Crisis and Leadership

By the grace of this decisive experience, I have come to realize and discovery one very important aspects of leadership. It is that the quality of leadership shines the brightest during very tough times. And this I didn’t just got from a book or stories from history, but I felt it first hand in the situation we are in. With this I have come to realize that there are only 2 enemies during any crisis. It is losing any sense of hope and the unfair and illogical limitations we set in our very selves. Curving these things will spell the difference between salvation and annihilation. And being a leader, it entails that you should be the last one to surrender to these enemies. If all seems to loose hope, you will be the one to bring hope. It is hope that is not blind optimism; rather hope that is backed up by a believability of what we can still do and what we can achieve together. We have to balance imagination and science for hope to be inspiring and fruitful. Having a solid foundation and a clear sense of purpose why we lead in the first place is the key to ward of these evils. It is a challenging roller coaster ride of daily awareness. Like mustard seeds, it should be nurtured by rich experiences and deep contemplation for it to grow tall and strong so when the time comes that we are tested, we are prepared, we are grounded, we cannot be swayed. And of course this can never be done alone. Having the strength to carry on with great optimism derived from within is only good as it is, but it can burst into trumednous and contagious energy when you draw your inspiration from others. Win their hearts first before you ask them their hand for inspiration and support.

All of us should invest time to deepen and understand our very core and the source of energy of that core. It is by truly holding this core that we can overcome the most hopeless situation.

As I come to detach myself and have a critical analysis on the situation, I have seen the power of perseverance and intelligent planning. This situation may be a product of misguided judgements and hasty decisions but the value is far grater than its lapses. What we can do is to face what we’ve orchestrated in the first place. But face it with a stronger resolve that we are doing this not for ourselves but fore something far greater, far reaching that will even outlast our very selves. Just stay focused, calm and organized.

The Ayala Experience

I had the rare opportunity to travel to Makati, Philippines for the final stage of the application process of the 11^th Ayala Young Leaders Congress – the dreaded interview with Ayala’s top executives. This Ayala experience was both nerve racking and insightful. It was nerve racking in the sense that you have to astound the executives of who you really are and insightful because it gave me a one day teaser of what it is like to live in the hustle and bustle capital of Corporate Philippines. Aside from these personal observations, I also felt that sense of profound gratitude and subtle pride about making this far. Even though this is the interview level, this is a great accomplishment in itself because I had the privilege to interact with top Ayala executives and know my peers who I know holds great promise in the future.

I like to start my narrative in the moment when we, wearing executive attires walked from our hotel to the Ayala Tower for the orientation and interview. This sequence of steps I took on the sidewalk of Makati’s Business Center is quite surreal. It seems like I was in New York City being one with self-driven career men eying for success. It was also in that span of time that I felt the rush of things, having little time to pause and appreciate the majestic structures standing side by side. After these reflections in mobile, we entered the Ayala corporate headquarters (which is I don’t know how many floors). I was just awed by the magnificent Christmas tree which greeted us in the lobby. We were then guided to the 24^th floor for the orientation. It’s good to note that going up and down in a high-speed elevator could significantly disturb your hearing due to the rapid change in air pressure. We were then gathered in a room where the formal orientation began. During the orientation, I just can’t help but to look outside the building and observe the Makati skyline, the tiny people, the snail traffic, and the smog hovering above. It was a perfect picture of development. Now to fast track the narrative, I was interviewed by 3 top executives on the 30+ something floor. The interview was not at all intimidating. What I love about it was its casual conversation atmosphere. I don’ wish to divulge their questions, methods and styles so to preserve the sense of mystery surrounding this sought after event. I just came up smiling and relieved of the interview but still never expecting for the best – just hoping. The tips I have for the future interviewees is be and know your self - Plain and simple. After that “self articulation and evaluating” experience, I spent the rest of the evening exploring the urban jungle of Makati. The picture shows much what I and my acquaintances did in the evening.

Now looking back on what happened, I was simply astonished by the variety of commerce in the area and the rush of the people. The buildings also captured my imagination. The malls like Greenbelt transmitted to me the buying fever since Ayala generously gave a “refund”. It is an area where capital (in financial terms) is written in all caps and I think it is where most of the Philippines’ value is being governed. It was an extraordinary place to be in especially for a small city boy like me. It showed me in a day the complexities of corporate Philippines and the lifestyle in entails. On the other hand, it also showed me the elegantly unsophisticated idea of a leadership community and the sense of mission it brings. Stripping away the illusory corporate experience, I think this is the essence of this congress. It is that sense of being one in a network of leaders having that connectivity to multiply and magnify our little acts of making a difference in our own areas at home. If collated and coordinated together brings significant impact to our world. Even though I’m still in the interview stage still not knowing if I will be accepted in the congress, this wonderful experience of being in Makati, talking to great peers and executives have a tremendous human value for me.

Thoughts from a Volunteer

I had the privilege to give an informal talk to the new batch of volunteers on a banig in the Student Center 2^nd floor open area last Saturday. I talked about important points on volunteerism which I believe it is worth sharing. Just to note, these points I shared to an interview with Crusader Publication last semester. The 3 core points that we should put in mind are purpose, mission and formation. The three share common denominators but have distinct roles to play in the lifestyles of volunteers. First is purpose. I got this definitely from our high school principal’s (Fr. Gorge Esguerra, S.J.) message to the community every first day for four years is: “Why me?” I think this question pose a profound challenge for us to really explore the mystery of the why; the why or the reason of being placed here on this road less travelled or the reason behind the willingness to enter in such road. I believe that by merely invoking this mystery inside us opens a great sense of eagerness to pursue the answer. And most of the time; the answers can be found clearly and the whole process will enter into a new level of realization and start all over. This questioning leads to an endless cyclical movement of divine energy inside us. We just want to know more. Next is mission. I believe that mission flows from purpose. Having a clear grasp of our purpose or even having a strong sense of purpose leads us to a quest we call mission – a calling for something greater than yourself. Mission then becomes a sort of goal we willingly pursue. It is like a heroic homework given by someone who made us in the first place. So I ask volunteers to really check what their mission is. And when I say mission, the words that instantly flash in my head are the immortal words of Fr. Pedro Arrupe, S.J, “what captures your imagination?.” So I ask them what captures their imagination, what quickens their heart especially in the context of volunteerism. Is it teaching children how to read? Is it preserving culture? Is it organizing rural communities to empower? Is it planting trees? Is it forming young leaders? What ever your mission is, fall in love with it because it will decide everything. Lastly is formation. Formation for me is the process of moulding the person to be the best that he/she can be for others. If a person volunteers having in mind a personal need to be formed then he opens himself/herself up to be “filled”. This “filling” could be new experiences of achievement or failure, suffering or pleasure, power or powerlessness. It is like saying I am ready to be tested; to see the quality of my responses to different situations. This openness to the experiences how positive or negative may it be, if processed well leads to personal growth, the product of formation. I also believe that when we are open to “being filled”, this is where leadership rises to the surface. We should acknowledge that being filled with new insight, rich experiences, new and advanced skills are gifts, are graces that entail us to share it to others. This is then the beginning of leadership.

As they say, the strongest heart is a heart of a volunteer.

First Week of Classes

My first week in this new course is complete. It is an academic week where I saw myself being placed in terrarium being tested for the quality of my responses to certain new things about college life. Now, I am back to my former nomadic ways. Meaning I don’t have a home block which also means I am constantly being with different kinds of people every subject. But luckily, I got 3 subjects being with my old block mates of both Management Accounting and Accountancy. In this situation, I could really see how I change with the composition of the class. It’s good to note that I can sharply feel the temperatures of the different classes, some being overly boisterous while others are awkwardly silent. And in these different temperatures, my approach to things also changes. So finally, I have the situation to gauge my responses to lessons, to seatmates and class mates. This is a great opportunity to practice flexibility. And one good trait I can also practice is detachment. For me, detachment is simply not letting things go under my skin that could highjack me and pollute my judgement. Sounds out of context but this trait could be applied fruitfully in my nomadic ways. For example, I should not feel “less interested” in classes because I don’t feel the crowd or I’ll stick entirely to this block because I feel them. I should give equal responses to all of these classes and in this way; it can lead me to be more fruitful and accommodating to all my partners in learning.

Aside from these personal realizations, my slate of teachers is really delightful. teachers to highlight are my very passionate teacher in Natural Science, my witty and humorous teacher in Business statistics, and my intellectually “kikayish” teacher in Marketing. All makes my MWF and TTh a bit spicy and interesting. I also have 2 teachers that I have gone through before so I just treat it as advantage now that I had dealt with their styles before. On the other hand, I got a bit disappointed because our Sociology teacher didn’t show up for the week. Sociology is of great interest to me so I hope he/she finally shows up this week.

In the community, I got an early start in advocating for social causes this week. For this week, I have begun working for the Anti-aerial spraying campaign starting with the Directorate and the college deans. This is happening in Davao where families are terribly affected by the aerial drift of the pesticide. This movement has started a year ago but still the case is pending in the Court Of Appeals. You can visit www.dirtybananas.org if you want to help. It will be deeply appreciated. This week also marks to conception of a sort of student environmental coalition that we hope to start building this month. This is patterned after Ateneo’s “Ateneo Environmental Management Coalition”. The school has just started a solid waste management program so it is timely that we reinforce it through this collation. It hasn’t got an official name yet. I’ll keep you posted on this one. This week also is politically historical with the election of the first African-American President – Barack Obama. I’ve composed a post earlier about the campaign’s influence in me and I don’t wish to elaborate further because it will just eat up all the space. I just feel fired up and the same time envious seeing the power of democracy at work in the USA. In KKP, we implemented this new system of formation and leadership called “cells”. It’s much like discipleship. I am given around 7 volunteers to nurture and form. And this thought invigorated me further because leadership formation is one thing I am deeply passionate about.

So far, these are the things that I recalled. Other engagements are routinely done that does not offer some interesting things worth sharing. Looking back at the week, I saw how rich it was and a pattern again is being set. As I always say, be sensitive to the trend because prayers can be drawn from them. To all my new partners in learning, God bless and Welcome! To all my co-“want to change the world” volunteers, God bless for an interesting and inspiring semester to lead!

the picture i took flying over Sabah on the way to Singapore. It reminds me of heaven and how small I am.

AMDG!

Obama and i

I saw him on TV when he declared his bid for the presidency in the old statehouse of Springfield Illinois two years ago. And since then, I have been keenly observing and studying his campaign and the US presidential election process. Now, America made history by electing the first African-American President Barack Obama.

Here are some thoughts about how the US elections affected me.

First is his charisma. I found Obama profoundly interesting because of the magnetism of his persona. I just instantly feel the connection and magnetism of his personality. And I believe this is one key element that defined his optimistic political image. His innate ability to project authenticity and passion made it easy or him to inspire people to mobilize for his cause. And most importantly, he used his charisma to deliver a message of hope, not just of what a nation could become but what individual people could achieve.

Second is his ability to clearly articulate the promise and the great ideals held deeply by a nation. Obama is a brilliant orator, using precise words that paint an image of an ideal America which listeners immediately can relate to. And I believe he proved that the power of words could truly inspire and mobilize an entire community.

Third is the brilliance of his political machinery. Obama ran a brilliant campaign by tapping the technologies of the 21^st century. His online funding and communities and SMS messaging proved to be very highly effective in informing and mobilizing voters. Aside from these, his campaign’s strategy of “bottom-up” movement or community organizing proved highly effective in encouraging people to vote. This grassroots movement made Obama a sort of populist that made him a man of common Americans. This proves that technology, when used properly can bring about tremendous progress in the life of a democracy.

I feel quite honored observing his campaign and connected to the celebrations of his victory even though I am not an American and I live half a globe away. For me, he symbolizes a universal idea of hope and all other great ideals humanity stands for. These ideals which he brilliantly articulated reminded me of my own ability to achieve, my own ability to aspire, my own ability to bring about change. Embracing these ideals made me aware of my own fears and doubts about the world. And I know that as a citizen of the world, in a world facing so many odds, the last thing I need to think of are fear and cynicism.

Lastly, I hope and pray that that this new leadership of the most powerful nation on earth will lead the whole world to where it is meant to be. And I know this all starts in me. It starts in us. And Yes, we can!

I stand together with other young idealists of the world in congratulating Barack Obama, President -elect of the United States of America.

Ignatian Leadership

Seeing Through My Armor:

Self-awareness and the ground work of leadership

1. Ignatian leaders are called to be sensitive in understanding the totality of their being

The 25^th Buklod Atenista emphasized the importance of self-awareness as the foundation of Ignatian Leadership. As mentioned by Fr. Joel E. Tabora, S.J. from his welcoming message, the primary question one should be constantly asking are “what am I about?” and “what is the quality of my desires?” These two questions invoke inside us the formation of our own unique identity and purpose. If constantly asked and answered, it carves a complex yet clearer self image and self worth and this leads to the acknowledgement of our vital individual roles in the “greater scheme of things”. Having a solid grasp of our own desires and our being ultimately enables us to see clearly and act responsibly. It makes us freer from attachments and prejudices. Self-awareness aligns our thoughts and behaviours in order and enables us to proceed more effectively and efficiently. Moreover, the awareness of our strengths, weaknesses, desires and values clarifies what we have been in the past and visualizes what we could become in the future.

I am Change:

We are called to be Agents of Change

2. Ignatian leaders are called to be counter-cultural

Also inspired by the words of Fr. Joel E. Tabora, S.J., he mentioned that our being is a struggle between having the willingness to make a difference and being different. Ignatian leaders are called not just to make change but to be counter-cultural in lifestyle. This then calls us that we should be reasonably disturbed by the realities surrounding ourselves and our communities. We should be keenly aware of the situations and events that has happened and are happening. This awareness and “disturbance” of our world should compel us to change our mindset and behaviour that has become a habit contrary to what is right or better. This change manifested through our thoughts and actions should be geared towards the development of a better human society. This also calls us to challenge structures that profit from unjust causes, structures that have become malignant, and structures that have become stagnant. We should utilize all possible peaceful means of challenging these social structures to reform and to develop. The 25^th Buklod Atenista highlights the complexities of modern times. These are characterized by ideologies and beliefs competing for allegiance, erosion of values, institutionalized injustices, and many acts of social injustice. The poor who are acutely vulnerable to these injustices are the ones who need preferential option. We should proceed having them in the forefront of our thoughts and actions. God channels his special grace through the poor and we should do our very best to protect and enhance their dignity.