Performance or Leadership? The Zero Multiplier Truth with İlker Aycı (former CEO of Turkish Airlines)

Performance or Leadership? The Zero Multiplier Truth with İlker Aycı (former CEO of Turkish Airlines)

What do you do when the decision in front of you has no good options, and the people who should act are standing in shock? İlker Aycı led Turkish Airlines for seven years — best airline in Europe six years straight, the biggest airport relocation in aviation history. And yet, this conversation isn't about the headlines. It's about what happens off-camera, in the moments no one writes about. He shares the zero multiplier truth: some leadership failures don't just weaken you — they can erase every strength you have. He talks about the night of the 2016 Atatürk Airport attack, and what it means to stand with people in their grief when you have no fix, no answer, no control. He explains the rule he carried everywhere: the person who brings bad news is never punished — they're thanked. And why silence is still data. He also goes where most leaders at his level never go publicly: the cost of protecting your integrity when values start to bend. Walking away from Air India. The gap between reputation — what others think — and character — what you do when no one sees. And the 5 AM walks that became his way of carrying the weight alone. The real test of what you build isn't how it performs when you're in the room. It's whether it stands when you leave it. Are you building something that needs you, or something that outlasts you? Are you leading, or performing? Chapters: * 00:00 Performance or Leadership? * 2:02 Identity before achievement * 6:24 The Zero Multiplier Framework * 11:41 Crisis reveals character * 25:42 The invisible cost of leading at the top * 29:02 Legacy, pressure & walking away * 32:44 The loneliness no one talks about * 35:15 The questions every leader carries Leadership Without the Mask is hosted by Handan Arıbaş, executive coach and founder of Spark Up Leadership. Subscribe on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts. Connect with Handan Arıbaş: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/handanaribas/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/handanaribas/] Website: https://www.sparkupleadership.com/ [https://www.sparkupleadership.com/]

When Purpose Outweighs Ego — with Hakan Bulgurlu

Most of us, when we want to make a point, send an email. Hakan Bulgurlu climbs mountains. In this episode of Leadership Without the Mask, I sit down with Hakan Bulgurlu — former CEO of Beko (11 years), now Senior Advisor at Bain Capital Private Equity. He led the world's second-largest home appliance company, climbed Everest, skied to the South Pole, and wrote books that have shaped the global conversation on the planet. This conversation is about the person underneath all of that. We talk about formative years, nature, family, the descent from Everest that changed him, the month alone in Antarctica that nearly broke him, and the long inner work of leading from purpose rather than performance. In this conversation, Hakan opens up about: * Childhood, education, and early career * Finding his purpose * Climbing Everest and battling ego * Antarctica as a mirror for leaders * What comes next, and why he stepped away This is what Leadership Grounded in Love looks like in practice — Awareness, Compassion, and Courage, lived across all three dimensions: self, relationships, and the systems we are part of. Lead with purpose. Choose with intention. Act with courage. For senior executives navigating the gap between who they had to be and who they actually are — this episode will stay with you. Leadership Without the Mask is a series of honest conversations with leaders who are shaping the future. Hosted by Handan Arıbaş — executive coach and founder of Sparkup Leadership — the show explores the courage, the doubts, the values, and the moments that define what it actually means to lead. Connect with Handan Arıbaş: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/handanaribas/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/handanaribas/] Website: https://www.sparkupleadership.com/ [https://www.sparkupleadership.com/]

The Courage to Lead Differently: Human-First Leadership with Jesper Brodin

In this powerful first episode of Leadership Without The Mask, Jesper Brodin — former CEO of Ingka Group, IKEA — sits down with me just weeks after stepping down from his role to share an unfiltered look at leadership at the highest level. With more than 30 years inside IKEA, leading 170,000+ people, serving millions of customers, and steering billions in revenue, Jesper has seen leadership from every angle.  In this conversation, Jesper opens up about: * Leading with courage in moments of uncertainty * Why mistakes are essential for growth * The human side of global leadership * What it means to stay grounded while leading at scale * How values shape decisions inside one of the world’s most loved brands This is leadership without the corporate filter — honest, human, and deeply insightful. Whether you’re a CEO, a team leader, or someone who wants to grow, this episode will stay with you long after it ends. Leadership Without The Mask is a series of real, unfiltered conversations with global leaders who are shaping the future. Hosted by Handan, executive coach and leadership advisor, the podcast explores the human side of leadership — the courage, the mistakes, the values, and the moments that define us. Connect with Handan:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/handanaribas/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/handanaribas/] Website: https://www.sparkupleadership.com/ [https://www.sparkupleadership.com/]

Welcome to Leadership Without the Mask

Leadership Without the Mask is a series of honest conversations with leaders who are shaping the future. Hosted by Handan Arıbaş — executive coach and founder of Sparkup Leadership — the show explores the courage, the doubts, the values, and the moments that define what it actually means to lead. Connect with Handan Arıbaş: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/handanaribas/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/handanaribas/] Website: https://www.sparkupleadership.com/ [https://www.sparkupleadership.com/]