Why Trust Is the Most Important Leadership Skill | Prof. Emre Alkin on AI, Economy & Power

What happens when leaders mistake data for certainty, management for leadership, and money for value? Need strategic guidance? BOOK A CALL HERE - https://sulhaedge.co.uk/discovery-call In this episode of Sulha Edge, Najla El Mangoush sits down with Professor Emre Alkin, economist, author of 37+ books, university president, advisor to major companies and institutions, and musician — for a wide-ranging conversation about **trust, leadership, decision-making, inflation, AI, Turkey’s position between East and West, and the future of business. Professor Alkin shares why he believes **trust is structural, not a soft skill**, why leaders need to know when to listen and when to lead, and why having more data doesn't necessarily lead to better decisions. They also explore what Europe can learn from Turkey, how inflation changes consumer and business behavior, why AI could reshape employment over the next decade, and what companies need to understand about the future of digital business. In this episode, you'll learn: • Why trust can determine whether organizations succeed or fail • Why more data doesn't always mean better decisions • The difference between leadership and micromanagement • What Turkey's economic experience can teach European leaders • How AI could transform jobs and industries • Why businesses need to think beyond simply selling products and services • The "TIME" model: Telecom, Internet, Media & Entertainment + Convenience • Why leaders need to give people hope • How to build trust through integrity, consistency and responsibility • Why turning money into value matters more than accumulating wealth Timestamps 00:00 — Welcome to Sulha Edge & why trust matters 01:00 — The childhood lessons that shaped Professor Alkin 02:00 — Learning through observation and experience 03:00 — What businesses and governments get wrong about decision-making 05:00 — Leadership vs. listening to public opinion 06:00 — What Europe can learn from Turkey 08:00 — Turkey, Europe and the challenge of inflation 11:00 — Is Europe falling behind on AI? 14:00 — The jobs that will disappear — and the jobs that don't exist yet 15:00 — The future of business: TIME + convenience 18:00 — Leading across generations 19:00 — Leadership as conducting an orchestra 22:00 — Why listening is a leadership skill 24:00 — Leading through economic uncertainty 27:00 — Supporting students from conflict-affected countries 29:00 — Why trust creates confidence 30:00 — Execution: why good ideas can become useless if you wait 32:00 — Integrity, fate and learning from others 34:00 — Why trust is structural, not a soft skill 36:00 — What business leaders often misunderstand about money 37:00 — Turning money into value 38:00 — Gender equality, society and leadership 39:00 — Challenging historical narratives with evidence 41:00 — Books, marriage and social media 42:00 — Final reflections Subscribe to Sulha Edge for conversations on diplomacy, negotiation, leadership, conflict resolution and navigating complexity in business and society. #Leadership #Trust #AI #Economics #BusinessLeadership #Turkey #Negotiation #SulhaEdge