.”