One Meeting, Two Meanings: Communication Between Turkish and Dutch Teams

The first meeting of an international partnership usually goes well. Everyone is polite and enthusiastic. Problems start a few weeks later, when both sides realise they took different conclusions from the same meeting. Even when the shared language is English, the same sentence can carry a different meaning in two cultures.

As a team working between Türkiye and the Netherlands, we experience this difference every day. The observations below summarise the points we encounter most often in cross-cultural communication consulting.

Directness is not rudeness

In Dutch business culture, openly disagreeing with an idea is a sign of respect for the other person. In Turkish business culture, the same disagreement is often expressed more indirectly to protect the relationship. When one side says “This won’t work”, the other may hear personal criticism; and the other way round, “Let’s think about it” may not be understood as a clear no.

Where is the decision made?

In the Netherlands, decisions are usually made in the meeting, by consensus, and recorded. In Türkiye, the decision is often finalised after the meeting, in a separate conversation with the person who has authority. When neither side knows this, “We agreed in the meeting” and “We haven’t approved it yet” can both be true at the same time.

Time and planning

For a Dutch partner, the agenda is the contract of the meeting. Topics outside it move to the next meeting. For the Turkish side, a meeting is also a space to develop the relationship and discuss new opportunities. Both approaches have value; what matters is agreeing on the purpose of the meeting from the start.

Written agreement brings both cultures together

The simplest and most effective tool is a short written summary after every meeting: what was discussed, what was decided, who does what and by when. This makes indirectly expressed decisions visible and takes the personal edge off directly expressed objections.

A shared communication framework

For long-term partnerships, we recommend building a communication framework both sides use: presentation templates, a glossary of shared terms, decision and approval processes, and how the corporate language translates into both markets. This framework keeps the partnership healthy without depending on individuals.

Knowing the difference is managing it

Cultural differences cannot be removed, but they can be managed. In our international communication work, the aim is not for either side to change the other, but for both sides to understand each other correctly. A partnership that is understood correctly moves faster and lasts longer.

Work with Edda Creative: explore our International Communication service or get in touch.