Leader Karen Kay L. Guanzon
After taking almost 4 months break in MBA, I was informed that the subject to be offered is Leadership, I instantly thought that the subject can be a big help on my career; I was right. In 2 months Leadership gave me a lot of realization, knowledge and the inspiration to be an effective leader. Before, I thought that being a leader is merely being a boss or a manager or someone who has a subordinate, someone that dictates on what to do to his/her people. I've learned that there is a much deeper meaning to the word leader/leadership. Leadership is not only assigning tasks to your people or controlling them. Leadership helps themselves and others to do the right things. Leadership is about mapping out where you need to go to win as a team or an organization. A leader should know how to inspire his/her people not to scare them.
In out first session when we were divided into 3 groups and asked to defend the 3 kinds of leaders; leaders are born, leaders are made and leaders are situational. I was with the group who defended that leaders are made, we believe that leaders are made; that even one is born with certain traits and talents, only through carefully developing those skills and talents can one learn to master the art of leadership and being a great leader takes practice. Personally I also believe that a great leader is made, I do not believe that from birth you can be one. Though one can have the genes of a leader, I still believe that everyone needs to have a lot of experiences and practice to be a great leader. I saw the importance of communication; a leader should be an effective communicator, he/she should know how to get the attention of his/her people and their sympathy. When communicating to your employees especially when you seek for their cooperation, you should
always involve yourself; it should always be "we" or "us". A great leader should also know how to take his/her people's opinions and suggestions; a great leader should be open-minded. When we had the call to arms speech activity, I saw how important the delivery of speech to be an effective communicator. More often, it is not only the content of your speech that can get people's attention; it is how you deliver it.
At first I was overwhelmed with the assignments but in the end I was able to appreciate every papers and activities that Prof. Jorge asked the class to do. While doing my AVP, I realized that all the reflection papers even the genogram helped me in able to create my AVP. I also realized that one of each paper is connected, for me to see how I became what I am right now. I was able to appreciate my ancestors because of the genogram activity, I saw how they strive for us to have the kind of life that we are experiencing right now, I also saw how I bloom to become an entrepreneur and from where I get the inspiration to become one.
Our team building thought me how to work as a team. It made me realize that when we are united we could win. I saw the importance of respect; respect on the opinion and suggestions of every members of the team, strategize; making plans on how to win every game, communication; communicating properly to the group in able to derive on a good plan and listening to what your group mates suggesting or planning.
This subject also made me realized that we get our inspiration and our driving force to become great leaders on our experiences in life. Every hardship, disappointments and heartaches that we encountered can be our reasons to strive harder in life. Now I know why I did everything to be who I am and what I am at the present, it is all because of the incidents in my past; from the time that I became a mom and a single mom to the time that I felt worthless because of my brother and my cousin. Those incidents gave me the courage to start my own business and also inspired me to enroll in MBA.
In our last session, Prof. Jorge asked us how do we make the right decision or how do we choose. I usually ask the opinion of my parents especially my dad when making a decision because I am afraid to end up with a wrong decision that's why more often than not I cannot make a decision on my own. But since my father died I know that I need to learn to stand on my own especially in decision-making. The course gave me an idea on how to derive to a good decisions or choices. In analytical thinking; first I need to ask the question Why always and to differentiate data from information. When conflicts exist, in able to resolve it; first we need to avoid people that can later cause problems and people who are pessimists, second is to pray for guidance and enlightenment, third is to strategize on how to face the problem or the conflict and fourth is to go to war, to face the existing problem of any kind; do not underestimate. And when we thought twice with a
decision do not go through with it; in making a choice we need to be firm, when we thought of it twice most probably there is something wrong with it or there might be a problem that could exist. Those are what I have learned and will practice when I need to make a decision.
Every story and experiences that all the leaders and Prof. Jorge shared in the class were very inspiring. I became more open with my life because of this class. I've learned how to face my fears when presenting or talking in front of a crowd. I saw how each and everyone in the class worked hard to be successful. This subject inspires me to strive harder and to dream big. It also thought me to be both good follower and a good leader.
Thank you leaders and Prof. Jorge for this very fruitful and inspiring Leadership Class.
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