Erkin Coaching

26/06/2025

After delivering a leadership development program to WFP leaders in Asia and Africa, this time I just wrapped up the Communicating with Impact program with incredible WFP leaders from across Latin America: Venezuela, Ecuador, Panama, Nicaragua, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, and Mexico.

Every time I have the chance to work with WFP, I’m reminded of the heart, resilience, and purpose that fuel this organization. These leaders are not only working to ensure that people in need have access to food, they’re also creating more sustainable food systems and restoring dignity in some of the world’s most challenging contexts.

In a time when funding is increasingly scarce, the ability to communicate clearly, credibly, and with emotional resonance is more critical than ever. It’s not just about sharing what WFP does; it’s about moving hearts, inspiring support, and building trust with the people, partners, and donors who can make a difference.

Yesterday we closed the program with final presentations that left me both moved and deeply inspired. Participants shared impactful data and a series of micro-stories, small, personal moments of impact that reminded us all what this work is truly about.

As I enter my summer break, I do so with a heart full of admiration, and a sense of hope because of the people I’ve had the privilege to learn with and from.

To all WFP colleagues: thank you for your courage, your voice, and your commitment to impact.

If you'd like to support their mission, you can donate here:
https://www.wfp.org/support-us/stories/donate
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Today, as many as 343 million people are facing acute levels of food insecurity. But your gift means that one less child will be at risk of starvation tonight.By starting a monthly gift, you can change a life forever. Often, one meal at the right time can be enough to make a difference between

25/06/2025

Last week, I had the privilege of delivering 'Leading for Results' leadership program in Istanbul with a remarkable group of Marsh McLennan executives.

Together, we explored some of the essential transitions that define leadership growth:

🔹 Building trust as the foundation for all influence
🔹 Evolving from self-leadership to leading others with intention and impact
🔹 Adapting leadership style to meet people where they are, and lead in a way that suits different contexts
🔹 Learning how to coach — to unlock insight, increase the potential of people, and create a culture of continuous growth
🔹 Strengthening team performance through the GRIP Model – creating clarity around Goals, Roles, Interpersonal relationships, and Processes

This group’s willingness to reflect, challenge assumptions, and practice new behaviors made a real impression.

Marsh McLennan holds the bar high — for results, for leadership, and for the impact they want to make, which reminds me of a simple truth:

👉 High expectations bring high performance.

Grateful to be part of their leadership journey.

03/03/2025

Thomas Jefferson, the founder of my alma mater, the University of Virginia, once said, “In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock.” As the third President of the United States, Jefferson was a visionary leader who championed democracy, individual liberties, and the expansion of knowledge. His leadership was marked by an ability to navigate complex political landscapes with pragmatism while remaining steadfast in his core beliefs. Few moments in modern politics have exemplified this balance as clearly as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s posture in the Oval Office when faced with the bullying tactics of Donald Trump and J.D. Vance.

In that now-infamous meeting, Zelensky did not raise his voice, nor did he engage in the theatrics of confrontation. His approach was measured, his demeanor calm—but his stance was unshakable. When Trump and Vance attempted to pressure him, casting doubt on America’s support for Ukraine and pushing him into an uncomfortable political corner, Zelenskyy did not waver. He did not plead or play into their framing. Instead, he maintained a quiet but resolute presence, making it clear that Ukraine’s fight for sovereignty was not up for debate.

This is the essence of true leadership. Style can be adaptable—sometimes diplomacy requires navigating egos and unpredictable personalities. But principle? That is where great leaders refuse to bend. Zelenskyy’s presence in that moment spoke volumes: he would not be intimidated, manipulated, or used as a political prop. His cause—defending Ukraine’s democracy and independence—was not just a policy position; it was a fundamental principle.

In an era where many leaders prioritize political convenience over conviction, Zelenskyy’s stance serves as a reminder of what it means to stand like a rock. Strength is not always loud. Sometimes, it is simply refusing to bow.

26/05/2024

Exactly two years ago, in Bogota, Colombia with Johnson & Johnson (Janssen Pharmaceuticals) LATAM, Oncology division.
As a trainer and coach, one not only facilitates learning, self-awareness and growth but also learns and grows from each engagement. This experience is definitely one that has left a significant mark.

09/05/2024

Do emotions have a place at work? How can teams collaborate better and organizations become healthy and thriving workplaces using the power of emotional intelligence? During the next several weeks, I'll be training the employees of SoftwareOne in Latin America on Emotional Intelligence to improve their EQ and resilience at work.

24/04/2024

In Baku this week, delivering a leadership development program to top future leaders of the International Bank of Azerbaijan on trust, influence, empowerment and stakeholder relationship management.

04/12/2020

Applies to parent-child or other family relationships as well. Choose your words wisely.

Choose your words carefully.

31/05/2020

RIPPLES OF HOPE
No one has ever expressed the power and value of idealism, high aspiration, freedom and individual effort in a more eloquent way than Robert F. Kennedy in his inspirational speech on the Day of Affirmation in Capetown in 1966.

"Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring, those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance."

Although it is our most heartfelt hope to live in a better world, often times we find it difficult to imagine that our individual actions can really make a difference and we fail to take action to remedy situations. We think that we don't have enough power or enough resources to bring about change. Our self-imposed limitations block our creativity and hence hinder our potential. Surrendering to this idea of futility, we not only fail to give a chance to an improved world around us but we also even fail to improve our own lives.

Who wouldn't like to live in a better world where fairness and freedom prevail? But that's not really the main question to ask here. To deepen our understanding of freedom and take responsibility for the life we create for ourselves, we have to ask what I call "The Gateway Question":

What are you allowing and what are you blocking?

In other words, what are you saying "Yes" to and what are you saying "No" to? When you are fully aware of your values and commit yourself to their full expression in your life, the answers to these questions are crystal clear. It becomes much easier for you to know when it's right to surrender or push the limits. You get to make conscious choices that lead you to live in harmony with your core self, set yourself free to experience your authenticity and to awaken to your potential.

The path to move forward and make a leap in our lives begins the moment we get clear on our values and ideals, the moment we realize that we are part of something much bigger than ourselves and that we have the power and duty to make things better not only for ourselves but for others. By answering "The Gateway Question" and committing yourself fully to the expression of your answers, you can start making a difference. You will be sending forth your tiny ripple of hope and seeing your dreams come alive.

09/04/2020

Dear friends, I am initiating a new practice that I am calling Social Circles whereby I will be facilitating conversations about how we are leaning into the current circumstances, how we are making sense of what is happening around us and how we can use our current experiences in order to move forward. I will be holding space for groups of 4 initially and would like to form the groups with people who don't personally know each other. Now that our physical interactions are limited and we might not get the opportunity to meet new people as much as before, the idea is to create space and time to meet friends of friends that we don't know just like when we meet new people in an event or a dinner party at a friend's house, etc. and have meaningful conversations. The conversations can be in Turkish, English or Spanish depending on who signs up. Feel free to let your friends know about this initiative so that they can contact me to sign up. My intention is to facilitate the first group some time next week. Please sign up or share with your friends if you like the idea and contact me at [email protected] or via messenger to sign up. Stay safe everyone!

06/04/2020

If you are holding on to a feeling for more than 90 seconds, you are not letting the feeeling pass through you. You are letting it control you. Acknowledge it, name it, then breath out and let it leave...create space for it but don't let it occupy the whole 'room'.

02/04/2020

This is a great practice!

29/03/2020

Tolerating uncertainty and tackling the anxiety paradox are two science-backed approaches to help manage fears around COVID-19.