Exploring Lausanne: A Memorable Visit in May 2025

I recently had the pleasure of visiting Lausanne, Switzerland, for the SFP Portfolio & Science program and meeting with my key stakeholders from May 12 to May 16, 2025. It was an enriching experience filled with insightful sessions, networking opportunities, and a chance to explore the beautiful city of Lausanne.

Highlights of the Visit

During my stay, I attended several key meetings and events. Here are some of the highlights:

SFP Portfolio & Science Program: This exclusive program was held at the Hotel de la Paix and provided a deep dive into PMI’s smoke-free technologies and science. The sessions were led by experts and offered a global perspective on our initiatives.

Networking Opportunities: I had the chance to meet and interact with colleagues from various locations, including Mark Tan, Francoise Kumpf, Seynabou Gauthier, Hans Etienne, and Mathieu Moreau.

Team Dinner: On May 13, we enjoyed a delightful team dinner, which was a great opportunity to bond and discuss ongoing projects in a relaxed setting.

Capturing the Moments

I made sure to capture some beautiful shots during my visit. Here’s a video compilation of the memorable moments from Lausanne:

Reflections and Future Plans

This visit was not only about attending sessions and meetings but also about experiencing the culture and beauty of Lausanne. The city’s charm and the warmth of the people made this trip truly special. I look forward to more such opportunities to connect and grow together.

Stay tuned for more updates and stories from my travels!

Farewell, Lausanne — Until We Meet Again

It’s Thursday afternoon, May 15th, 2025. As I slowly prepare to say goodbye to Lausanne, I sip my beer and soak in the moment. After wrapping up my training and tackling a handful of urgent tasks, I found myself wandering — once again — from the hilltop down to the lakeside, repeating the same old phrase: "What a beautiful city. We’re not really living compared to these gifted people, are we?"

Despite the warm weather and people in t-shirts, I showed up at the lake in a jacket, backpack on my shoulders and shopping bags in hand — quite the scene. I ended up back at Lacustre, the same spot where I had dinner last Sunday. History was about to repeat itself, but the table I’d reserved last time was taken, and dinner service wouldn’t start until 5 p.m. Still, I decided to stick around, watch the sun go down, and enjoy a little moment of solitude. The rest could wait.

It’s oddly noisy here, and I find it hard to write. But watching people chat, laugh, and live in the moment makes me happy for them. No one’s glued to their phones or obsessed with selfies — something I deeply admire. There’s so much I envy about this city. After seeing it with fresh eyes this time, I can’t help but question those who insist, "Turkey is the most beautiful country in the world." Beautiful, yes — but how well do they really know the rest of the world?

I didn’t feel this way the last time I was here, but this trip has left a much deeper impression. Hopefully, it won’t be too long before I return.

What made this visit truly special were the people. I got to reconnect with my mentor, Mark — it was inspiring to sit with him, share stories, and soak up his wisdom. I’m genuinely grateful to have him in my life. Once again, he hosted me generously and took me out for dinner — not as a tourist, but as someone experiencing Lausanne like a local. Thank you, Mark. You’ve got a big heart — and a strong wallet! (This is how AI handles the translation from Turkish to English!)

Yes, I know I’m being a bit sentimental, but I’d rather put these feelings into words than pretend everything is picture-perfect on Instagram. Truth is, there’s a cost to all this. My average sleep has dipped below six hours again, and I’m going to bed far too late just to keep up with unanswered emails from the day. But then again, I’d be replying to those same emails in Istanbul — just without this view, this sunset, and this feeling.

They just closed the shade that was protecting me from the sun. My screen is now glaring, my beer warming up, and my face slightly burning. Looking at the bright side — literally — there’s a boat pulling in. Let’s see who’s coming off. Time to soak in some natural vitamin D and do a bit of people-watching.

Tomorrow, I’ll be working from Lausanne office, and in the evening, I’ll say goodbye to this beautiful city. Hopefully, only for a little while.

Update:

After writing the paragraphs above, I climbed uphill back toward the hotel — and boy, the heat took a toll. Before heading in, I stopped at my favorite burger joint, ordered my usual, and enjoyed every bite. I even felt so inspired that, after months of silence, I left a glowing Google Maps review. What happened next? Well, the usual: Outlook, SAP, and all the rest. I also played a game for a while… but I’ll keep that one to myself. Some things are better left unsaid.

Back to Lausanne — One Year Later, With a Full Heart and an Even Fuller Inbox

This Sunday holds a special meaning for me — and not just because it's Mother’s Day. After a full year, I’m heading back to Lausanne. The excitement I felt last year when visiting our company headquarters for the first time has mellowed this time around. Firsts have a magic of their own, don’t they? But truth be told, my mind is full and my calendar even fuller, and this Swiss trip somehow feels like just another item on my to-do list.

Maybe that’s what happens when real life refuses to pause, or in other words: "that's the way".

Last Thursday, I had an off-site training that took me away from my inbox for a few hours — a dangerous luxury. By Friday, even with extra hours of work, I couldn’t reduce the number of unread (or “read-marked-but-not-really-read”) emails below twelve. Still, I have hope — and a small dream for tonight and tomorrow: to catch up, inch by inch, if the universe allows.

To make my three-hour flight more productive (and mildly entertaining), I dedicated the first two hours to watching the original Star Wars — something I had promised myself, even added to my New Year’s resolutions. I’ll be honest: when something doesn’t convince me, I struggle to engage. But I powered through, ticked the box, and now I can at least say I get the references. Sometimes, done is better than perfect, right?

Mission Completed

Why Start with IV? I Will Learn Soon...

Projects, Priorities, and… Precision Knives?

Tonight — and this week — I’ve got a few things planned. One of them is to finalize a small automation project I built using Microsoft 365’s Finance Agent and turn it into a short, clean-cut video to share internally. I’m hoping it might inspire a few colleagues. I was already visualizing how to structure the clip — what to say, what kind of background to use — even as I watched the movie on the plane. Fingers crossed it turns out well.

If I can squeeze in a bit of email cleanup, find a decent meal, and hit my steps goal with a walk around town, I’ll call it a productive evening. Bonus points if I manage to grab those special kitchen knives my relatives asked for — apparently, no trip to Switzerland is complete without them. I wrote about this last time too: yes, Switzerland is expensive, but if there’s one thing that offers serious price-for-value, it’s those knives.

Migros Without Victorinox Knives

Looking Ahead

I’m scheduled to fly back Friday night. What will I be taking home with me this time, I wonder? The main goal of this visit is to reconnect with our Lausanne-based stakeholders and, if all goes well, spend an evening in conversation with someone very dear to me (he knows who he is when he reads this). Whether it’s dinner, deep talk, or a bit of quiet mentorship — it’s these moments that matter most.

And so, the journey continues — altitude included.

With gratitude,
Volkan

Lozan’a Veda Ederken

15  Mayıs 2025 Perşembe öğleden sonrasında yavaştan Lozan’a veda etmeye hazırlanırken biramı yudumlayıp anın tadını çıkarıyorum. Eğitimden çıkıp gündelik işlerin acillerini hallettikten sonra “ne güzel şehir”, “biz yaşamıyoruz valla” diye diye yukarıdan yine göl kenarına indim. Neredeyse herkesin t-shirt giydiği bu sıcak havada göl kenarına ceketli ve yetmezmiş gibi sırtında çanta, elinde alışveriş torbası ile gelince hızlıca yine Pazar akşamı yemeğimi yediğim Lacustre’ye geldim. Tarihi tekerrür ettirecektim ama bir önceki sefer rezervasyon yaptırdığım masa doluydu, yemek servisi ise 5’te başlayacaktı. Güneşi burada batırıp biraz kendimle başbaşa kalayım, sonrasına bakarız.

Çevremde o kadar çok gürültü var ki yazarken zorlanıyorum ama insanların sohbet ediyor, anın tadını çıkarıyor olduğunu görmek onlar adına çok güzel. Bizdeki gibi herkes telefonuna bakmıyor ya da fotoğraf çekilmek derdinde değil. Özendiğim çok şey var bu şehre dahil. Burayı gördükten sonra “Türkiye çok güzel, eşi benzeri yok” diyenlerin diğer ülkeleri ne kadar iyi bildiği konusunda şüphem doğdu. Bir önceki gelişimde bu kadar etkilenmemiştim ancak bu sefer baya bir etkisi altından kaldığımı kabul etmeliyim. Umarım arayı çok açmadan yine gelmek nasip olur.

Bu seferki ziyaretimi daha güzel kılan şeylerin başında pek tabii ki insan ilişkileri de geliyor. Akıl hocam Mark ile buluşup onu dinlemek, onunla bir şeyler paylaşmak harikaydı. Onu tanıdığım için çok mutluyum ve onunla hatıralar biriktirebildiğim için de kendimi şanslı buluyorum. Bir önceki sefer olduğu gibi yine ev sahipliği yaptı ve beni iki kez yemeğe çıkardı. Hem de turist gibi değil, lokal gibi deneyimler elde etmemi sağladı. Teşekkürler Mark, kesene bereket! (Bu içeriği İngilizceye de çevireceğim, bakalım yapay zeka bunu nasıl çevirecek)

Bu duygularımı ve hatıralarımı yazıya dökerken biraz romantik olduğumun farkındayım. Bazı gerçekleri dışarıya vurmayınca insanlar instagramda paylaştıklarımla İsviçre’nin altını üstüne getirdiğimi düşünebiliyor. Ama şu da bir gerçek ki bedelini de ödüyorum. Ortalama uykum yine altı saatin altına düştü, geceleri gündüz biriken mailleri cevaplayabilmek için hayli geç yatağa gidiyorum. Yine de şükür, İstanbul’da olsam da aynı mailleri cevaplayacaktım ama bu deneyimi elde edemeyecektim.

Beni güneşten koruyan gölgeliği az önce kapattılar. Ekranım parlamaya, biram ısınmaya ve yüzüm yanmaya başladı. Bardağın dolu tarafını görmem gerekirse, yaklaşan bir yolcu gemisi var, bakalım kimler inecek. Doğal D vitamini alıp biraz çevremi gözlemleyeyim. Yarın ofisten çalışıp, akşam da bu güzel şehre elveda diyeceğim. Umarım kısa süreliğine...

Ekleme: Yukarıdaki satırları yazdıktan sonra otele doğru yukarı çıktım ve sıcağın etkisiyle beraber yokuş beni baya bir hırpaladı. Otele girmeden direk favori hamburgercime gidip siparişimi verdim, öyle keyif aldım ki aylar sonra gaza gelip Google Maps’te bir mekan değerlendirmesi bile yaptım. Sonrası mı? Yine Outlook, SAP ve diğerleri… Biraz da oyun oynadım ama ne oyunu olduğunu burada yazamayacağım, o da bende kalsın.

Sağlıcakla,

Volkan

Cenevre’ye Uçarken

Bu Pazar, Anneler Günü olmasının dışında benim için ayrıca bir önemi daha var: bir yıl aradan sonra yine Lozan’a gidiyorum. Geçen sene hayatımda ilk kez şirket merkezine giderken yaşadığım heyecandan çok uzaktayım. İlkler bir başka oluyor pek tabii ki ama kafamın da ajandamın da dolu olması bu kez İsviçre Lozan ziyaretimi sıradaki bir aktivite gibi görmeme sebep oldu. Nasıl farklı olabilir di bilmiyorum ama geçen Perşembe bir eğitim için ofiste ofis dışı modda olunca mailler öyle bir birikti ki Cuma günü yaptığım fazla mesai ile bile okunmamış (okunup okunmamışa alınmış) mail sayımı onikinin altına düşüremedim. Ama var bu akşam ve yarın bir hayalim: toparlayacağım Allah’ın izniyle...

Üç saatlik uçuşumun ilk iki saatini izlemek için söz verdiğim hatta yeni yıl hedeflerime eklediğim Star Wars’ın ilk filmine ayırdım. Samimi olacağım, beni inandıramayan şeylere kendimi veremiyorum ama görevi tamamladım, tiki attım, en azından fikir sahibiyim. Bir başka deyişle bir büyüktür sıfır, değil mi?

Bu akşam ve bu hafta yapmayı planladığım şeyler var, bunlardan biri Microsoft 365 Finance Agent ile yaptığım küçük bir otomasyon çalışmasını video haline getirip şirket içinde paylaşarak birilerine ilham vermek. Film izlerken de aklımda nasıl yaparım, arka fona ne eklerim gibi düşünceler vardı, umarım güzel bir ürün ortaya çıkar. Kalan vakitte de okunmamış maillerden biraz temizlik yapıp dışarıda karnımı doyurup çevrede yürüme hedefimi tutturursam başarılı sayılırım. Hatta bugün ailenin büyük üyelerinin isteği olan kesme bıçaklarını da alıp bavula atabilirsem şahane olur. Bir önceki ziyaretimde de yazmıştı, İsviçre biz Türkler için pahallı ama “price for value” alınabilecek şeyler varsa başında da bu bıçaklar geliyor.

Dönüş kısmetse Cuma gecesi, bakalım bu kez yanıma neler katarak döneceğim. Gelirken asıl hedefim Lozan’daki paydaşlarımla bağ kurmak ve çok sevdiğim biriyle (o kendini biliyor) bir akşam yemeği yiyip dertleşmek ya da ondan değerli koçluk yönlendirmelerini almaya devam etmek.

Yükseklerde yolculuğa devam...

Sevgiyle,

Volkan

Finance Business Partner Storytelling Masterclass

On the 8th of May, Philip Morris Istanbul HQ hosted a significant growth event that brought together finance employees from Lausanne, Belgrade, Izmir, and Istanbul for the Finance Business Partner Storytelling Masterclass. This masterclass, held at the Istanbul office, marked a milestone in enhancing the communication and storytelling skills of finance business partners, enabling us to communicate more effectively and persuasively.

The Event

The masterclass was facilitated by Melanie Coeshott from The Finance Business Partner, a global leader in business partner training. Melanie's expertise in storytelling and finance provided attendees with invaluable insights into the art of storytelling within a business context. As an ex-accountant, Melanie demonstrated great empathy and understanding of our daily activities and realities. The session was designed to help us convey complex financial information in a compelling and engaging manner.

Our meeting room was equipped with multiple flip charts, pens, and flip chart papers to facilitate interactive sessions. These tools were used extensively throughout the session for brainstorming, preparing our power dashboards, and presenting to our colleagues.

The Masterclass Experience

The masterclass began with an introduction to the fundamental principles of storytelling. Melanie emphasized the importance of structuring stories to keep the audience engaged and inspired. As participants, we learned how to streamline narratives, portray authenticity, and connect emotionally with our audience.

Throughout the day, we engaged in various exercises and group activities designed to hone our storytelling skills. The interactive nature of the session allowed us to practice and receive feedback in real-time, fostering a collaborative learning environment.

Key Takeaways

Streamlining Stories: We learned how to create clear and concise narratives that avoid losing or boring the audience.

Business Partner Essentials: We focused on three key aspects of being a business partner: building relationships, turning data into insights, and bringing numbers to life.

Feedback and Reflections

The masterclass not only enhanced our storytelling abilities but also boosted our confidence in presenting financial information. We also discussed internally how we can maximize the benefits of such training with the support of AI. The potential integration of AI into these sessions is an exciting prospect, and we eagerly anticipate how it will evolve.

Conclusion

The PMI Finance Business Partner Storytelling Masterclass in Istanbul was time well-spent. It equipped us with the tools and techniques needed to transform our communication skills. By mastering the art of storytelling, we are now better prepared to engage stakeholders, convey complex information effectively, and ask better business questions.

Seeing our colleagues together, catching up, and participating in team activities once again made us feel #bettertogether during this month of development and growth.

This event underscores PMI's commitment to continuous professional development and its dedication to empowering us with the skills necessary to excel in our roles. So, now let’s #makehistory.

When Feedback Hurts: A Father’s Reflection on Communication and Growth

Dear Son,

Yesterday was parent-teacher meeting day at your school. Once again, thank you for giving us a reason to feel proud. Listening to the wonderful feedback from your teachers — full of kind words, meaningful stories, and thoughtful observations — was truly heartwarming. We are so grateful for all of it.

However, there was one moment that struck me deeply and left an unexpected ache in my heart. Your science teacher mentioned that you had told him, with tears welling in your eyes, that I didn’t allow you to bring your Raspberry Pi 5 to school for your science project. He explained how he’s been trying to help you find a workaround ever since. Hearing this broke me — not because of what you said, but because I realized I may have failed to see the situation through your eyes.

Let me share my perspective. When I first heard you’d be working on a team project, my immediate concern was about the balance of responsibility. At your age, contributions among team members can be uneven, and I worried you might end up doing more than your fair share — or worse, carry the burden alone. My intention was to protect you from frustration or disappointment, not to limit your potential.

But after speaking with your teacher, I understood there was a deeper misunderstanding. What I saw as guidance came across to you as restriction. What I meant as protection felt, to you, like a lack of trust.

This experience has given me two valuable lessons — lessons I believe apply not only to parenting, but also to leadership, teamwork, and communication at every level:

First, I need to give you more room to explore, to fail, to lead, and to grow. Teamwork is one of life’s most powerful teachers. It’s not just about achieving a goal — it’s about learning how to collaborate, how to manage roles and responsibilities, and how to navigate the beautiful messiness of human dynamics. These are skills that you, like all of us, must learn through real experience.

Second, feedback is not just about what we say — it’s about how we say it. I now realize that the way I expressed my concerns lacked empathy and clarity. Next time, I’ll do better: I’ll explain the ‘why’ behind my thoughts, give you the full picture, and make sure we’re truly aligned in understanding.

Thank you for being our bright, curious, and amazing son. You remind me every day that we are all students in this journey — learning from each other, growing together, and always better when we trust and support one another.

With love,
Dad
Volkan

For more letters like this:

Volkan Yorulmaz: Behind the "Fantastic Job": Progress Bars and Punching Bags

Volkan Yorulmaz: Driving Growth: Individual Development Plan and AI Integration

Driving Growth: Individual Development Plan and AI Integration

In today's rapidly evolving business landscape, growth and individual development are more important than ever. As Frederic Patitucci, Chief People & Culture Officer at Philip Morris International (PMI), highlights in his article "Unlocking Innovation Through People: PMI's Growth-Oriented Culture," the growth of our people is directly linked to the growth of our business Collaboration and innovation in company culture is crucial for business growth. This sentiment is echoed by Jacek Olczak, Chief Executive Officer at PMI, who emphasizes the importance of honest feedback and continuous learning in driving meaningful progress.

At PMI, the cultural framework known as PMI DNA unites the company around shared values, behaviors, and a universal sense of togetherness and belonging. This framework fosters an environment where curiosity, agility, and collaboration are embedded in everything we do, empowering our people to push boundaries and redefine what is possible.

Growth at PMI is about much more than promotions or new roles—it is about evolving with the organization, constantly upskilling, and unlocking potential every day. 

As we look to the future, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into our individual development plans (IDPs) offers exciting opportunities to enhance personal growth and organizational success. AI can provide valuable insights, personalized recommendations, and real-time feedback, helping individuals align their goals with business needs and navigate their career journeys with intention and impact.

Empower My Growth: Own My Individual Development Plan

There is a well-known saying, "The future depends on what you do today." These wise words invite us to seize every moment as an opportunity to push our boundaries and take actions that will bring us closer to our desired goals. 

Why Our Individual Development Plan (IDP) Matters

At PMI, our IDP isn't just an exercise. It's our roadmap to discovering and making the most of all the learning and development opportunities available to enable my growth. Think of my IDP as:

• My long-term growth plan: A living document to help me identify my development and learning objectives.

• It starts with me: Self-reflection is key to building your Individual Development Plan.

• A shared journey: My manager is there to co-create with me, offering feedback, support, and guidance.

• My growth is PMI’s growth: Unlocking my skills nurtures creativity and innovation across our business.

Kickstart my IDP with Copilot

Using AI can help optimize and enhance my IDP creation process. Here are some tips:

• Set my baseline: Ask Copilot to summarize my strengths and development areas using sources like 360 feedback and year-end review.

• Dive Deeper: Use Copilot to refine my findings and suggest key areas of focus.

• Make it Actionable: Define how I will achieve my goals with SMART criteria.

• Co-create for impact: Refine and review insights from Copilot with my manager.

Start my Growth Journey Now

Every step I take builds my personal foundation and strengthens our business. Let’s continue embracing this journey together to propel our people and our business to continued success.

Embrace the Future: Growth, Development, and AI

As we navigate the ever-changing business landscape, the importance of growth and development cannot be overstated. We believe that growth is a choice—an intentional journey that requires curiosity, courage, and a commitment to pushing boundaries. By embracing challenges and continuously seeking opportunities to learn and innovate, we can unlock our full potential and drive our business forward.

Artificial intelligence (AI) offers exciting possibilities to enhance our individual development plans (IDPs). With AI, we can gain valuable insights, receive personalized recommendations, and access real-time feedback that helps us align our goals with organizational needs. AI empowers us to make informed decisions, set motivating goals, and track our progress with precision.

As Frederic Patitucci and Jacek Olczak emphasize, growth is about showing up every day, embracing feedback, and continuously striving for improvement. By leveraging AI and the tools available to us, we can create impactful IDPs that not only advance our careers but also contribute to PMI's mission of delivering a smoke-free future.

Let’s seize this opportunity to own our growth journey, harness the power of AI, and shape our future with intention and impact. Together, we can build a workforce that is engaged, adaptable, and ready to meet the demands of an evolving business landscape. Progress starts with people—and it is our energy and ideas that will shape the future of PMI.

Behind the "Fantastic Job": Progress Bars and Punching Bags

Dear Father,

First of all, it's great to have the chance to dedicate some quality time to writing this letter, just one week after the previous one. It's early Sunday morning, and for the second day in a row, I've slept more than seven hours—finally recovering from the fatigue of sleeping only five to six hours each night over the past week.

It’s been a week of “getting used to it.” After the disappointment of last week, I had scheduled meetings from Monday to Thursday, where I had to present various assessments. This required me to simplify tables, check with consultants, update the files, present them to stakeholders, record and archive the sessions, and document the meeting notes. After each session, I felt like a progress bar in my mind moved a little further. Completing all sessions—especially Thursday’s—without any issues was the main objective of the week. Thank God, I managed to do that.

But it wasn’t over. On Thursday afternoon, our finance director rightfully asked for a status update on the first batch by Friday. I had planned to complete many quarter-end, statutory, and ad-hoc tasks by Friday, but I had to reschedule them. I managed that too—and thankfully, I heard the words “fantastic job” as feedback.

Yesterday, I told my aunt about this appreciation, and she asked me what it meant. Clearly, “fantastic job” doesn’t hold the same recognition value in Turkish for someone in their seventies. It reminded me of my days in Romania, when I was a guest auditor—back then, it was the first time I heard “fantastic” as praise.

When I finally stepped away from my laptop on Friday evening, I had nearly ten emails I’d already read but marked as unread to revisit. Still, I had to head to the shopping mall where my son watched “A Minecraft Movie” for the second time since its release. I kept repeating to myself: “Oh my God, thank you, it’s over.”

It was a heavy week, and thankfully I won’t be in presentation mode in my upcoming meetings. That, in itself, is something I’m grateful for. I know next week won’t be light either—statutory closings, treasury activities, and ad-hoc requests will keep me busy. But, as they say, “this is the way.”

Aside from work updates, this week also marked the end of my three-month coaching journey. At the end of December 2024, our function offered me an external coaching program in recognition of my efforts in an initiative. My coach, based in Switzerland, had spent his entire career in multinational companies. One day, he lost his job and began this new path.

Whatever I shared with him about my work and interactions made complete sense to him—he had lived similar experiences. On top of that, his technical knowledge enriched our sessions, making the three months fulfilling.

In our final session last week, he left me with some warnings. When we began, I took a “saboteur assessment,” and my top saboteur was being a Pleaser. Let me share the definition:

“The Pleaser has a strong need to be liked by people and attempts to earn it by helping, pleasing, rescuing, or flattering them. The Pleaser needs frequent reassurance from others about their acceptance and affection and can’t express needs openly and directly. Instead, the Pleaser expresses needs indirectly by making people feel obligated to reciprocate care.”

You can read more or take the test here: https://www.positiveintelligence.com/blog/pleaser-saboteur/

Michael, my coach, ended the session by warning me that working so hard to please others could eventually lead to burnout—waking up one day with no motivation toward work or to-dos. This has stuck with me, and I’m doing my best to find balance. That’s partly why I’m taking the time to write. And surely, I need to make time for my daily walks and workouts when I go to the office.

Let me briefly talk about exercising. Yesterday, a rainy Saturday, I dropped my son off at his special school and then went to the office to use the gym. Normally, I prefer cardio and avoid weights. But after checking my weight and realizing I’ve gained a bit since Ramadan, I started with elliptical walking. After 30 minutes, I noticed the sandbag and boxing gloves. I geared up and started kicking the sandbag, thinking of all the emails I’d been tagged in—not about the people, but the extra tasks and requests I didn’t say no to, trying to please others.

It’s not usually my style, but it was exactly what I needed. When I removed the gloves, my hands were red. I found a disinfectant spray and applied it to the sore areas—it reminded me of the pandemic days…

Now, I hear my son and wife have woken up. That’s my cue to say goodbye—until next time.

Best wishes,
Volkan

PS. This letter is written to my "father," and there is a metaphor here; he knows himself.

From Applause to Silence: My Thursday Journey

Dear Father,

Good morning from a Saturday early morning. What a week it was, heh? My agenda is open, and before starting to write this letter, I thought to tackle a few items on my to-do list, but no way: no energy to focus on business, at least for a while.

This time, it's about a reflection on what I experienced last Thursday. I was waiting (not passively but actively by preparing) for two meetings that I scheduled with various stakeholders. One of the new normals of my life is working in my personal time to complete tasks, and I did the same during Ramadan Bairam. But thanks to you, you were there to support me, and you gave me the Bairam gift by preparing the main deck for one of the meetings after a call to help me understand how to guide my audience. Then I applied the same deck preparation method for the other meeting and requested a double-check from our consultant. Everything was ready, and the show started.

The first meeting started like a show just after presenting the table to the audience and letting them know the assessment. I was sharing my screen and even heard one of my colleagues saying, “we should celebrate this.” It was set for 45 minutes, but we closed the session in 30 minutes, and the team and I received many “thank you” and “well-done” messages. Then we closed the session, I turned my Do Not Disturb mode off, chatted with the team (only positive vibes), and replied to urgent emails until the second meeting started.

There was something unclear to me, but since I double-checked with the consultant, I didn’t want to challenge it until the meeting. And then the audience was ready in the meeting, recording started, and just after showing the table, two most important stakeholders (I call them “important” because they know the issue much better than all) immediately said: “this is wrong” when they saw the simplified table based on our consultant’s detailed assessment. Although I didn’t take it personally, I shared the backup sheet where they could read the inputs. Even this triggered other critics, and they were sure that the assessment missed an important perspective. I was listening to them, and what they said made total sense, but although I sensed it before the meeting, I didn’t challenge it by reaching out to the consultants or maybe cross-checking with my internal stakeholders. I showed respect to the titles and expertise, but still, I should have said, “did you consider this?” While listening to our important stakeholders' feedback, I was trying to take notes while thinking about what I could do just after the call. I couldn’t say any words, and due to my bad connection, my camera was closed, and even one of my colleagues asked, “Volkan, are you there?” I said “yes,” virtually I was in the meeting but thinking about the failure and deciding about my next steps. Before closing the second meeting, another point was highlighted: “what if there was a missing perspective in the subject of the first meeting?” This means revisiting the assessment for all other markets, for which I already sent daily meetings for the following weeks.

We ended the meeting, my wife and son were in the same living room with me, and I let them know that it was a terrible meeting. My wife asked me why I didn’t speak in the meeting. There was not much more to say after receiving the feedback from the key stakeholders when they saw the table, and I can’t be political in these kinds of discussions. I turned off my DND mode and saw that my teammates had already started the team call. I joined, and we talked about the failure. Then we invited one of our important stakeholders to the call to understand the history of the issue with the backup files. Before closing the call, he told us the last positive thing of the day: you are doing a great job by working on many markets with different regulations, and this kind of back-and-forth communication is inevitable.

After the shock, I found the cell phone number of one of our consultants and directly called via WhatsApp. I was trying to be agile, so even email was a slow communication method for me at that time. Anyway, I reached out to him, told him what happened in these two meetings, and what we demanded very urgently.

The business day was still continuing, and other operational activities were waiting for my review and approval. I tried to focus once again, but there was a terrible feeling, and I couldn’t see the exit. Among the unread mails, there was also an email about our weekly employee satisfaction survey, and I opened it and filled the free text area with how I felt. A few days or weeks later, I am sure my Finance Director will read it and reply with a question to detail why I feel that much worse and how the company can support me. I also don’t know the answer when I consider the constraints.

After office hours, I needed to drive from Izmir to Bursa. My car was parked away from the house, and while I was walking to get it, I passed by a park and saw families playing with their children. I thought that I am missing life. They were having fun, and I was having a headache. And life continues, but this 3.5-hour highway drive didn’t pass: I thought about the same things again and again: the meeting started and ended several times in my head during the drive.

I know it is not over yet, and one day in the future, I will think about these hard days as just ordinary memories. That’s another reason I wanted to write it down to remember. I am passing through hard days, and work is just in the center of my life. I even can’t spare time for walking or blogging because replying to another mail, decreasing the number of unread emails, and completing another approval flow makes me a little bit comfortable.

Anyway, life goes on, and I am managing the situation for the time being. In the long run, I hope these days will pass, and I will share success stories with only positive vibes.

Till then, take care…

All the best, 

Volkan

PS. This letter is written to my “father,” and there is a metaphor here; he knows himself.

Here you may read the next letter: Volkan Yorulmaz: Behind the "Fantastic Job": Progress Bars and Punching Bags

Bazen Durup Yazmak Lazım

Bir aydır oturup bir şeyler yazmaya vakit bulamadım ama aklım hep buradaydı. Önceliklerim ve enerjim bir türlü yazı yazmak için uygun noktada buluşamadı. Ama peşinen söyleyeyim, ne enerjimde bir düşüş var ne de Ramazan ayı üretkenliğimi etkiledi. Sadece yapmak istediklerim ve yapmam gerekenler öyle birikti ki, kendime ayırdığım zaman da arada kayboldu. Sonuç? Bloga yeni bir şey yazamadım, kişisel hedeflerimi gözden geçiremedim hatta bir ödemeyi bile unuttum.

Bugün Pazar sabahı. Güne başlamadan, yapacaklar listeme dalmadan önce odama geçip bilgisayarımı aldım. Düşündüm ki, sanırım beynim odamı artık sadece çalışmakla eşleştiriyor. Biraz içimi sıktı bu durum. Burası aslında oturma odası olarak düşündüğümüz ama pandemiyle birlikte benim çalışma alanıma dönüşen bir yer. Ev halkı genelde salonda vakit geçirdiğinden kimseyi rahatsız etmiyor ama benim için buranın tam zamanlı bir iş yerine dönüşmesi biraz can sıkıcı oldu. O yüzden bugün bir değişiklik yapıp kanepeye geçtim ve yazıyorum.

Şirketimin bana ödül olarak verdiği bir koçluk programına başladım. Koçum Michael’la bu yılki gelişim hedeflerim üzerine çalışıyoruz ama arada kendi seçtiğim konulara da giriyoruz. Geçen hafta ona yoğun çalışma temposunun beni kendime ve aileme zaman ayıramaz hale getirdiğini söyledim. Bunun üzerine bana bir test gönderdi. Sonuç? Yüksek seviyede "self-sabotage" (kendine zarar verici alışkanlıklar). Yani başkalarını memnun etmeye çalışırken kendimi ihmal ediyormuşum. İş yerinde birçok insanın gece gündüz çalıştığını görmek, mesai sonrası kendime ve aileme vakit ayırmamın sanki "az çalışıyormuşum" gibi algılanacağı kaygısı yaratıyor. E-postalarım birikince de çalışmaya devam etmek çözüm gibi geliyor. Halbuki bunun sonu yok, biliyorum. O yüzden işte böyle hafta sonları biraz dengeyi bulmaya çalışıyorum. Gerçi şu yazıyı yayınladıktan sonra yapacaklar listemin çoğu yine işle ilgili ama neyse… Arada küçük kaçamaklar da var.

Mesela, oğlum Okan’ın doğum günü için ona bir akvaryum hazırladık. İlk hafta sekiz balığımızın altısını kaybettik. Bir hafta sonra eksikleri tamamladık ve bu kez işler yolunda gitti. Şimdi düzenli bakım yapıyoruz, su değişimi, temizlik falan… Hafta sonları baba-oğul olarak ilgilendiğimiz bir aktiviteye dönüştü. Bugün de çalışma molamızı balıklarımız için vereceğiz.

Geçtiğimiz ay kısa bir yurtdışı seyahatim oldu. Daha önce de gittiğim Sırbistan’a (o ziyarete ilişkin bir z raporu da paylaşmıştım: https://volkanyorulmaz.blogspot.com/2023/12/z-report-of-belgrade-finance-workshop.html) üç günlük bir ziyaret yaptım. Belgrad bu kez gözüme daha güzel göründü ama yine de ailemi alıp tatil için götüreceğim bir yer değil gibi… Eskiden olsa bu geziyi hemen bloga yazardım ama bu defa öyle bir fırsat bulamadım. Ama şimdiden buraya not düşeyim: Mayıs ayında her şey yolunda giderse Lozan’a tekrar gideceğim. İlk ziyaretimin benim için çok özel olduğunu yazmıştım. Detaylarını burada paylaşmıştım: https://volkanyorulmaz.blogspot.com/2024/02/a-long-awaited-journey-to-pmis.html Bakalım bu kez nasıl olacak… Detaylıca yazabilecek miyim yoksa sadece “gittim, gördüm, döndüm” diye mi özetleyeceğim, göreceğiz.

Belgrad’da Son Gece: Otele Dönmeden Hemen Önce

Oh be! İyi geldi şöyle durup, dingin bir şekilde bir şeyler yazmak. Şimdi yapacaklar listemi elime alıp yanlarına tik atmaya başlayayım. Tam bu satırları yazarken televizyondaki spiker “Kafanızda tasarladığınız gibi olmuyor” dedi. Yaşayıp görelim…