Gökşen Çalışkan, EU Advocacy Director
Gökşen Çalışka is working as the EU Advocacy Director and Head of New Business at EURACTIV, a media network specialised in EU Policy. Her experience in the media and communications industry spans over a decade, focusing on partnership development, advocacy communication, reputation management, and media relations. Having started her professional life as a journalist in her home country Turkey, covering political and policy-oriented development in the European Union and EU-Turkey relations for EURACTIV.
Gökşen then changed her career path towards business and consultancy sides of the industry and worked for and with local, national and European media outlets, including Germany's international broadcaster DW. Having graduated in 2007 from the Political Sciences Faculty of Ankara University and complemented her studies with a Masters Degree in Communication Policy Studies from City from the University of London.
What is your favourite social media platform?
I tend to be more active on social media for professional purposes. That's why my favourite social media platform is LinkedIn. In a world where it is getting harder and harder to maintain contacts, LinkedIn provides the best way to keep in touch with my professional contacts and be up to date with the latest developments in the areas I am working or interested in. After LinkedIn, the second most favourite platform for me these days is Clubhouse. It has been a breath of fresh air to learn and exchange views with people I share similar interests but would not meet otherwise.
Tell us about you and your current role.
My daily tasks and responsibilities are based on 3 pillars: Team Management; leading, training, motivating and challenging the team in charge of EURACTIV's partnerships. Developing and maintaining business relations with various stakeholders via providing them with tools and services that our company offers to multiply the impact of their EU Affairs activities. Internal Coordination; overseeing the implementation of partnerships by working closely in cooperation and coordination with the editorial, community, events, and multimedia departments of our company.
What do you like about your career or area of focus?
The best thing about working for a media is, I guess, the purpose, the fact that we have a social mission. Let's take the company that I am currently working for, EURACTIV. As an independent media network, EURACTIV helps close the information gap between different EU stakeholders and also between citizens of the EU and the EU institutions. So what I do in this particular role contributes to this mission. Secondly, working for a media company can never be boring. The adrenalin of trying to be up to date with the latest news from different policy areas that impact our daily lives is always exciting. My current position is about partnership development. It requires constant interaction with professionals representing different types of organisations from various industries. So I love this continuous learning experience. Working with budgets, deadlines etc. is stressful, I admit. But this challenge also keeps our jobs exciting all the time. And I should mention this international and intercultural communication aspect within our team and with external parties. I love to learn how to communicate better considering cultural differences, sensitivities etc. This position is the perfect combination of my academic background: international relations, EU Affairs, and communications. Well, in a nutshell, it feels like it ticks all the boxes for me so far.
What is the best advice you have ever received?
Well, there is more than one for me but let me share these two: From my dad (when I was bragging about my nomad life in my teenage years): Life will never cease to put obstacles in your way. Learn to be comfortable with discomfort and move on. From my first boss: Pay attention to who is sitting next to you on a plane. That person can change the direction of your life.
What inspires you, motivates you, or helps you to move forward?
I have been fortunate and proud to be surrounded by family members, friends and colleagues who are way smarter, more creative and resilient than me. I love to be challenged, inspired and motivated by them. And feeling their love and support when I feel demotivated is a significant boost to move forward. My friends, who do not particularly work in the same fields as I do, are another sources of inspiration. I love to hear their take on different issues and learn from their perspectives.
What are you proud of in your life so far?
Regardless of the challenges, so far, I am proud to have had the courage to show up every day and serve my individual growth and the growth of the others around me. More practically, seeing my team members thriving at what they do and being recognised for their work makes me incredibly proud. I am also proud of the connections I have facilitated in professional and private circles, and hearing good news about joint initiatives they establish after.
What is your preferred way to meet new people/network?
I would always opt for physical events (planned or random).
What skills or qualities do you feel have helped you?
I lived a nomadic life during my childhood and teenage years. Moving from one city or country to another every two years or so made me stay curious and hungry to continuously learn more and more about places, people, cultures and languages. It also boosted my ability to adapt to change and helped me develop emotional and cultural intelligence. These skills have been extremely helpful in every aspect of my life.
What do you wish you had known when you started?
I wish somebody had told me that there is no way to please everyone simultaneously and at the same level. And there is no such a thing as multitasking.
Who do you most admire in business, academic or creative circles and why?
For the last few years, I have been a big fan of historian and philosopher Yuval Harari, author Simon Sinek, behavioural and organisational psychologists Adam Grant and Brene Brown, psychotherapist Esther Perel. They nail it at what they do, but the common thing about them is that they are all excellent communicators and storytellers. I love the way they connect with people and convey their messages in such a silky smooth way. I keep learning from them every single day.
Outside of your professional/work area, what hobbies or interests do you have or what other areas of your life are of real importance to you?
First comes social interactions with beloved ones! I am a big introvert even though I do not show it. I chose a career based mainly on human interactions but I recharge myself by spending time on my own. I love to meditate, take long walks, travel alone and get lost in the places I visit. But as I grow older, I get to understand the importance of keeping close ties with family and close friends better. So I try to do my best to spend as much quality time as I can. I have become a houseplant addict lately, and it gives me too much pleasure to nurture them. Lastly, I love listening to podcasts! And for the last four years, I have been working on a project called 'ProjectPost30' where I interview people who change their careers from one field to another. I share their stories on the initial motivation, how they make it, and their challenges throughout the process. The idea is to inspire people who think of similar transitions and inform them about potential pros and cons. So far, I have interviewed almost 50 people. This project has been by far the most professional hobby I have had and been proud of.
Has the pandemic had a positive or a negative effect on you and/or your business, and how have you been managing it?
On a personal level, it has been a challenging experience mainly due to the travel restrictions, remote working and entirely virtual interactions. I was appointed to a new role in the middle of the pandemic with new team members. And it was initially too tough to connect with everyone and keep the motivation high. Even though the immediate impact of the pandemic on our business was not positive, I must say that we have been extremely agile and quick to adapt to the new normal. After the initial shock, we came up with new strategies and solutions to stay relevant. And thanks to the resilience, commitment and hard work of our teams, we have been managing the crisis pretty well.
Do you have a mentor, or have you ever mentored anyone?
Officially I have not had any mentors. But there are many people that I get advice from in different circumstances. I would not necessarily call them my mentors but I love to consult my colleagues, my team members, especially younger ones. I also consider some people my mentors even though I have not known them in person. In fact, most of them are no longer alive, such as Maya Angelou or Susan Sontag. I love to collect quotes from their books, videos, biographies and diaries. I have never considered myself an official mentor to anyone either. However, I must admit that it gives me great pleasure when some of my friends and colleagues acknowledge my efforts to lift them up to their potential and tell me that they see me as one.
What advice would you have for someone looking to get into the same area of work or interests?
It would be best if you began to build your internal strengths. It isn't just technical skills like journalism, digital communications, public relations, business development etc. It's more about self-motivation, self-awareness and self-discipline. Your whole work will be about people, for people and with people. Learn about the human brain, psychology, how to deal with egos, how to have difficult conversations etc... The sooner you accept the fact that life is unpredictable, the better. To better cope with crises, constantly invest in your knowledge and your relationships, especially in peaceful times. Be kind and generous to people and first offer your help before you ask for yourself.
What do you feel is the most common reason for people failing or giving up?
I honestly think that failing and facing rejection are beneficial learning experiences and healthy aspects of one's life. And the reasons could be anything; the ego, lack of knowledge, technical or emotional support, wrong timing, impatience or not knowing when to stop. We tend to give up when things get too hard, take too long and fail more than once. Again I don't see any problem with `giving up` either as long as one tries it hard. In fact, after a couple of failed attempts, giving up one idea could be an opportunity to rethink your perspective and strategy.
Is there a phrase, quote or a saying that you really like?
I love this quote from Latin poet Horace: 'Sapere Aude, incipe.' (Dare to know -or to be wise-. Begin!) Kant used it in his famous essay on answering the question, What is enlightenment and his answer was “to have the courage to use your own reason”. I just love it!
What companies, brands, or institutions do you like or do you think are getting it right?
I cannot think of any particular brands or companies that I really think are getting it entirely right. But I believe the Prime Minister of New Zealand, Ms Jacinda Ardern and her government seem to get it right especially when it comes to managing the Covid19 crisis. I like Ms Ardern's authentic communication style with warmth and empathy that has been lacking in any other world leader, unfortunately.
How do you define success, and what lessons have you learned so far that you could share with our audience/readership?
My definition of success in these beautiful words by Maya Angelo: “My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humour, and some style.” As long as one feels passionate about what she does, is compassionate towards the people she shares her life and works with, and does it authentically, I consider that person successful.