Thanks so much prof Jorge! You have been a great professor to us because you did not only focus on the theoretical side but you have made us think more, learn more and know more from each other. This is my final paper I do hope I did justice to the 2 months of learnings that we had :)
FINAL INTEGRATIVE PAPER (Leader Elizabeth Anne Yturralde-Medina)
I am still at awe that 2 months have passed since I had my first exposure to the Leadership, it was a whirlwind but I took my time to savor everything, the experience, and the readings, the songs, prayers which all made me reflect and think more and ponder. It was a feat juggling the demands of my occupation, the time I need to spend with my family (quality time, review time, family gatherings), and of course I took the time to devote and focus on the subject at hand, Leadership. Leadership is my third subject in the Ateneo Graduate School of business, it was a different subject from my first two which were very technical subjects (Manacc and Quanti). I admit I didn't know what to expect, and I was told that our professor would be new too so I wanted to face the challenge of the unknown. I am glad that after the 8 weeks I have learned so much and gained new perspective on what Leadership is about. I never thought that I can call myself a real leader, I am not the Alpha male, Type A, Aggressive type and although I was good in my academics I never volunteer for things that would require leadership before. I always thought that maybe I should just leave that to those who really want to engage in that aspect and being exposed to the sessions we had has changed my way of thought. I am and I can be an effective leader. I have learned so many new things, blogging (which I have always wanted to learn how to do), making an AVP and other technology related stuff, reflecting and having moments to myself to think more and focus more. My classmates have shared so much and I have learned volumes from their own experiences. Learning is evolving and I am only taking this as a stepping stone to more doors of knowledge, I am looking forward to what this MBA experience will give to me.
The first learnings that was set upon us was the real meaning of Leadership, the Ignatian way was also an eye opener. I was always curious before since I was exposed to a lot of ateneans (my husband is an alumni, all his brothers, a lot of my friends, my brother) and I have always wondered where their passion and love for their school came from. I attend their UAAP games and I hear them sing the Mary for you Song with so much passion that I cringe in shame at times because I do not do this and feel this with my own alma mater. Reflecting on the song's lyrics has made me understand and being exposed to the Ignatian way of life has made me a believer too. The Ignatian way of leadership is not the usual definition that we have come across because it states that everyone can be a leader even if we are not the elected official, the head of a company we can still make a difference. This learning is very influential to me because it debunks my fears before that I would not be a good leader. We can be situational leaders too and when called upon and face with a situation that we deemed needs our leadership we can do it. Applying this being a mother is also a call to leadership practicing my craft entails leadership as well. Ordinary people can become extraordinary and they can be leaders as well. Leaders come in different forms not all that is flashy is gold! In our debate before whether leaders are born, made or situational, the arguments were all very convincing. It was amazing to see how fast and great minds work even under pressure. It was a feat to judge which arguments were sound and which stood up from the rest, the rebuttal was the icing in the cake and with this exercise we have realized that a true leader is a mixture of all of these traits. An outstanding leader needs nurturing and the makings of a leader are sometimes innate but the experience and situations that we face really hone us and make us even greater. Learning the makings of a heroic leader thru the teachings of Chris Lowney has paved the way for a different meaning of leadership for me. It is said that being a heroic leader also means that we can engage others with a poitive and loving attitude and empowering others energizing ourselves and others through our heroic ambitions. Being a leader does not only mean that I am a boss it means more than that. The four principles of self awareness, love, ingenuity and heroism come to play as one they should be integrated into our leadership and they should be able to reinforce each other.
The journey to self-discovery and awareness started with our defining moments. We recall how our past, our accomplishments, failures, important people in our lives who have come and gone have affected us and made us who we are today. The life stories that we had and the defining moments were all eye openers. It made me appreciate the happy experiences and blessings that life had to offer and at the same time I was in awe of all the accomplishments that my classmates have achieved and how they came to it. It was truly inspiring because I felt that I can still make a difference and that even if I am in my 30's, life has so much to offer and I can shine brighter and make the most of my existence. It is said in the article by Bill, Sims, et al ( Harvard business review, Feb 2007) that the journey to authentic leadership begins with understanding the story of your life, Your life story will give the context for your experiences and throught this it will give the inspiration to make an impact in the world. The important thing about it is the narrtive that goes through our head not the facts of our life. This is very true because once I was able to reminisce dig up all the memories I was not only remembering I was also learning because not only did I was recall the events that transpired and I know now that some of the mistakes I have made have made me stronger. I could compare this to an infection that mounts an antibody, after we get sick and recover we get antibodies, we get immune or we can fight off the infection already once we survive the illness. I feel that with the trials, challenges that I have surpassed, happy moments that have happened in my past that I have learned to cherish and remake I have a wonderful future ahead of me. I have renewed strength to start anew it is only the beginning.
The Enneagram and Genogram were gateways to my discovery of my roots, traits and personality. I took the Enneagram, three times just to see if I would get the same results, I was not a skeptic but I got a result that I felt I was not fully convinced of. Although when I understood how the Enneagram works, I realized that it truly was correct. I got the type 3, I am an achiever, I sometimes feel that I lack aggression to be the best at times but I always still give what I can in any task at hand. There are times when I feel that I could have done better and there are regrets but in the end I realize that improvements can always be made and we need to also enjoy the fruits of our labor. I empower myself to believe that with my efforts, and my determination I will be able to achieve all my dreams and aspirations. I am claiming it.
Researching and finding my roots to make my genogram was hard to start at first but my ingenuity and social media truly helped me. I called my mother and asked for her help to find my father's side of the family and I also enlisted the help of my older cousins and aunties who were already based in the US. My father's side was a challenge since I was not exposed to them as much as my mother's side of the family. It was so enlightening! My father's side showed that their family was a family of educators, they loved simple living, gardening, and farming was their relaxation. My pleasant and mild mannered demeanor was derived from them and I am thankful for my father's love and influence on me. He passed away early in my life but I never felt the emptiness only the longing for more time and love from him. He will always be remembered. My mother's side of the family was a family of entrepreneurs, the women in their family have great affinity and stick to each other. My mother's strong will, determination and courage is really admirable I pray that I can be a good successor to her living legacy. I hope that I can balance being a mom, entrepreneur and doctor, a leader in my own right at the same time.
The search for the movie that follows Joseph Campbell's monomyth was hard because of my love for movies I couldn't choose only one. I narrowed my choices and the winner was the movie 300 because it embodied all the stages that the hero went through and the movie was a movie about determination, love for one's people, family and lineage, sheer courage was seen. The lead character Leonidas was fearless and he led his people with pride and with a clear goal… to fight! While dissecting the movie it was amazing like finding a key to a lock that a lot of movies do follow this. Leadership can be seen in numerous movies and this exercise has made me recall all the movies that showed this.
Passionate leaders are truly admirable, I had to look into myself, think deeper and meditate. I wanted to really unlock what really is important to me, what drives me and what has shaped me to be who I am. The reflection paper on finding my passion was helpful to me as a whole. The internal and external factors on finding my passion was tediously dissected because with this paper I wanted to really find out how all of these has made an effect on me. I already have a lot of causes that are close to my heart and I feel strongly about but it is nice to know how I was affected before and how I can become a better person and achieve all that I truly love. Acknowledging and facing my strengths and weaknesses was the first step, it has made me learn and look back at some mistakes that I have made in the past and what I can learn from it is really important. The VIPs of my life can never take a backseat and these people have shaped me and molded me into a better person, striving and gaining excellence in my years. A lot of improvement, innovation, and character formation is still at hand but all of these I see as a challenge that I hope to face and a hurdle that I will get through head on.
This leadership class has made me face some fears and made me believe that I too can be a great leader, I have juggled different roles in my life and I am still finding the best formula but it is a work in progress. The call to arms speech is also close to my heart because it made me open my heart and soul to my classmates. There were so many words and feelings to say and state but putting it all into five minutes was very challenging too. I do not have the fear of public speaking thanks to years of being asked to speak in different programs, emceeing even as a child, making speeches even if front of students, teachers, co parents however speaking my passion and advocacies, things that were close to my heart is harder to do especially in front of my classmates who were all distinguished and respected professionals in their own respective fields. So a few minutes before I had my turn I was a bit nervous but after I saw my classmates listening ardently I relaxed and gave everything that I got. I hope that exercise merits a high grade for everyone because it was really hard to be fearless and speak up our minds. The experience itself and going through it deserves 100 percent. The session proved to be inspiring and the creativity and ingenuity of my classmates has taught me so much. The class is truly a dynamic group that I am grateful to be a part of.
Our planned team building was a day of wonderful activities with our peers and professor. It was a chance to get to know each other better, summing up the courage to get to acquaint myself to my other classmates that are new, and some that I have never been in a group with. It was a welcome break from the classroom setting and the usual lessons. Team spirit, camaraderie was evident and everyone was roaring to show their best and make the most out of all the activities. Our team the blue eagles soared and conquered the games. The best thing about it was we had fun and learned at the same time. We got to use other skills that we rarely get to showcase in the classroom and we got to be kids again, running about, making towers and laughing hard. A fun learning experience that I will truly cherish.
The next activity that piqued my interest was the AVP, it was a joy to sort through my memorabilia, old mementos, photos of my family, friends has brought me laughter and me teary eyed too. I also thanked myself for being a packrat because I was able to preserve my photos so well. I was not able to put the interviews I did with my young patients anymore due to the time constraint and technical difficulties but doing so made me love my profession even more. It was so wonderful to hear my little patients thanking me and giving me a kiss and hug, I get the best perks! I picked two songs for my AVP, The climb to represent the struggles, the things that we go through in life to get to the top and my personal favorite way back, You are the universe ( by the Brand New Heavies) which tells us that we are the ones who are in charge. The lines that I love are these it keeps me going and dancing at the same time:
You're a driver, never a passenger in life; and when you're ready, you won't have to try 'cause
You are the universe and there ain't nothin' you can't do; if you conceive it, you can achieve it
That's why, I believe in you, yes I do
My passion for Healthcare for all my patients, for indigents, for my family and for me is top on my list and I hope that I can use all my abilities to make a difference and help in any way I can.
The reflection paper on passion was a realization, I actually feel that the paper can be open ended and I hope that all will be put into reality. I am in love with my husband, my children are the fire that burnt up my passion to do great things. My work does not feel like work because I have learned to love it and use my energy to make it worthwhile. My body at times takes its toll from having too much to do at times but when I think about all that I still have to accomplish, the people that rely on me, my patients their mothers who need me to look after them I have renewed strength to go an extra mile. The examples that our professor cited regarding quality healthcare to the indigent is also my dream, with our current status especially the government's lack of support it is really a feat but I do hope that in my lifetime I can be able to at least start something and help our fellowmen someday. I would like to empower budding doctors and also infect them with my dreams and maybe with numbers there is strength. I believe that even the medical students that I teach are God's soldiers and they can spread the word and make the difference.
Our time in the leadership class was short but sweet it was a vast treasure trove of ideas, learning that I will treasure in my life. I have realized that it should not end here only this is only the start of my journey as a leader and I am looking forward to my future undertakings and experiences. This subject has also enabled me to be more open and accepting of life's challenges. I am ecstatic to apply all of these learnings and with God's grace I do hope I will become an effective authentic leader and empower other people as well.
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