Final Integrative Paper by Leader Karen Kay Guanzon

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.

Reflection No. 3 - Passion by Leader Karen Kay Guanzon

REFLECTION NUMBER 3

Leader Karen Kay Guanzon

What is your passion?
May I start by giving the meaning and my understanding of passion; Passion is a strong feeling or desire. Passion is what we love doing. I am passionate with a lot of things but I will just share my top four passion.

> My Family
I am passionate about my family; I am not who I am right now without them. My parents thought me a lot while growing up; they have shown me the importance of having a complete and happy family. That's how I came up with my call to arms speech about OFWs, for my listeners to realize how important for a child to have his/her parents beside him/her.
My parents provide well, they gave us a very comfortable life. I saw how they strive hard for their children even for their grandchildren. Although they made us experience that kind of life, my father always tells us that we cannot depend on them all throughout our life. My parents always reminds us that we need to strive on our own and we should know how to save money for our future. In an early age they opened bank accounts for each one of us, they thought us how to save and how to manage our own money. Those were instill to me while growing up, I never became compliant on what my parents can give me, that is why after graduating I immediately look for a job.
I became a mother at an early age; I was still studying when I had my daughter. But that did not stop my parents in supporting me. They still supported me on my studies that's why I was able to graduate. Being a single mother is not easy; I cannot support my daughter alone, financially and emotionally. My family was there to help me especially my parents, they did not took that episode in my life against me. They made me feel that I do not need to be alone and that they are there on my side whenever I need them. Although my parents and siblings are always there I still hope that someday I can give my daughter a complete and happy family. I want her to experience how great to have a father.

Call to arms speech by Karen Kay Guanzon

Good morning sir,

Resending you po my call to arms speech.

Leader Karen Kay Guanzon

Good Evening Leaders!

May I start by asking all of you some questions. How many here has friends or relatives who have families working abroad in able to provide for their family or to give their family a comfortable life? How many parents take care of other's children rather than taking care of their own? How many Filipinos sacrifice their happiness living with their family in able to earn more abroad? And how many Filipino OFWs died in other countries? According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, The number of Overseas Filipino Workers who worked abroad at anytime during the period April to September 2014 was estimated at 2.3 million. That is the number of Filipinos who live far away from their families. Many children of migrant workers have grown up not knowing both of their parents. Many children of long term absent parents do not feel affection towards them, or might not even recognize them. Many relationships are broken as one parent emigrates which causes a
larger proportion of children growing up with divorced or unhappy parents.

In my research, here are some of the reasons why Filipinos work abroad:
1. Unstable economic situation in the Philippines.
2. High unemployment rate in the Philippines
3. Low salary offered by local companies
4. Poor benefits for workers in the Philippines

Reflection Paper #2 - Factors that Shaped Me as a Leader

REFLECTION No. 2

Karen Kay L. Guanzon

WHAT SHAPED ME TO BECOME THE LEADER I AM NOW?

EXTERNAL FACTORS:

The external factors that shaped me to become the leader I am now are my family, friends, school, my previous employer and officemates and my employees now. These are the factors that helped me to go through the process of being a leader.

School is very important for us professionals and leaders. It is our school that hones us to become one. We all know that education is very important however; I am not saying that an uneducated man has no chance of being successful; there is always an exemption. But most of us will agree that an educated person gets better opportunities in life. Education helped me to keep up with the world; it helped me to adapt to all the changes and thought me to always be ready especially in our world today that things are rapidly changing. To be a leader you need to earn respect and know how to give one. Education thought me how to be respected and how to be respectful. And I believe that the more educated you are, the more respect you will get from those around you. Also, educational degree is considered as a proof of your knowledge. If you are educated you have more chances of being heard and taken seriously. That is what a leader needs, to be heard and to be taken seriously. Being an MBA student of AGSB gave me a lot of pride. I saw the improvement on how people treat me. They became more respectful and they do take me more seriously. It is also a plus factor when facing my business partners.

Enneagram Result by Karen Kay Guanzon - Type 6 Enneagram

                                                                    Enneagram Test Result

                                                                     Karen Kay L. Guanzon

Enneagram Type 6 - The Loyalist

Conflicted between trust and distrust

Enneagram type 6 - The LoyalistPeople of this personality type essentially feel insecure, as though there is nothing quite steady enough to hold onto. At the core of the type Six personality is a kind of fear or anxiety. This anxiety has a very deep source and can manifest in a variety of different styles, making Sixes somewhat difficult to describe and to type. What all Sixes have in common however, is the fear rooted at the center of their personality, which manifests in worrying, and restless imaginings of everything that might go wrong. This tendency makes Sixes gifted at trouble shooting, but also robs the Six of much needed peace of mind and tends to deprive the personality of spontaneity. The essential anxiety at the core of the type Six fixation tends to permeate the personality with a sort of "defensive suspiciousness." Sixes don't trust easily; they are often ambivalent about others, until the person has absolutely proven herself, at which point they are likely to respond with steadfast loyalty. The loyalty of the Six is something of a two edged sword however, as Sixes are sometimes prone to stand by a friend, partner, job or cause even long after it is time to move on.

Movie Analysis, Joseph Campbell's Monomyth, and My Life Story by Leader Karen Kay Guanzon

MY LIFE STORY

Karen Kay Guanzon

We are three in the family, I am the youngest and I am 7 years younger to my brother. We have a normal family and a normal life. My parents gave us a convenient life. Our family is inclined with business, from my grandparents down to my cousins and brother. I grew up looking up to my parents, I idolize them when it comes to handling business and financials. Growing up, my father always tells us that we need to strive hard and we cannot depend on him and we will not inherit anything from him. He instill on us that we cannot forever depend on them or to anyone; that we need to have our own ways in able to survive.

Being the youngest and having a big age gap with my sibling is not easy, I never got the chance to be independent even in my college days. My parents were very strict especially with me, there are rare chances that they will leave me alone. They were always there with me to look after me. There are a lot of rules that I need to follow, rules that sometimes I thought was not fair. Those rules and them being strict made me do rebellious acts. I got into a relationships that my parent's doesn't know and relationships that they do not approve. Because of that it came to my mind that the escape from my life back then was to get pregnant; that's how my daughter existed. I was 18 years old when I had my daughter, I haven't finish my studies that time. Because of my fears to my parents, I left our house and go with my daughter's father. I did not get married because I was still thinking of getting a diploma and to have a job. It was a struggle to me leaving without my parents; I realized that I made a wrong decision but I cannot turn back the time instead I need to face the reality and move forward for me and my daughter. Eventually I became a single mom; despite of what I did, my parent accepted me again with open arms and they helped and still helping me in raising up my daughter. Though support from my parents is always there, I know that I still need to strive hard and push myself more to give my daughter the same life that my parents gave us.

My first job was in GMA Network, I was an encoder and had a chance to become an editor. For three years I was able to show what I can do to my bosses, in fact I was in line for promotion but my dad talked to me and asked me to resign in able to help on our business. It was the peak of my career that time, I did not know what to do, and I was in a dilemma on whether to take my promotion or comply with what my father is asking me. In the end I chose to fulfill what my father wants, thinking that I need to regain the trust of my parents. But me working in our company did not went well, I did not see my purpose and worth there. Every expectations I had before I started working in our company did not happened. I thought I will have a future on our family business, I thought I will learn a lot from it and be able to grow on becoming a great leader. That did not happen, instead I felt that I do not make any sense in the company; one of the main reason is because they cannot give me a specific role and responsibility. That was the reason why I became lazy and lost my enthusiasm to learn the business. What made more negative impact to me is when my brother and cousin talked to me and discussed my work ethics, my cousin told me that I am not a good example to the employees, that I am just adding up on the problems of the company and they cannot see my worth. I felt so down and depressed, those words run through my mind for a long time and my life was affected because of it. However, that unfortunate event also gave me the eagerness to stand on my own and look at the possibilities on handling my own business. Fortunately I was given a chance to handle my own business; late last year I was offered by Coca-Cola Philippines to be a delivery partner in one of the town in Pampanga. I was nervous but at the same time eager to show to my brother and cousin that I am not what they think I am. Handling a business is not what dreamt before, but I pushed myself to learn and to let other people see that I can also manage my own business. It was also because of my father why I felt brave to pursue the business. He helped me on every aspects of the business; He financed my business, helped on building the warehouse, helped looking for the routing units and even helped me to get some of the permits I needed. The business also made me realize that I need to learn more especially my course in college is not in line with business, which is why I enrolled in MBA.

When my father died my life turned 180 degrees; that day is a big life changing for me. I've been with him all throughout my life and I admit that I am dependent on him. I entered the world of business and enrolled in MBA because of him; he is my inspiration for both of this. Because of his death, I was stacked, I didn't know where and how to start again. I became compliant to the point that I don't go to my office and I somehow lost care with what is happening on my business. I also stopped studying and did not enrolled, I actually have no plans on going back at school before, but the people I love pushed me to continue my studies because that is what my father wants.

Throughout my life I made a lot of wrong decisions and choices especially when it comes to relationships. Because of my strict parents I was never guided in choosing my partner. But in a much unexpected time, just when I was losing hope and feeling down because of my father's death came the one that I was looking for, for a long time. The one that accepted every ugly past that I had and my situation (having a daughter) and he became one of my strength in this time that I am still coping with the death of my father.  He is patiently helping me to slowly regain and pick up myself.

Reflection Paper 1My Defining Moments by Leader Karen Kay Guanzon

MY DEFINING MOMENTS

Karen Kay L. Guanzon

            There are three significant defining moments in my life.

1 First one is when I conceived my daughter when I was just 18 years old. On the day I had her, I knew everything will change in my life. I was a college student that time; I became more pressured to finish my studies and look for a job. I became a single parent; although my parents are there to support me, I knew within me that I need to strive hard in order to give my daughter a good future.

            

2. The second significant moment in my life is when I started working at our family business. My father asked me to resign on my job in able to help in our business. That time was the peak of my career on my first job, my boss was offering me a promotion. I was in a dilemma whether to take my boss's offer or go with what my father wants. I came into a decision wherein I did what my father asked me to do, thinking that I need to make it up to him from what I did (being a parent at an early age). I thought I will have a future on our family business, I thought I will learn a lot from it and be able to grow to becoming a great leader. But that did not happened, instead I felt that I do not made any sense on the company, one of the main reason is because they cannot give me a specific role and responsibility. I have nothing to do and I cannot make any decisions for the company. The time came when I became lazy and did not go to work every day and I only stay for a short time in the office. What hurts me most is when my brother and cousin talked to me and discussed my work ethics, my cousin told me that I am not a good example to the employees, that I just add up on the problems of the company and they cannot see my worth. I felt so down and depressed, those words run in my mind for a long time and my life was affected because of it. But that instance also gave me the eagerness to stand on my own and look at the possibilities on handling my own business. Late last year I was offered by Coca-Cola Philippines to be a delivery partner in one of the town in Pampanga. I was lucky that they gave me the town near where I and my family leaves. I was quite nervous to push through with it but my father helped me to pursue the business. He financed my business, helped on building the warehouse, helped looking for the routing units and even helped me to get some of the permits I needed. And so KLG Traders successfully opened last September 8, 2014.

            

3 The last defining moment in my life just happened last February 15, 2015; we lost my father, our superman, our shock absorber and our protector. That moment is a big life changing for me. I've been with him all throughout my life and I am not ashamed to say that I am dependent on him. I entered the world of business and enrolled in MBA because of him; he is my inspiration for both of this. Because of his death, I was stacked, I didn't know where and how to start again. I became compliant to the point that I don't go to my office and I somehow lost care with what is happening on my business. I also stopped studying and did not enrolled, I actually have no plans on going back at school before, but the people I love pushed me to continue my studies because that is what my father wants. My dad became proud of me when I entered MBA and when I successfully opened my business; that is what made me pursue everything I am doing before he died. Although I am still coping with what happened, I am now slowly picking up myself.

            Those three episodes in my life made me stronger. I may be pessimist most of the time but I know my life experiences helped me survive all the trials and challenges that came and will come my way. I can say that somehow I also became matured and now I am most likely deciding on my own especially for my business.

            After reading the article of Peter Parker, "Leading from within", I had a lot of realization. One of this is me not being an effective leader, because I got 4 of the 5 shadows inside. I was very shocked to know that all of those shadows cannot help me on becoming a great leader. I felt the need to learn more about how to become a true leader and how to use my life experiences to be one. Now I will make it a point to make all the heartaches and headaches I experienced an inspiration to be better on handling things in the present and in the future. I will not make everything against me and I will make sure to seek help from the people around me and people around my business especially when I cannot handle things anymore. And I will put in mind what Parker Pilmer said; and I quote "We need to remember that all the great spiritual traditions, when you boil them down, are saying one simple thing: BE NOT AFRAID!". I will not make my fears dominate me and stop me on pursuing my goals and dreams.

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