Welcome to the Forty Over 40 blog. We frequently spotlight one of our honorees and their thoughts on reinvention, mentorship and momentum…plus a peek into what makes them tick.
This Q & A is with Didem Gürcüoglu Tekay a Managing Partner, Management Centre Türkiye (MCT), a leading Management Consulting Company for Organizational Change, Leadership and Management Development in Istanbul, Turkey.
Tekay and MCT repeatedly bring new voices and perspectives together from around the world, introducing the Turkish and Middle Eastern Business and HR community to what it means to lead and learn in organizational settings.
She showcases the work of famous US feminists keen to shift the world to a more relational way of working; she provokes people by presenting radically different views about whether modern business is a force for good or bad.
1) What was a pivotal momentum of reinvention for you?
Knowing and understanding my preferences for how I showed up; how I was present with people. Understanding my fears and where my boundaries were and where they needed to be. Learning to reveal more of my emotions, sharing rather than denying my needs and wants with others – all these helped me to step up and into my development edge, embracing my authority as a senior leader.
2) Who has been a valuable mentor or sponsor?
I have had different mentors and sponsors at different ages and stages of my life. In my 20’s my aunt was my most valued mentor; it was from her that I learned to admire, and be inspired by, learning and teaching.
Professionally my most important mentors have been found in my clients. If I ever thought that one of them would be valuable for my personal growth, I went and asked them for support and mentoring – and they always gave it. And within my company my partners I worked with for many years; always been my mentors – people I could trust to provide an honest and helpful perspective.
3) What is your biggest goal right now?
To reach out to as many young women as I can, using as many different forms of expression as possible, to share my three main learnings:
- Take care of yourself… you have to know why this is important and how to do it.
- Have a living dream… you need to have a dream for each of the different stages of your life, and this dream changes. The dream is what shows you the way.
- Demonstrate accountability and resilience… results and progress, for yourself and others, doesn’t happen by itself.
4) How did you get your first job? How did you jump to your second job?
I was still at university and some months from graduation. One of my friends at the university was working for a company and I wondered if I could have a job like hers. I asked her to tell me if any opportunities to work at her company came up. Within two weeks she told me of such an opportunity, which I got on the back of my first interview!
I worked there for three and a half years, learning all the time before a new dream came to me – now I wanted to work for an international company where I could use my language skills and tap into those who were visionary and open minded. I searched for 8 months before I found the perfect firm… an international company, with brilliant people making a huge impact on the development of people. And this is now the company I lead!
5) How did you feel on your 30th birthday? What were you doing at that time?
I was feeling excited and curious about future. I was the mother of a one-year old baby girl and I was also working flat out. I had some real concerns about whether I was being a good enough mother and also doing good work in my professional capacity.
6) What was the last business book you read?
Collective Genius, The Art and Practice of Leading Innovation by Linda A. Hill.
7) What song can’t you get out of your head?
Beautiful Tango, Hindi Zahra
8) What is the best piece of advice you ever received?
Not to repeat any mistake, to learn from them and not to do the same mistake for the second time.
9) What is your “keep me going” quote?
“Don’t grieve. Anything you lose comes round in another form”–Rumi
10) Who on the list of prior Honorees would you like to meet?
I would like to meet Farah Mohamed for her efforts and passion to cultivate a new generation of female leaders.
Check out Didem Gürcüoglu Tekay’s full 40 Over 40 profile here!
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