Greeting

When meeting business partners, they shake hands firmly. And if there are elderly people among Turkish colleagues, the greeting should begin with them.

In Turkey, the elderly and old are treated with great reverence in all situations of life: they should be the first ones introduced to others, greeted, served or invited to enter a room. Even today in Turkey you can still see the young man bowing his head and kissing the right hand of the elderly person (and in some regions then putting it on his forehead).

Foreigners who come to Turkey for business purposes should pay attention to the composition of their host and behave accordingly (that is, in a strongly respectful manner) if the hosts include older people.

People who know each other well embrace each other upon meeting and exchange a kiss on each cheek. The greeting of relatives and friends is particularly warm and emotional. In business situations, when partners meet, this rarely happens.

In Turkey, Muslim traditions are very strong, according to which bodily contact between the sexes is not accepted. Foreign women should wait for a man's initiative before extending a hand to greet them. The same applies to foreign men, who should pay attention to the woman's behavior in this situation.

It makes sense to learn at least a few words of greeting in Turkish, such as Hello! Hello! - Merhaba, meraba/selam, Good morning! Gunaid'un.

It is interesting that Turkish has two forms for goodbye. To say Farewell! the person staying says Güle güle, the person leaving says Göürüz.

Introduction

Traditionally, each person is given three names. The first of these is given in honor of a relative and is used only in formal legal documents. The second is the name itself, and the third is the surname that a person inherits from his father. Most of the surnames that are common in Turkey today appeared after the 1934 reforms in connection with the establishment of the Turkish Republic.

In business as well as in everyday life, Turks mostly use their first and last names (that is, second and third names), such as Nilay Özdemir or Burak Özçivit. The polite forms of address are Bey (Master and Hanim (Madam).

It is interesting to see how this differs from English. For example, if your partner's name is Serkan Yildirim and you speak to him in English, you should address him as Mr Yildirim and you might be surprised when you hear his colleagues call him Serkan Bey. It's the same with female names: Neslihan Atagül - when addressed in English - Ms Atagül and in Turkish - Neslihan Hanim.

Speaking by name is possible e.g. between colleagues in comparable jobs and people of similar age. In business situations, it is better to use polite English forms, Mr, Mrs, Ms.

Academic titles and degrees as well as professional qualifications are important in Turkish society, but rarely used in business situations.

Turkish women take their husband's last names after marriage. However, some retain their maiden name as well, adding it to their husband's surname. For example, if Birgül Karabacak marries Mehmet Demirel, she may be called Birgül Demirel or Birgül Demirel Karabacak. Sometimes, if the woman is well known in the company, she can put her maiden name in brackets, e.g, Birgül Demirel (Karabacak) or Birgül (Karabacak) Demirel. She should nevertheless be referred to as Mrs Demirel.

Exchange of Business Cards

In business practices in Turkey, business cards are often exchanged at the end of a meeting, not the beginning, so that everyone present has a chance to get in touch with a partner at any moment.

Business cards should contain all relevant details about the business card holder, including name, company name, title, current contact details.

It is recommended that at least one side of the card has text in Turkish. This side should be the face of the business card when you give it to your partner.

There is no special ritual when passing on your business card in Turkey. However, you should remember that business cards, just as any other paper or document, should be handed with the right hand and not the left or both hands. The same should be remembered when receiving them.

If you are meeting a Turkish colleague at his office, please give your business card to the receptionist or clerk when you arrive so that he can introduce you to his manager.

Small Talk: Overview

The small talk is a very important part of business practice in Turkey, a kind of prelude to the negotiations themselves. It is important for Turkish businessmen to get to know their potential partner, because building relationships is the foundation of any business. These conversations instill a sense of trust between partners, a very important category in Turkey.

No matter how hasty you get in the small talk, don't move too quickly into business-related topics, otherwise your project could end before it begins. Show sincere interest in the partner, his interests and preferences, such as sports or travel. Behave naturally, in a friendly and engaging way."

In social situations, especially with older people, it's important to be as polite and courteous as possible. Turks are known for their hospitality, and they treat guests with great respect and expect the same treatment when they themselves go to visit.

Preferred Topics

Sports, especially soccer. Many men in Turkey love soccer and will be happy to talk about it and share their impressions of the latest national or international championships.

Family, family members. If you have pictures of your family with you, show them to your Turkish partner. This, by the way, can start a more trusting relationship between you.

Turkish culture, geography and history. Turks love to talk about their country, and they will appreciate your interest in it. They will probably ask you to share your impressions of Turkey and the places and cultures you have seen.

And your Turkish colleague will certainly appreciate your positive comments about the country's rich history and culture. Turks are proud of their heritage and their achievements in the past.

Before a business trip to Turkey, it makes sense to know a little about the geography of its regions as well as their history. Your knowledge will impress your Turkish colleagues.

Taboo Topics

The topic of family is generally popular in Turkish business culture, but questions and conversations about the female half of the family - wives, mothers, sisters and daughters - should be avoided.

Religion and anything related to Islam is a rather sensitive topic that is best avoided in conversation. Even if the conversation does get to that subject, try to steer it in another direction, citing, for example, a lack of knowledge on the subject.

Political and ethnic topics can be quite painful and, in particular, the Cyprus question, and the situation of Kurds in Turkey and its relations with Greece and Armenia.

Any negative remarks about Turkey, its politics and history are likely to be taken as offensive.

Do not call Turks Arabs and their language Arabic. They are two different cultures and two completely different languages. Such comparisons will not be well received by your Turkish counterparts.

Do not be critical of the founding father of the Republic of Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. He is still revered to this day by many in the country.

Personal Space

In Turkish culture, the comfort distance is shorter than in Central and Northern Europe, for example, or in the United States, which is less than arm's length. This distance, however, is familiar in Turkey, and you should not think of it as offensive or even aggressive.

If you feel your conversation partner is standing too close, try not to make a clear attempt to increase the distance by stepping back, for example, because this will be seen as negative.

Turks use a lot of body language in their communication. Turks have a rich arsenal of nonverbal communication including hand and head movements, facial expressions, looks.

Physical touching such as a pat on the arm, shoulder or back, hugs and kisses on the cheek are common in this society. This, of course, applies only to men, who should never touch women under any circumstances.

When talking, maintain direct eye contact with your Turkish partner. In doing so, you show your attention to the speaker and your interest in the topic of conversation.

Communication Specifics

Turks can be quite expressive during conversations, arguing their positions loudly and forcefully. This does not mean, however, that they are in a bad mood at the moment, for example, or irritated about something. Turkish society is very expressive and temperamental, especially on issues of concern to the speaker.

It cannot be said that Turks prefer direct and clear statements. On the contrary, there is often a subtext in their speech which is influenced by factors such as the long-term relationship between the speakers and their mutual dependence on each other. Of particular importance are reticences, certain gestures and facial expressions, intonation, as well as the meanings of certain words which only the speakers of that culture can understand.

Turkish society places unconditional emphasis on relationships, and to maintain this, it is important to be tactful, avoid snap judgments and generally not to express thoughts too linearly. It is especially important to be careful and tactful when criticizing a colleague for one reason or another.

It is important to keep in mind that subtext and implication are well understood in Turkish society. However, foreigners will need to take the time to understand them and learn to respond appropriately. So be careful and unobtrusive in your communication to clarify what your partner is saying.

In the course of your communication, you will need to be careful and unobtrusive.