My Best, My Worst
Not long ago I was asked to write a short piece for a new journal called “Investment Now”. It is published quarterly by the International Business Council, (IBC), an association of businesses here in Bishkek.
The initiative for the IBC came from the German Embassy – which thought it would be a good idea to have an organization which could represent the international business community – including the largest foreign investors in the Kyrgyz economy – in discussions with the Kyrgyz government. It was originally set up as an informal club comprising mainly of European enterprises … and international organizations, euphemistically known as “donors” because they make grants and loans to various projects within the country.
Why was it mainly “European”? – well the initiative came from the German Embassy which was responsible for handling European interests in the country, as theirs was the only European embassy in the country. The membership quickly evolved, however, and soon members were drawn from a number of different nationalities. There was some debate about if it should remain the voice of “the foreign investor” – but it was decided to keep the international flavour and open membership to all businesses in the country, (something like the CBI in the UK).
The IBC has now been registered as a non-commercial organization and the membership has continued to grow – there are now something like 70 members, representing investment in the country of two billion US dollars. It is well respected and regularly consulted by government and quoted in the local press. Activities include monthly meetings; lobbying and commenting on legislation and administration (including the draft new tax code which is intended to take the place of the 1996 version which has had over 700 amendments since it was originally passed); a twice monthly newsletter: Law and Reality – which focuses on changes in the legislation and their implications for business; a quarterly survey into business perceptions of the investment and economic climate in the country; as well as social events. Now there is a journal – IN – or Investment Now.
The journal is supposed to be a flagship of the IBC – as well as being a flagship for the country as a whole in terms of trying to attract further investment. The readership includes members, many of the “donor community”, the government and parliament – and even potential investors.
As well as lengthy, learned and serious articles about the world of business, (the investment climate generally, new developments and investments, doing business in the country, … ) it was decided to include a number of shorter articles about a variety of themes: “What I would do differently if I were starting afresh” – from experienced investors; “Them and Us …” comparing the Kyrgyz Republic with its neighbours; “Lifestyle Options” – some aspects of life in Bishkek and beyond; “My Best … My worst …” – successful, and not so successful decisions taken by existing investors.
I was asked to write a piece for the “My Best … My Worst …” slot. About 75 words on each …
I thought long and hard about this. The 75-word limit was obviously going to be a problem, especially for someone as verbose as I am.
It would be easy to write “Coming to Kyrgyzstan …” – for both.
In some ways my life is much richer having transported myself here – not just in material ways. It is varied and interesting … no two days are alike – there is always a challenge. Although back in England I had been a schoolteacher, (which also offers challenges) educating the youth about Information technology which is a rapidly changing field (offering yet further challenges), I had been in that role for over 20 years and was beginning to feel jaded and was obviously approaching a mid-life crisis. I needed a change. Kyrgyzstan for a year offered me that … but there is something about the country that gets into your blood and “challenge of the new” proved too enticing and I decided to stay … In some ways, in many ways, I am glad that I took the plunge and decided to stay and see what could be done. Who would have thought ten years ago that I would now be running a large business – a tour company and two hotels; meeting with ministers and influential foreign visitors; making a real contribution to the developing economy? Certainly, if you had told me this when I was standing in front of a class struggling with the intricacies of Excel or Word, I would have dismissed the notion out of hand – but here I am.
On the other hand, life seemed so much simpler back in England where everything was familiar. For example, I miss Marmite, Weetabix and Guinness; I miss the soap operas, the TV game shows and lots of other programmes… not that I really watched them – but they were there. I could come home after a hard day in school, and unwind, turn on the TV and just let everything drift over me. Here, when I turn on the TV – it is all in Russian – or Kyrgyz – so I have to “work” at understanding everything. The cable TV channels do include BBC, Sky News, Fox News and CNN – so I can get my daily “news-fix”, but it’s not the same … (There is also Cartoon Network – and I must be going through a second, or maybe a third, childhood because I have developed a liking for animations). If I had a problem – I knew where I could find help – I had a wide circle of friends and contacts who could offer advice and support, and if necessary it was much easier to communicate with the authorities and others, to explain the problem and get answers.
There were other contenders to consider …
My Best: to invest in technology … it gives you an edge over the competition; to appoint young staff – who are more adaptable; to learn Russian – it adds considerably when you talk directly to someone in their own language, they appreciate it … even my “pidgeon Russian” riddled with pronunciation and grammatical mistakes; trying to everything “by the book” – pay the taxes and apply all the regulations, conscientiously and accurately – it solves more problems than it creates in the long run; to be open and approachable when dealing with staff – after all, I was a union representative in the UK; …
My Worst: to invest in technology that it is difficult, and/or expensive, to repair and maintain because it comes from abroad; to import vehicles from the states – for the same reasons; to employ young people – they are more ambitious and move on very quickly; to employ members of the same family in different roles – if a problem develops with one, then you’ve got a problem with the family; to be too trusting; not using an interpreter more frequently; not learning Kyrgyz; being meticulous about paying taxes – it adds to our costs and makes us less competitive; feeding the cats on cat food and not “scraps” like the locals do – they get used to it and turn their noses up at anything different … and it is so expensive; getting a mobile phone; not backing my computer files up as frequently as I should – having taught IT, I really should know better!; not keeping my desk tidy; sticking to the US dollar as a basis for prices instead of switching to the Euro; to be too open in dealings – many people here don’t seem to understand transparency; …
And so on …
In fact, the “Best” was not going to be too difficult … but the “Worst”? No one likes criticism – and self-criticism is perhaps the hardest to take. What’s more, it is going to be in the public domain – everyone will know. There’s a saying in English: “Don’t do your dirty washing in public”, and it is much more difficult to be honest when you know that others will read your words.
But, once I realized that the “Worst” really doesn’t have to be “THE WORST” … just a “mistake” so that others can read and take it as a pointer of what to avoid … it became easier.
After all this deliberation … this is what I wrote:
My best …
To invest in people! Ours is a service industry and “service” depends as much on people and their attitudes as on facilities and technology. Also, as I cannot be everywhere and I cannot do everything – so the quality of the personnel is very important. Our personnel costs (salaries, training, benefits etc.) are a higher proportion of our expenditure than might be expected in similar companies in the West … but I consider it money well spent.
My worst …
To be patient! For example, I am getting used to the idea that when someone says they will be 5 minutes – they will be 30 or 40 minutes – and perhaps I too readily accept this. Sometimes, it seems to take ages to get a response from others (in both the public and the private sectors) and the delays involved have caused us considerable problems. Sometimes, a little “impatience” may help to spur the other party into action resolving a question and preventing a problem from developing.
Bishkek