Değer mi Kalp Kırmaya?

Bazen üzerler seni, 

Gözlerin dolar, sesin titrer.

Gözündeki yaşı da,

Dilinin ucundaki kelamı da dizginlersin.

Kırılsa da kalbin, 

Yansa da için,

Atıp içine yüklenirsin derdini…

Bir of çeksen o an,

Titreyen dudakların gibi titretirsin

Ama büyütmek değil, unutmaktır amacın.

Bitsin, gitsin şu an bi dersin.

Gözünü yumar, yutkunursun. 

“Allah Büyük” dersin…

Ve o an biter, o gün geçer.

Tıpkı daha öncekiler gibi.

Peki değer miydi kalp kırmaya?

Ne dersin?

Recharged with Inspiration: Lessons from a Short Break

Today marks the 27th anniversary of my father's passing—a moment that always brings reflection. It also coincides with the end of my 2025 summer break. While I’m not someone who fully disconnects during holidays, I deeply respect those who do. Protecting one’s well-being and making time for loved ones is something I admire and support.

This summer was particularly challenging due to health issues within the family. Yet, I’m grateful to have carved out five days in my favourite coastal retreat—Teos, Seferihisar. Here, I return to routines that ground me: early morning walks, sunbathing, swimming, and most importantly, reflection.

Morning Walks & Mindful Listening

One of my routines is walking before breakfast while listening to podcasts. On the first working day of my vacation, I tuned into Bumuyani – Episode 203: Zehirli Dayanıklılık (“Toxic Resilience”). For those unfamiliar, toxic resilience refers to the tendency to overextend oneself in the name of dedication and loyalty—often at the cost of personal boundaries.

Listening to this episode made me realise how often I stay “always connected,” expecting the same level of responsiveness from colleagues. But through reflection and a meaningful conversation with a close friend, I’ve come to appreciate the importance of empathy—especially towards those who protect their time and energy with intention. Going forward, I aim to honour these boundaries more consciously and understand the drivers of those colleagues.

Summer Reading: Trust & Inspire

My summer read was Trust & Inspire by Stephen M. R. Covey. I’ve read over 200 pages so far, and it’s been transformative. Trust was a key theme I wanted to develop this year, especially as part of the PMI DNA. (Our PMI DNA—We Care, We are Better Together, We are Game Changers—defines how we work, lead, and engage with each other every day. For more: Culture & Diversity at PMI | PMI - Philip Morris International) One quote stood out:

“The very first job of a leader is to inspire trust. The second job is to extend it.”

Not trusting is a lonely, stressful, and joyless way to live. This book reminded me that leadership is not just about control—it’s about connection. I’ll continue dedicating time to reading and writing, and I welcome any book recommendations that support personal growth.

The Gift of Family Time

Of course, no summer is complete without family. During the hustle of back-to-back meetings and endless emails, it’s hard to find quality time. But on vacation, I can be fully present—and that’s the true gift. I’ll close with a family photo from the summer of 2025, a reminder of what truly matters.

#Leadership #PersonalDevelopment #TrustAndInspire #Resilience #Empathy #WorkLifeBalance #VacationReflection #MindfulLeadership #TeosSeferihisar #Summer2025 #GrowthMindset #SelfAwareness #EmotionalIntelligence #ToxicResilience #Inspiration #ProfessionalGrowth #ManagerLife #TreasuryAndTax #PMIDNA #ReflectionTime #PurposeDriven #BusinessLeadership #AuthenticLeadership #LinkedInBlog #CareerJourney #SelfImprovement #LeadershipJourney #TeamCulture #WorkplaceWellbeing #HumanCentredLeadership #EmpoweredTeams #LeadWithTrust

12 Years at Philip Morris International: A Journey of Purpose, Progress, and People

This August marks a personal and professional milestone — 12 years at Philip Morris International. It’s a moment that invites reflection, gratitude, and a renewed sense of purpose.

When LinkedIn reminded me of this anniversary, I didn’t expect the wave of support that followed. Over 75 colleagues, peers, and friends took a moment to react, comment, and share kind words. Among them was a message from Edvinas Katilius, VP Global Business Solutions at PMI:

“Congratulations Volkan! It is a real pleasure working together.”

To which I replied:

“Thank you so much Edvinas for the nice message! It truly means a lot and I appreciate the opportunity to work alongside you. Your support and leadership make a real difference — looking forward to many more milestones together!”

These interactions are more than digital gestures — they’re reminders of the relationships, trust, and shared ambition that define our work culture.

Over the past 12 years, I’ve had the privilege of growing through diverse roles, culminating in my current position as Manager, Treasury & Tax. Each chapter has brought new challenges — from navigating regulatory shifts to driving financial transformation — and each has been an opportunity to learn, lead, and contribute to PMI’s bold vision of a smoke-free future.

What makes this journey meaningful isn’t just the milestones — it’s the people. The mentors who guided me, the teams who inspired me, and the leaders who empowered me. To all of you: thank you.

As I look ahead, I remain energised by the road still to come. The transformation we’re driving at PMI is historic, and I’m proud to be part of it.

Here’s to the next chapter — and to continuing to grow, challenge, and inspire.

#12YearsAtPMI #WorkAnniversary #Leadership #TreasuryAndTax #PhilipMorrisInternational #Gratitude #CareerJourney

Unlived Lives and Late-Night Walks: A Personal Journey

The hum of the road, the clutter of the home, and the fog in my mind all converged on this warm July evening. I sat alone on the balcony, sipping tea, thinking: Even if no one reads this, maybe one day I will. So I began to write—something to leave behind, a quiet legacy of thoughts.

I’m still in Bursa Güzelyalı, and this might be the last time I write from this house. Next week, the chaos of moving will begin. I’ve never been the leader in such things—always one of the cogs in the wheel. I’ll do my part, then quietly slip away. I’m tired. Worn out. My soul is craving change.

After work on Friday, I wrapped up some errands and jumped in the car, hoping to clear my head. As always, I kept things simple: a six-pack (just kidding, only one) from the supermarket, a bag of salted peanuts, and a discreet parking spot under a tree where I wouldn’t bother anyone. Headlights off. Music playing softly. Me, scrolling through LinkedIn, trying to shake off the week’s weight. It wasn’t half bad, actually.

As I ran my hand across my face, I felt the stubble I hadn’t shaved in days. Tomorrow’s Monday—I’ll need to tidy up. I checked my calendar. Fewer meetings during the holiday season, but still a few I need to attend. I’ll deal with it in the morning. No need to steal time from the weekend.

Speaking of holidays, I’m glad I didn’t set my hopes too high for a summer getaway this year. The heat, the work, the endless scroll of friends travelling on social media—it’s all a bit much. Not being able to repeat the rituals of past summers stings. But what hurts more is watching dreams slip by, unrealised.

That thought brought me back to last July. Back then, my mind was tangled with questions during morning walks: Will it happen? Will promises be kept? And then, in the first week of August, a piece of good news arrived—unexpected, but deeply welcome. I hope this year brings something just as surprising. If it does, I promise to look back with gratitude.

So let’s live these days fully, without picking and choosing which burdens to carry. Let’s collect memories, so when we listen to podcasts about lives unlived, we won’t feel guilty. Funny how I ended up here...

After my little car ritual, I responsibly disposed of my trash, popped in my earbuds, and headed to the seaside. A five-kilometre walk to stretch out, burn some calories, and hit my daily exercise goal. My favourite podcast (Bu Mu Yani?) kept me company. The latest episode: "Lives We Never Lived". It was a perfect match for my mood—a chance to reflect. Did I find any answers? Not really. But being on the journey, especially when you can feel the sweat on your back, is something in itself.

Yaşanamayan Hayatlar ve Bir Temmuz Akşamı

Yolun gürültüsü, evin dağınıklığı ve kafamın içindeki karmaşa... Hepsi bir araya geldi bu sıcak Temmuz akşamüstü’nde. Çayımı yudumlarken, “Kimse okumazsa ileride ben okurum,” diye düşündüm. Belki de bu satırlar, kendime bırakacağım bir miras olur. Balkonda, tek başıma oturmuş yazıyorum. Yine Bursa Güzelyalı’dayım. Muhtemelen bu evde son kez kalem oynatıyorum. Haftaya taşınma telaşesi başlayacak. Hiçbir zaman bu tür işlerde lider olmadım; çarkın bir dişlisi olmayı tercih ettim. Yine üzerime düşeni yapıp sonra buralardan kaçmak istiyorum. Hem yoruldum hem bunaldım. Bünyem bir değişiklik arıyor artık.

Cuma akşamı, mesai sonrası evle ilgili işleri hallettikten sonra arabaya atlayıp biraz kafamı boşaltmak istedim. Her zamanki mütevaziliğimle... Migros’tan alınmış bir kutu bira, bir paket tuzlu fıstık. Polisleri ve aileleri rahatsız etmemek için sessiz bir köşe ararken, yol kenarında, kuytu bir ağacın altında farları kapatılmış bir araba. Radyoda mixlenmiş yabancı müzik, elimde telefonum, LinkedIn’de gezinerek haftanın yorgunluğunu atmaya çalışan ben... Hiç de fena gelmedi. Işın Karaca’nın dediği gibi: Yetinmeyi bilir misin?

Elim yüzüme gittiğinde bir haftadır kesmediğim sakallarımı hissediyorum. Yarın pazartesi. Kendime çeki düzen vermem gerek. Takvime göz attım; tatil dönemi olsa da toplantılar devam ediyor. Sabah hallederim, tatilden yemeyelim şimdi. Tatil demişken... İyi ki kışın yaz tatili için büyük beklentiye girmemişim. Yoksa bu kayıp yaz beni daha çok üzerdi. Sıcakta çalışmak, sosyal medyada arkadaşların gezdiğini görmek, eski yazlardaki rutinleri tekrarlayamamak... Bunlar yetmezmiş gibi hayallerimi gerçekleştirememek daha da zor olurdu.

Geçen yıl Temmuz ayında yaşadıklarım geldi aklıma. O zamanlar bugünkünden çok farklı gündemler vardı. Sabah yürüyüşlerinde kafama taktığım sorular: “Acaba olacak mı? Sözler tutulacak mı?” Ağustos’un ilk haftasında gelen mutlu haberle yerini rahatlamaya bırakmıştı. İnşallah bu yıl da hiç beklemediğim anda güzel gelişmeler gelir. Söz, seneye yine bu günlere memnuniyetle atıfta bulunurum.

O halde... Dertleri seçmeden, çekmeden; keyifle geçireceğimiz nice güzel günlerimiz olsun. Bu günlerin değerini bilelim. Anılar biriktirelim. Sonra “yaşanamayan hayatlar” konulu podcast’ler dinlerken kendimizi sorguladığımızda suçlu hissetmeyelim. Nasıl bağladım konuyu buraya ama...

Yürüyüş yolumun bir ucu

Yine aynı Cuma akşamı, arabada biraz takıldıktan sonra sorumlu bir içici olarak çöpümü attım, kulaklıklarımı taktım ve sahilde beş kilometre yürüyerek günün egzersiz hedefini tutturdum. Bana favori podcast’im Bu Mu Yani? eşlik etti. Son bölümün adı: Yaşanamayan Hayatlar. Denk gelen bölüm ve ruh halimin uyuşması, kendimi sorgulamam için güzel bir fırsat oldu. Cevabı buldun mu derseniz... Hâlâ arıyorum. Ama o arayış yolculuğunda olmak güzel. Özellikle sırtındaki teri hissediyorsan... 

Bu içeriğe ne kadar uydu bilemedim ama Galeri'de kalmasın istedim...