eLog - The Call to Leadership (9 July 2009)

We are required to submit a reflection paper (at least a one page essay) after every class on The Call to Leadership. The reflection paper is about anything we learned during the 3 hour, 30-minute class. Deadline for submission is Tuesday noontime or five days after our Thursday Leadership class.

I'd like to share my reflection papers here.

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A Reflection:
Thursday, 9 July 2009

Leadership

I always believe that everyone is a born leader. I started to be a leader at a young age. I am the eldest of four brothers. I was student leader in elementary, high school and college. I supervised people in my previous job. I became a manager before joining ADB and managed 54 people.

Was I a good leader then? No.

Work-wise, being a Logistics Manager in my previous company was the biggest achievement in my career. I supervised people; 54 to be exact. I believe in teamwork and I believe that I can lead. I am confident that I can deliver. I am an experienced leader. But leading 54 people, with diverse experiences and different responsibilities in the company made me realize that, I lack the skills of a good leader.

I am very nice to my subordinates. My apartment was their tambayan. Their problems were my problems. They respect me, I respect them. When they could not deliver, I covered for them. I took responsibility for their failures. Was I a good leader? Yes, I thought so but I realized that I am not.

These contemplations flashed back during class tonight. "… but what if a nice leader could not deliver results?"

I was always told by my mentor (though mentoring and coaching was not that famous then or were called by other names) that I am not helping my colleagues; my subordinates. One staff even told me, "Ang bait mo kasi, Sir." This was when I could not reprimand an assistant who made a mistake but had been good to me and was performing well. Then he failed me because of an incident; he lost his focus on his job.

I am kind to my staff but I could not inspire them to deliver results. I am not a good leader.

All are born leaders but all leaders are also followers. There is always a leader in front of the pack. "In order to be a good leader one should be a good follower."

Leadership is a calling. All are leaders but some are not willing to lead. Some on the other hand presses to lead but are not capable of leading.

Leadership is a learning process like life itself. We learn a lot of things everyday it is just up to us to work this out for our good and the good of our fellow men.

Leadership is service. It is not the - I, me, mine of life but the WE of life. It is me serving the person beside me: my wife, my family, my officemate, my friends, my country men.


Tuesdays with Morrie*

"Think of a person that for you was a good leader. What are the values that he has? Why was he a good leader for you?"

Every time questions like these are asked of me, I can only think of one person – Rando Clemente. He was my boss in my previous company. He was my mentor, a good friend and he is like a father to me. I took lessons about life: corporate and not. He taught me a lot about leadership when we were together at work but I failed him. I did not practice some of the lessons he imparted to me - not until he left. He died in 2007 (June 26) at the age of 45.

The lesson he left me were not really new but I just fail to practice them:

Live simply; free your mind from worries; free your heart of hatred; give more; and expect less. These values will guide me to become a good leader.
These I have to remember everyday.

* The book by Mitch Albom. I compared my interaction with Rando to that of Mitch Albom's to his mentor Morrie. I wrote something in my blog about this: http://mytriplex.blogspot.com/2007_06_01_archive.html.