MM Leadership - Reflection # 3 My Passion by Leader Leighna Abarquez

Ateneo Graduate School of Business – Middle Manager
Leadership
Reflection Paper # 3
Leader Leighna Katrina Sitoy-Abarquez


My Passion

What is your passion (what is it that you love doing)?

When I was young, I was always fascinated with teachers. My great grandfather and great grandmother were public school teacher/s, both my grandfathers were deans—one dean of the college of law, the other dean of the college of commerce and accountancy. I have always been enamored with teaching. For me it was a natural calling, more so, when I belonged to a family of educators.

When I was asked in school, "what I wanted to be when I grow up?", my ready answer was I wanted to be a lawyer or a teacher, or both. I really believed that I will become a teacher someday. My father however, was a bit diplomatic when he learned that I wanted to be a teacher. He said that there were many avenues to teaching, it may not necessarily be your main job. Many years later, now that I am a lawyer, I realized that somehow my desire to be a teacher is reflected in how I handle my work, my family, my daily life and my life's journey.





Interestingly, when I took a Gallup Strengths-Based Analysis as part of our Human Resources Development initiatives months ago, one of my key strengths as a person is that I am a "Developer". As per this Gallup Study, "many years of research conducted by The Gallup Organization suggest that the most effective people are those who understand their strengths and behaviors. These people are best able to develop strategies to meet and exceed the demands of their daily lives, their careers, and their families." Below is a summary of my "Developer" strength behavior as relayed to me:

You see the potential in others. Very often, in fact, potential is all you see. In your view no individual is fully formed. On the contrary, each individual is a work in progress, alive with possibilities. And you are drawn toward people for this very reason. When you interact with others, your goal is to help them experience success. You look for ways to challenge them. You devise interesting experiences that can stretch them and help them grow. And all the while you are on the lookout for the signs of growth—a new behavior learned or modified, a slight improvement in a skill, a glimpse of excellence or of "flow" where previously there were only halting steps. For you these small increments—invisible to some—are clear signs of potential being realized. These signs of growth in others are your fuel. They bring you strength and satisfaction. Over time many will seek you out for help and encouragement because on some level they know that your helpfulness is both genuine and fulfilling to you.

I suppose, I am also by nature—a developer—fit to be a mentor, coach, teacher, or professor—but I am also surrounded by family members who are developers in their own rights. My father, for instance, is a professor of MBA and my grandfather, a professor of law. They've also shown me, through their actions, the kind and quality of contribution teachers/professors do for the society—in making good citizens out of those idealistic, passionate, sponge-like students. Professors, teachers, coaches, or educators are like second parents to these students, and do have a very big contribution to making this society a better and more productive place for everyone.

How is it reflected in you work, daily life, and life's journey?

In the house, I tutor my children. I was the one who taught them how to read, learn about colors, count, draw, write. I used to make very extensive reviewers for them to help them prepare for exams and quizzes. Knowing that I've helped them nurture their basic learning/education skills is like getting promoted from work.

I was not only my children's primary preschool teacher, but I was also their life coach. I taught them that it's okay to try, and to make mistakes—yet I was always there to give them my shoulder to cry on, when they fall or feel bad for making the wrong decisions. I taught them to challenge themselves, and to be good at everything they do—and to do those things that they love to do. I taught them to value their talents, and to make proper use of these. My eldest daughter, for instance, has a flair for music—she has been playing the violin since she was 7 years old. I always remind her to use this talent to inspire people, and her classmates. She's part of the school's chorale, and plays violin during her school masses. Most importantly, I teach my children the value of integrity in everything they do—and to never jeopardize the basic tenets of honesty and good-faith dealing with others, in everything they do.

As parent-leaders, I always believe that learning and rearing future leaders starts at home. Parents have a very big responsibility of creating/nurturing bright, humble, God-fearing leaders who can either make or break this country. And I believe that good leaders are raised by good parents. Tell me a good leader, and I will point you to his or her even better parent. After all, a leader is always someone else's child.

When I used to work as an associate in a law firm—I value my role as a mentor/coach to younger lawyers. When we do projects together, I patiently lecture them on the dos and don'ts and give them tips on how to approach a problem in a practicable way. My firm belief is that a good leader, not only provides the team with the proper vision or guides the way—a good leader should always be willing to help his team members grow and develop their own skills. A good leader is never arrogant or selfish of his learning. A good leader, in fact, is always willing to share best practices to his team—with the goal of helping them improve as professionals, and helping make the firm/company make productive use of each other's time. A good leader is a firm believer of "never reinventing the wheel". If it's a good idea, if it works, and is tried and tested--- then share this as best practices to your team. Saves time, saves resources, and helps increase your team's morale.

When I started my in-house counsel job for a multinational company, the challenge for me was that I was the only subsidiary lawyer. I had to think of ways to make productive use of my time, while minimizing risks for the company. So, I had to come up with programs to educate and empower the employees—make them learn how to spot legal and compliance issues (through training sessions, newsletters, and videos) and know how to approach these issues without necessarily consulting me each and every time. It takes a lot of effort and patience, but a good leader always believes that every bit of legal learning you impart to you team, is worth every bit of litigation risks that you mitigate or alleviate. One trait of a good leader is to help develop others in the process. I want to believe that by those training sessions I conduct periodically, I am helping the business people make sound and legal decisions that would help make the company grow.

I just recently volunteered in the Ateneo Legal Aid—with the aim of helping those less fortunate Filipinos get good legal assistance. One inviting idea that inspired me to join the group is the opportunity for me to do alternative lawyering activities. For example, I want to be able to come up with a program for the lower class income Filipinos to know more about how to set up SMEs, register with the SEC or DTI, how to pay business taxes, or how to get an SME loan etc. Another example of empowering through legal education, is to educate women in the barrios about their rights under the Violence against Women and Children law, the Magna Carta for Women, the Brestfeeding Act, and other rights available to women, including the Solo Parents' Law. I plan, in the future, to partner with fellow lawyers, to go to the barrios and do these Legal Lecture Series, and at the same time give pro bono on the spot advise to those who require our services but could not afford expensive legal fees.

I attended my first pro bono hearing last week—together with my husband. Our clients were two indigents who were accused of less serious physical injuries, and who could not afford a lawyer. It gave me some sense of pride and contentment, seeing the faces of the two accused—full of confidence, and security--knowing that they have lawyers to help them see to it that justice is served. Not only that, I don't start and stop my lawyering with just representing these accused in court. I also see to it that they are educated with their case, the defenses for and against them, and the steps to expect during the hearings. This is part and parcel of alternative lawyer—empowering your clients by educating them about their rights, and how their rights and affected by or protected by the laws. Up until now, I continue to be inspired with what my former professor told us during one of our classes--- he said, as Jesuit-trained lawyers--- we have the obligation to make sure that, "those who have less in life, should have more in law". And I want to be able to emulate this—outside my work as a corporate lawyer.

Practicing the law, by representing clients in courts or government agencies, is just one facets of legal practice—teaching the law and how it works, not only to future lawyers, but most importantly to clients is also a road less travelled, but one road I might well take. Laws are there for a reason—to level the playing field, and to give voices and protection to the marginalized and under-represented. Laws will be worthless, if people do not know that these do exist, and they have certain rights arising from these laws. As a Jesuit-trained lawyer, I believe that, this should be one of my life's goal—to educate people about their rights under the law, and to empower them to not only know about their rights but also respect the co-equal rights of others.                
 

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