I started as a Repair Engineer at Aviat Networks way back October 2000. This is a new environment for me after coming from a Semiconductor/Manufacturing firm. Aviat Networks is more of a Telecommunications industry that is totally different from my previous company. We serve SMART and GLOBE to provide their end users ability to communicate thru text, calls and act as a super highway for Internet Access. Aviat Networks pay a good amount of salary plus the numerous benefits that we received which I never knew existing in a corporate world. We only work until Friday compare to the Saturday and sometimes (even Sunday) with my previous employer. I remember telling myself that I will make sure that I will give this company a 101% of my capability.
My defining moment was when I was promoted as a Supervisor in just 3rd year of my career in the company. I believe in my heart that God puts me here. First, I'm not the best Electronics engineer to be in the position. There are many talented and smarter Engineers than me. Second, one of my colleagues is even our no. 2 in the Electronics Engineering class and I'm probably the no. 22 out of our 25 students. I was one of the employees to be promoted Supervisor in just my 3rd year in the company. Probably, the bosses can see thing in me that I cannot see in myself. Honestly, I never expected to be promoted that easily. One of the best guess I can give is probably I can easily adapt to new things and the maturity in handling difficult situations. I may never have the excellent talent in providing the best technical solutions to an issue surrounding the quality of the products. But I created an innovative process that change the way we do things. I introduce a technique on how to increase our output by 300%. I removed all unnecessary process that slows us down in serving the customers.
Eventually I became the Operations manager in 2011. Being a first time manager is not a walk in the park for me. I learned how to be more patient in dealing with my co-workers. There is one incident where I told my Engineer that if we cannot settle the problem inside the office; we will settle it outside. It's a good thing that the said Engineer didn't say anything and just followed what I told him to do. Because I will never know what will happen to both of us if he continue to say something. That incident is one of the most stupid things I did to my colleagues. It was a sign of my immaturity and lack of self-awareness during that tensed moments. After that unforgettable incident I learned how to be a good listener. There are managers in the industry that hear only themselves. You can always hear them say "I"… "I"…"I"… Being a manager taught me how to give credit to employees and recognize their achievements. Leaders must not take credit for something that they haven't done.
Another defining moment in my career is when I had a training/meeting in Sta. Clara, California last March 2013. There I met our CEO, CFO, CSO, our VP in HR and other Site leaders from North/South America, Asia, Europe and Africa. It is a one week training in Leadership and meeting about the future of our company. Everyone in the room are all very enthusiastic, energetic, smart and open to a lot of suggestions. They are very kind to share what they know. We were told on how we are going to meet the expectations of our shareholders. But the most important lessons I learned during that weeklong seminar is being HUMBLE. I was surprise that of all the places I will learn about humbleness it will be in the United States of America. We were told on how harsh, cocky and flamboyant Americans are. Probably that is true on some cases; but not all I've met in the States. During the event I even showed them that the "Filipino time" is not true. I'm always the 2nd person to be in the room. The first person in the event is our Vice President in HR. Her work attitude is very inspiring because she is the only Vice president I know that directly sets up the whole requirements of the event. She goes underneath the tables and climb on stairs just to place all the things needed. I offer my help and she just genuinely smile and told me that she can handle it. I was amazed that for a Vice President working that way is unbelievable. The ego and authority is not there anymore. She doesn't mind doing the "dirty job" as long as she is the one in control of everything. She also inspired me on how to be a good leader. She told me that our job is to make sure that the people reporting to us have a proper tools and proper training in doing their job. One of the jobs of a leader is to make sure that the people are properly trained and equipped with knowledge even on the day that they will leave the company. She also showed me the importance of caring your colleagues even to the point that they are not part of the organization anymore.
She also sounded like my mom; I remember my mom telling me to keep my feet on the ground. Be kind to everyone even they are not kind to you. Help without expecting anything in return. Always be humble. Even God always told us to be humble "Happy are those who are humble; they will receive what God has promised!" Matthew 5:5. I always know the importance of being humble but I never expected that I will really appreciate the thoughts and the deeper meaning of being humble until my experience in the USA. I know that being humble alone will not put us together with one of the greatest leaders. It is just an important ingredient in being a leader. The experience gave me a desire to be a better leader to my subordinates.
Learning is an important part of leadership, then it follows humility as an essential attribute as well. After all, you can't learn new things if you cannot admit you're a work in progress. Be open to recognizing your own faults, so you can grow as both a leader and a human being. Some managers or leaders think of themselves too high when they acquire the position. They tend to be irrational sometimes and use their position to influence others. I do not believe in that kind of leadership. I always believe that it is only thru intellectual honesty and openness in engaging ideas we perform well.
Your leadership strategy should never rely on just one type of management. It might at first feel like juggling different kind of balls, but as soon you master multiple leadership attributes will become second nature, and allow you to lead in multiple dimensions. Great leaders, however, inspire their people to reach higher, dream bigger, and achieve greater. Perhaps the most important leadership skill we can develop is the ability to provide inspiration to our team.
Inspirational quotes related to my reflection paper: 4
"No man will make a great leader who wants to do it all himself, or to get all the credit for doing it." – Andrew Carnegie
"Outstanding leaders go out of their way to boost the self-esteem of their personnel. If people believe in themselves, it's amazing what they can accomplish." – Sam Walton
"The challenge of leadership is to be strong, but not rude; be kind, but not weak; be bold, but not bully; be thoughtful, but not lazy; be humble, but not timid; be proud, but not arrogant; have humor, but without folly." – Jim Rohn
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