“How you deal with setbacks is absolutely crucial.”
Making decisions under pressure, handling criticism, building trust: for top referee Deniz Aytekin, this has been part of his daily routine for years. He knows that professional sports aren’t just about technical skill or perfection. It’s about dealing with setbacks, emotional intelligence, and truly understanding people. Those who focus exclusively on themselves quickly lose sight of the team—and, in the long run, their success. A mindset that can be directly applied to leadership in business.
“When you’re inward-focused, mistakes happen.”
Aytekin has gone from being the most unpopular to the most respected decision-maker on the field. Through deep self-reflection, dialogue with scholars and mentors like Jens Corssen, and conscious work on communication and empathy, he developed a leadership style that combines clarity with humanity. His experiences in high-pressure situations in professional soccer provide valuable insights into leadership, decision-making, and dealing with uncertainty. In this episode, Georgiy Michailov talks with Deniz Aytekin about how to make better decisions even in uncertain situations, why intuition remains crucial despite technological support, and what role biases play in everyday life.
*Video only in German
SMP LeaderTalks
