Last week, there was an article in the New York Times by an Italian writer who was asked to explain Americans to a group of factory workers in the south of Italy. His task was specific; there are Americans coming to help the factory after commencing a joint venture with one of the American companies, and since he lived part of his life in the US, he was expected to provide some insight on how Italian workers should deal with the Americans.
The writer abbreviated his approach in the “3 Cs” to understand how to work with Americans, you should know that “they are obsessed by 3 Cs: Control, Competition, and Choreography,” and he went on explaining what did he mean by those words in the article.
Now, I thought of doing the same here, if you are coming to work in Saudi Arabia, what should you know about Saudis in the workplace. Mind you, it is a very popular question. For this country looks, to a lot of people around the world, like a mysterious box full of wonder and magic, the wonder of history and traditions, and the magic of money and oil. Like any other place in the world, its image is a blend of facts, lies, and stereotypes.
Trying to summarize its business environment could be interpreted as another attempt into stereotyping; there are many ways and schools of thought when it comes to doing business in the Kingdom, but there are still the average ways that color most of its business environment. And this average is what I will be addressing and summarizing in the 3 Ss: Seniority, System, and Singularity.
First comes the “Seniority”: Your age means a lot in the Saudi workplace; it is a factor on which others will weigh and approve your opinion or decision. That is why clashes between generations are always inevitable in the Saudi business environment. We draw such respect for seniority from our own social fabric; family ties are strong in the Kingdom that is why those of a senior age are put in higher positions; you respect them, you do not argue with them. That leads to many situations in the workplace; resistance to change, keeping old and outdated practices in place, missing opportunities to step up the organization ladder and difficulties arguing business decisions. How to deal with the situation? Show respect and try to approach your business needs with professional courtesy.
The second “S” is for “System” or, sometimes, the lack of it. Contrary to the common convention, Saudis have so much respect for “THE SYSTEM.” It does not matter if the system is working or not, new or outdated, makes sense or already lost its relevance, it is there to stay and to be followed. In other words, it is the exact definition of “bureaucracy.” That is why introducing new processes, overhauling management practices is usually slow and sometimes fought to the point of elimination. You might think that such mindset is prevalent in the public sector compared to the private one, which is true to some extent, but you would be surprised by the outdated practices many privately owned businesses are adapting. How to deal with the situation; leave the “surprised” face back home, do not be condescending when giving your opinion or consultancy, and sharpen your negotiation and persuasion skills.
At last comes “Singularity.” Whether we like to admit it or not, we, Saudis, have a tendency to feel “special.” That what works in most of the world might not work here, it is inherently true, but we just like to take it too far. For that, exposure to international managerial trends, business models and practices is weak. Things have been changing recently, but it is taking its course into the wheel of bureaucracy.
All in all, the Kingdom business landscape is changing rapidly. Many factors are contributing to such changes; the young and educated generation is mainly leading the way. Therefore, it is exciting and full of challenges. If you are up to the challenge, do not hesitate.
Email: @smaldosari
