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How the SCARF Model Drives High-Performing Teams
Leadership is a journey that begins the moment you step into the professional world, whether you're at the starting line or eyeing the...

Merve Kagitci Hokamp
Feb 11, 20248 min read


Beyond Leadership: The Coaching Mindset for Personal Growth
Are you feeling trapped in the monotony of everyday routines? Do you find yourself yearning for more meaningful growth in your...

Merve Kagitci Hokamp
Feb 4, 20246 min read


Leadership Mastery: The Power of Feedback and Feedforward
Effective feedback, along with feedforward, forms the bedrock of successful management. Despite its crucial role, mastering this skill is a challenge for many leaders however. I worked under 14 different managers during my 11 years at Google and experienced a wide spectrum of feedback styles - some managers excelled at it, while others fell short. Here is what good feedback looked like: (and there was a lot of it!) ✅ It was timely e.g. feedback about a presentation right aft

Merve Kagitci Hokamp
Jan 21, 20246 min read


Maximizing Productivity for Leaders: Top Tips for Effective Time Management
Leaders face unique challenges in managing their time due to their dual role of personal productivity and team oversight. Here's how to...

Merve Kagitci Hokamp
Jan 15, 20242 min read


How to Manage your Boss for People Managers
I have been working with a coachee - we will call him, John - a new people manager with a decade of experience in tech as an individual...

Merve Kagitci Hokamp
Jan 8, 20248 min read


A Year in Review: Leaving my Corporate Job to Build a Career in Coaching
As we approach the end of another year, it feels like an opportune moment to pause and reflect on my transformative journey of...

Merve Kagitci Hokamp
Dec 24, 202310 min read


The Career Kaleidoscope & the Art of Portfolio Diversification (a.k.a. Musings on Portfolio Careers)
My upbringing was in a household that lived and breathed the virtues of a stable job, consistency, and diligent work - principles deeply...

Merve Kagitci Hokamp
Dec 14, 20238 min read


End of Year Strategic Planning and OKRs
As the year winds down, I've noticed that many of my coachees, each a highly successful, accomplished, and driven leader, are feeling the...

Merve Kagitci Hokamp
Dec 6, 20236 min read


Turmoil and Triumph at OpenAI: Leadership Lessons on How to Use Influence
In my role as a coach for executives and business owners, I frequently address the dilemma of earning respect and loyalty from one's...

Merve Kagitci Hokamp
Nov 27, 20235 min read


My Biggest Hiring Mistake
At a certain juncture in my management career, I made a hiring mistake that remains etched in my memory. It was the initial phase of my...

Merve Kagitci Hokamp
Nov 11, 20234 min read


Embracing the Learning Rollercoaster: From Frustration to Mastery
Picture this: You're eager to learn, but feel like you're hitting a wall. Growth? Yes, please—but oh, the dread of starting from scratch....

Merve Kagitci Hokamp
Nov 2, 20237 min read


Navigating Toxic Workplaces: A New Manager's Story of Transformation
When my coachee, a talented tech professional with a stellar track record, stepped into her new role as a manager at the global tech...

Merve Kagitci Hokamp
Oct 22, 20237 min read


The Journey of Successful Female Leaders: Balancing Work and Motherhood
Last week, I engaged in separate, insightful conversations with three accomplished female leaders during coaching sessions. Despite their...

Merve Kagitci Hokamp
Oct 15, 20235 min read


Accelerating your Career: The Dynamic Duo of Mentors and Sponsors
According to Gallup, currently, only 40% of employees report having a mentor in the workplace. Rates are even lower for sponsorship at...

Merve Kagitci Hokamp
Oct 8, 20236 min read


What you should do NOW, if your career goal is to become a people manager
I regularly meet with and coach early-career professionals who aspire to step into people management roles. It's inspiring to see them...

Merve Kagitci Hokamp
Oct 1, 20238 min read


From IC to Manager: Showcasing Your Leadership Potential on Your CV
Last week I wrote about 10 Common Pitfalls Individual Contributors Must Avoid in Management Job Interviews and received some great...

Merve Kagitci Hokamp
Sep 27, 20234 min read


How to Become a People Manager
Are you a seasoned individual contributor with aspirations to step into a leadership role, but finding the path to climb the corporate...

Merve Kagitci Hokamp
Sep 16, 20236 min read


The Asshole Genius: Exploring the Myth of the Artistic Temperament
Good (and appropriate) song to listen to while reading this article I recently joined a book club, which was a new experience for me....

Merve Kagitci Hokamp
Sep 10, 20235 min read


Thriving in the Age of Transformation: Why Middle Managers Are the Heartbeat of Organizations
I am currently working with a coachee who has been a middle manager in a tech company for 4+ years. The other day, he candidly shared he...

Merve Kagitci Hokamp
Sep 6, 20235 min read


Inside the Mind of Venture Capitalists: What VCs Look for When Evaluating Startup Opportunities
In the ever-changing world shaped by the Covid-19 pandemic, entrepreneurship has emerged as a powerful force, igniting the dreams of...

Merve Kagitci Hokamp
Jul 17, 20236 min read
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