Bossing It: Lessons in Creative Leadership with Tayfur Sonkaya
Tayfur Sonkaya is the founder of Haciyatmaz Group and CEO of Blue Media in Turkey.
After graduating from Istanbul Bilgi University in 1998, Tayfur began his career in production. In 2003, he started working as an editing assistant for the feature film Vizontele Tuuba. After just one year working in various roles he became an assistant director in 2004.
By 2009, he had directed several commercials and by 2010 he established his first production company, Hacıyatmaz Film. He went on to co-found a number of other companies in the media production industry that included Blue Media: A Global Content Distribution Company and Digitales: A Digital Transformation and Technology company.
Later Tayfur united these companies under the Haciyatmaz Group label. He is also a partner in Yesil Yapim, a production company specialised in Turkish drama production for the global market.
Tayfur still works as a producer for commercials, animations, documentaries and television programmes.
LBB> What was your first experience of leadership?
Tayfur> So this is a bit of a story. Back when I was a kid, about 10 years old, I used to be a basketball player. I was in a street basketball tournament, and believed that I could lead us to victory, but unfortunately we didn’t win. And funnily enough I blamed everyone else for the loss.
LBB> How did you figure out what kind of leader you wanted to be – or what kind of leader you didn’t want to be?
Tayfur> The story I just brought up was the earliest example of my life with leadership. Reflecting on my behaviour after the loss, I came to realise that I wanted to lead by example with a collectivist approach, rather than individualism. My mantra is basically “If your people/crew believe in you, you can do anything”.
LBB> What experience or moment gave you your biggest lesson in leadership?
Tayfur> I wouldn’t say the basketball moment for sure. But in all seriousness, I think the foundation of Haciyatmaz was the moment that taught me the most. I was an AD, without much insight into production from a paperwork or pre-prod perspective. I had an idea that I wanted to open a production company. So I just did. It was a difficult and a long journey, but I persevered and persisted. That’s the lesson; perseverance and persistence.
LBB> Did you know you always wanted to take on a leadership role? If so how did you work towards it and if not, when did you start realising that you had it in you?
Tayfur> Leadership is not something you choose rather it is something that comes to you randomly. When I started to lead I discovered that I had a knack and a talent for it. Seeing how people believed in me gave me the ability and desire to lead.
LBB> When it comes to leadership as a skill, how much do you think is a natural part of personality, how much can be taught and learned?
Tayfur> I think it’s a two parter. There’s an argument for innate ability, but it is also crucial to highlight that learning to lead properly is an investment.
LBB> What are the aspects of leadership that you find most personally challenging? And how do you work through them?
Tayfur> Looking forward into the future is the biggest challenge. You always have to look forward, have a foot in the future and a foot in the present. It is crucial to have your people believe in you. You have to be able to keep everyone on track with your mission and vision. Even if someone is unhappy or dissatisfied with something, it is important to be able to keep everyone firmly locked into “the greater good” and to transform their experience into a positive one.
LBB> Have you ever felt like you've failed whilst in charge? How did you address the issue and what did you learn from it?
Tayfur> I have failed many times, and that’s okay. All you can do is to take a deep breath, remember to be kind to yourself, try your best and learn the lessons that come with every individual experience. Work isn’t everything, family and health come first. So if something doesn’t go well, you can always try something else and have the self-confidence to persevere.
LBB> In terms of leadership and openness, what’s your approach there? Do you think it’s important to be as transparent as possible in the service of being authentic? Or is there a value in being careful and considered?
Tayfur> Openness is nice and all, but one can’t realistically be fully open and reveal everything to their teams. Of course the big decisions and information that would change everything, those would have to be shared with everyone. But more low-key things that run beneath, not everyone needs to know that.
LBB> As you developed your leadership skills did you have a mentor, if so who were/are they and what have you learned? And on the flip side, do you mentor any aspiring leaders and how do you approach that relationship?
Tayfur> Normally I don’t have a mentor. I don’t think that there is such a thing as just one mentor. Everyone you meet has something to teach you, so you learn from everyone. Moreover, having just one person to listen to can turn into an echo-chamber. So know yourself, and diversify the people you listen to, and pick the feedback you choose to apply.
LBB> In continually changing market circumstances, how do you cope with the responsibility of leading a team through difficult waters?
Tayfur> It’s unfortunate that the economy has gone quiet in our beautiful Turkey. I was talking to four industry leaders and we were discussing how to adjust balancing revenues and expenses. Many were talking about slashing salaries, or lay-offs and I objected to that. Even during the pandemic when business was down we didn’t do any layoffs. I think I am able to lead my team through difficult waters because they trust that I will look after them.
LBB> As a leader, what are some of the ways in which you’ve prioritised diversity and inclusion within your workforce?
Tayfur> Haciyatmaz Group places diversity and inclusion at the forefront of what we do. More than half of our employees (including our crews) are powerful and successful women. The CEO is also a woman who leads by example. At Haciyatmaz we also provide a safe space for our employees to be and express themselves. With an eye towards international co-productions, our outreach and sales team are practically led by International employees.
LBB> How important is your company culture to the success of your business? And how have you managed to keep it alive with increases in remote and hybrid working patterns?
Tayfur> Normally when I bring people to work with me I pay attention to their abilities and personalities. I feel it’s important to make sure the personalities and aims of everyone gel together. We are not doing hybrid and much remote working at Haciyatmaz, I don’t think that remote working is good for company culture. Being together is important.
LBB> What are the most useful resources you’ve found to help you along your leadership journey?
Tayfur> I am an avid reader. I love reading, and I am a believer in energy. I can highlight a few books by James Redfield that taught me a lot about energy, which allowed me to hone my instincts and intuition about how to lead.
