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Ufuk Tarhan
Founder of the M-GEN Future Planning
Center, Economist,
Futurist and Personal Future Planning Consultant
She graduated from the Middle East Technical
University, Department of Economics. She started working in her school years.
During her undergraduate days, she worked as an assistant and read books to blind
students. She painted pictures on glass using figures which symbolize children's
heros, and sold and exhibited them. Since 1982, she has worked as a top executive,
general manager and board member in various companies and industries such as water
engine manufacturing, IT, telecommunications, agriculture and livestock, and distribution
of pharmaceuticals. In 2002, she was awarded as the most successful businesswoman
in the IT industry. She still provides personal future planning consultancy to
people and enterprises alike, and gives seminars, conferences and lectures. One
of the first members of the Futurists Society (TFD) in Turkey, Tarhan serves as
a board member in TFD. Also a member of the CEO Club, she plays an active role
in social responsibility projects of several societies and non-profit organizations.
Writing articles for magazines and newspapers, making speeches and giving seminars
on personal future planning and futurism, she also has produced a book titled
"The Future In Your Imagination", which was publicized as "the
bedside book of the young". Tarhan plans to write the following parts of
the book in the near future, and has a website at with many members. Tarhan believes that the future can be planned,
and applies this belief to her own life practice. Stating that until recently
concepts such as strategy and planning have been valid mostly in military and
technical areas, in the business world, and for enterprises and organizations,
Tarhan points to the fact that these concepts must inevitably be used at a personal
level as well. Tarhan says it is generally believed that organized people are
more successful, and that this is a special "talent" and a personal
"trait". She brings a different point of view to the issue and says
that personal future planning is a developable "competence". She emphasizes
that individuals can plan the life they want through the new approaches and habits
they develop. According to Tarhan, today it is a must that people clarify their
personal future plans as early as possible. At M-GEN Personal Future Development
Center, awareness in these subjects is improved, and personal plans that may turn
into happiness and success stories in the future are created. Tarhan
defines M-GENs as follows: "M-GENs are instantly noticed with
their small devices which can be taken anywhere and always accompany them. iPods,
cellular phones and DVD players are inseparable parts of M-GENs. They all enjoy
web surfing, messaging, blogging and chatting. "M-GENs are born into
environments where the prosperity level is higher than that of their parents,
and which are more secure and safe. Thus, they become more dependent on their
family circumstances and values, and at the same time on each other. It is because,
due to new technological means, access has become easier. They not only can come
together more easily, but also even if they are far apart they can get in touch
with each other anytime through their small devices both verbally and visually.
They are the 'network' youth, and members of various networks. "Dependency
and easily established relations bring about positive effects like multi-tasking
skills. However, it also results in attention and concentration problems. The
difficulty to postpone entertainment is the most important obstacle in their way
to success. "M-GENs are the first generation to grow up and live in
the digital era. Devising traditional education and perception methods for them
is insufficient and ineffective. M-GENs are apt to learn through a participatory
and cooperative training approach. Their perceptions are wide open in such environments.
"They want to set their own time and conditions for learning. They
are not passive, and refuse to be so. "They like the activities which
allow for creativity. "They want to be included in 'real life' issues
that interest them. You can make M-GENs agree and collaborate only if you make
them active participants. They do not like being passive. "Their long-term
memories can be more efficient with games, stories and dreams rather than memorization.
In order to teach M-GENs something or accomplish something with them, you must
enable them to form their own examples by bringing something to life. You must
help them create a connection between the issue to be learned or completed and
their own life experiences." | 
