Exclusive Trusted Magazine Q&A with EDA TAKBAK ŞAHİN, Global PMO and Process Improvement Director @ Acun Medya Global
How could you describe your career path in few words?
I graduated with Management Engineering degree from Istanbul Technical University. I believe that my degree gave me a solid background to adapt and work with different disciplines.
It was not a linear career path and I had opportunity to switch between different areas. With over 20 years of experience, I handled various responsibilities under uncertain circumstances and fulfill undefined titles.
After few years at banking sector, I had started working at Digiturk, leading digital platform of Turkey. I worked for 18 years at same company with different responsibilities such as CRM, Online Channel Management, Revenue and Retention Management, Project Management, User Experience Design. Taking new responsibilities at the same company includes a challenge but creates a big comfort zone as well.
Last year, with the offer from Acun Medya, I left my comfort zone and embarked on a new adventure. Acun Medya is a fast-growing multinational holding that mainly operates in media production, broadcasting, OTT and as well as different sectors such as travel, textile, construction, etc. I am responsible for improving processes and managing corporate projects in this constantly changing and evolving environment, with my team.
When you get surprised by unusual or uncertain context, what do you think?
Uncertainty is an integral part of our lives today. The key factor is understanding the variables that effects our decision and how to behave. Making a quick analysis to understand what is certain, for what we need to make assumption and taking peers’ opinion by sharing base of your assumptions is really helpful to add different point of views and to find optimum solution.
Based on your experience, what’s the key success factor for a female leader / manager?
I think the key of happy and successful life is balancing our identities. We have lots of identities at our lives; own self, a mother, a wife, a daughter, a sister, an employee, a manager, a team member…. Under all these hats there is one person with 24 hours a day.
The priority of these identities and the place they occupy in our lives fluctuate. As a woman, we place more importance on our home, family, and relations by our nature. While some may see it as a weakness, I think it improves our multitasking abilities.
We have lots of responsibilities and tasks from our identities and they sum up in one list because all are assigned to one person. While prioritizing and managing all these issues we should be aware of all our identities without forgetting our own selves.
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