MM Leadership Final Integrative Paper by Leader Erika Manrique

Hi Prof Jorge,

Below is my FIP. Thank you for the opportunity and learnings from our reflections and also from my fellow leaders.

I will truly miss you class.

Yours truly,
Erika Manrique

Final Integrative Paper

By: Erika Manrique

My journey into this class has been quite challenging. From the very first day (when we had the debate), I already knew it was going to be a very different experience for me. I can say that my level of exposure compared to my classmates was quite different. Most of them have worked for years in the corporate world, while I have just had a glimpse of it during my few years at Dell. Working in the family business has its pros and cons, one of the cons being confinement. Confinement in the sense that you have limited access to other people who you can learn from. I have felt a lot of times that I needed to get out of the box in order to gain new insights that could help grow myself, my relationships, and the business as well. This class has been very empowering and insightful because this is exactly what I gained from it.

Where I am now?

I have always admitted to myself that I am a work in continuous progress. My hunger for knowledge and natural curiosity has always steered me in the way of learning. I have always felt that my brain needs to be stimulated every now and then because I do not like feeling complacent and being in a constant routine. In managing our family business, there were times that I felt I did not have the capacity to do handle some things, which is why I have decided to start my MBA.  It was very timely that I started my mba with Leadership class as I feel it will prepare me for the journey ahead.

A.    ENNEAGRAM

My Enneagram result showed that I was most likely a type 9 wing 8. The type 9 is a "Peacemaker, Mediator, Naturalist, Accommodator or Abdicator". From https://www.enneagram.net, here is an overview of the type 9 personality:

They want to be agreeable, peaceful, natural and comfortable. More importantly, they want to be calm and, if at all possible, to avoid conflict. You see yourself as accepting, unassuming and laid-back. You would like others to see you as humble, easygoing and approachable. Your idealized image is that you are content and harmonious. 

Virtue
The type 9 virtues are acceptance, peacefulness and ability to see universal truths. Open and receptive, this type easily relates to others. When they are at their best, they can be both personally and universally connected. Whether they prefer simple pleasures or intellectual pursuits, they are always seeking what is harmonious. They often show their love by working hard, and they can make great contributions to others. Down to earth, steady, patient and easygoing, they bring a sense of calm to any given situation.  Steadfast and persistent, they are able to endure even the most tedious and difficult circumstances.

Vice
The type 9 vices are indolence, inaction or sloth. This can lead to self-forgetting and neglecting your needs and/or the needs of others. Their inattention and forgetfulness can manifest as "crimes of omission". They may also be stubborn or turn a blind eye to someone in need. Everyone thinks that the type 9 is on his or her side and can interpret your understanding as agreement. Overly avoiding conflict, they are most likely to hurt the people around them by not keeping promises due to their lack of follow through. This can make for a passive-aggressive stance in life where they don't see the impact of their inaction and can appear callous or indifferent. 

Wing

If you are the Enneagram Type 9 with the 8 Wing, you desire to be natural. You see yourself as dignified, comfortable, loving, aloof, strong and kind.

My conclusion with my Enneagram test result:

At first, I was a bit surprised at the result because I thought I would be a type 1 because after reading the powerpoint presentation on the type 1, it was what I could identify with the most. However, as I read more into the type 9 personality, I realized that this was the best fit for me although at first I became a bit defensive and did not accept it, even taking the test a number of times to see if it was really correct.

Reading through my enneagram test result has helped open my eyes to the truth about myself, and the reasons why I do certain things. This test has been one of the most interesting and effective tools in my road towards self-awareness because I realized that I must admit my weaknesses and acknowledge the strengths that I might have overlooked.

In understanding my personality, I am now more aware to consciously work against my vices and more towards my virtues so I can realize my true potential. It is with this acceptance that I can truly be an authentic leader who can inspire others.

B.    Genogram

Making my Genogram enabled me to reflect on where I have come from and perhaps from where certain aspects of myself originated. Growing up, my family members have helped mould me into the person I am today from the values that they imprinted on me and the environment from which I grew up in.

Even though I did not get to be with most of my grandparents, I have learned from their life stories the value of education and the importance of each other's roles in the family. Both my grandfathers had persevered for their education and did their very best to provide for their wives and children. From my grandmothers I took on the value of servant leadership. They had led their children by leading through example by being responsible and taking care of the family as what mothers should do. From my aunts and uncles' lives, I have been made aware of people's and perhaps my own weakness in financial management. I realize I should learn from their mistakes and emulate more the good traits of some of them in order to avoid the pitfalls that the others experienced.

My younger brothers have also been silent teachers in my life. Although they look up to me as the eldest, I respect and admire them as well for their courage and determination. It had not been easy because of the "mistakes" they may have committed but they have made the best out of every situation. I admitted in my genogram that my two brothers have continuously surprised me with their level of maturity and wisdom that I never thought they possessed until the situation called for them to step up and show these traits.  

The greatest teachers in my life have always been my parents. From them I have learned the value of perseverance and hard work. It did not matter that my father had no marketing background for him to be able to successfully sell the products he sold, or for my mother to excel in financial management/accounting even though she was not an accountant. Acceptance of failures also did not deter them from being successful because they knew they had God and their family behind them.

Looking back at my family's story has convinced me even more that leaders are indeed born because everyone is a leader in their own lives, being able to influence others and guide their respective families and themselves towards the goals that they envision. At the same time, leaders are also made and are situational because when things get rough, it is when these individuals are tested and their true characters come forth. Not only are their negative qualities shown during tough times, but most importantly are the positive traits that were not clearly defined before the challenges came about. I was able to relate and learn from my family members and now must consciously push myself to bring out my best qualities throughout my leadership journey.

C.    Movie Analysis of "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" based on John Campbell's "The Hero with a Thousand Faces" & My Life Journey (so far)

 Comparing my life story to that of the plot of The Secret Life of Walter Mitty was about being a situational leader. My decision to be part of the family business was largely because of the fact that it was there and that I wanted to continue what my father had started. Perhaps at first because I admired him and wanted to be like him, but after doing these exercises and learning from the readings and my professor, I have also realized the value of being an authentic leader. It is not enough that I aspire to be like someone, but I should also aspire to be the best and realest version of myself in order to feel fulfilled and truly inspiring to other people.

Like Walter Mitty, I had been put in a situation where I needed to do drastic things in order to bring out the leader in me. I had to experience a negative thing in order to get out of my comfort zone and to try and find myself. I had to experience a different environment, different people, and different set of issues that I was not accustomed to in order to help me grow and understand the world better. It is imperative that we do not become complacent with what we are doing now because it is so easy to get lost in the routine of our daily lives that we forget that there is much to learn from the world. Conquering my fears and being action oriented is something that I must remember throughout my life given my weaknesses as I realized in my enneagram test result.

In this activity, I have learned that I must welcome challenges or life changing situations because it is from these types of experiences that I get to know myself better and I am able to build my character.

D.    Internal and External Factors that Shaped Me, and My Strenghts and Weaknesses

	External and Internal Factors
	Family	School/Friends	Work
Values	* Being Nationalistic             * Perseverance / Hard work                               * God centered life	* Trustworthy               * Actively listening	* Honesty and Integrity                         * Mutual Respect
Strengths	*being Detail-Oriented	* Receptiveness             *Eagerness to learn	*Adaptive
Weaknesses	*Emotional                      * Trusting other people	*Self-doubt                                                             *Time Management                                              * Procrastination

Being able to identify the external and internal factors that shaped me has expanded my awareness of who I am and what I hold most important, as well as the challenges I face within myself.

Values

Throughout this paper, I have mentioned my family who has taught me the value of perseverance and hard work. Through their life story, actions, and also by exposing us in sports, I have learned that you cannot have results unless you work for it, and that one should not give up in times of hardships. They have also instilled in me the importance of having God as the center of my life because it is through his teachings and guidance that we can find fulfillment. Loving our country and our people has also been a recurring subject, especially from my father. I am a Filipino, so I should help my country and my fellowmen. I am accountable for the things happening in our country but at the same time, I have the power to help change it for the better.

From my younger years in school and through my friends, I have valued being trustworthy and actively listening to each other. Honesty and Integrity are important in my work/professional life, both in dealing with my colleagues, employees, and even our clients. It is with these values that we gain mutual respect for one another which is important in maintaining lasting business and professional relationships.

Strengths

The strengths I listed down that I took from my family is the value of being detail-oriented. Paying attention to details both at work and in my personal life is something I am good at and I have seen that it has constantly gotten me closer to people and the quality of my work is also dependent on this. When people see that you listen to what they are saying, they respect and trust you more. In terms of my work, it is important because every detail counts in manufacturing. It is easy to get lost in all the things that one has to accomplish, but one must focus on the important things.

My being receptive to other people's opinions and eagerness to learn new things is also what I consider my strength. I accept within myself that I do not know everything and that in order to do a good job, I must get input from my co-workers, friends, or family. As what Socrates said "The only true wisdom is in knowing that you know nothing". It is this constant thirst for knowledge and learning that has enabled me to grow and adapt to different environments. Change is also a reality that I have come to love and accept from an early age. I welcome it and am excited about learning and adapting to new things because I am able to expand my skill and broaden my horizon with each new challenge that comes along.

Weaknesses

From my family, I have inherited my being emotional. Sometimes, I have a hard time compartmentalizing work, family, and friendships. I have to constantly work on this because I admit that it gets in the way of things, especially in the family business. It is sometimes also hard for me to trust people and the quality of their work as I have been used to micromanaging, as taught to me by my parents. Sometimes it is hard to let go of certain tasks, especially if these are vital for the business. However, I have come to realize that I must break free from the usual "fire-fighting" in order to focus on greater tasks that are more vital to the company, like analysis and strategizing.

Parallel to my acceptance that I do not have all the answers, I have also been wrestling a lot with self-doubt. Sometimes I do not have enough confidence in myself and the decisions I need to make because I feel I am not equipped to make them. Procrastination and time management has also been a very big challenge for me. I have further realized this during the Enneagram activity. I must constantly work towards my virtues rather than these vices so that I can accomplish more tasks and have more time for self development.

E.     My Defining Moments

I have indicated my father's sickness as one of the defining moments in my life. His cancer diagnosis has pushed me and our family to make the changes both for our health and the stability of our business. I can say that it was the lowest point in my life wherein I came face to face with demons that I never knew existed within me. I have always thought of myself as responsible and dependable but this event made me more aware of my weaknesses.

Another defining moment, which I had failed to include in my first reflection paper was the time when I decided to leave the family business. I narrated this event in My Life Journey, where a buyer told my father that he had to fire me because I was not doing my job right. Again, this was a negative event that prompted me into positive change.

I agree that we are all born leaders, myself included. Being the eldest child, I have been given more responsibilities and pressures. However, it is in accepting ones weaknesses where real strength is tested.

Where am I going?

A.    My Passion

Surfing as a sport has taught me many things about myself and of life. It has taught me that to achieve my goals, I must be prepared to build my physical and mental strength. It has also been a channel to bring me closer to people. I have always been thought of myself as being introverted. I do not open up easily to other people and I tend to choose my friends very carefully. Surfing in different places and with different people has opened up my mind that I can relate to people in different walks of life. This has helped me become closer also to our employees because I was having a hard time relating to them before.

I have realized as well that a lot of things are beyond our control, and that sometimes we should leave things to God but at the same time, we must do our part. Surfing has taught me how to let go and to appreciate the little things in life, like nature and true friends. Being able to study and adapt to changing conditions is also imperative if I want to be successful in my leadership journey. Innovation, just like the Ignatians, is crucial because there is nothing constant in our world except for change. I must not resist the changes in the environment, be it political or economical, but instead, must move and change with it in order not just to survive, but also to flourish. It has also taught me not to be scared of making mistakes, just like after every wipe-out on a wave. There are times when all I do will be to struggle, but in order to be a good leader, I must not be unfazed and to keep trying because there will always be other opportunities. As long as I prepare for them, I will be able to catch waves, or in this case, success towards becoming a true leader.

B.    Five-year plan goals

This was what I had indicated in my learning agreement as my five-year plan goals:

I did not indicate a yearly increase in my salary because I understand that certain profit goals must be met first before I can have an increase in salary. Being a stakeholder in the family business also makes it somewhat unethical to increase my salary before results are actually achieved.

C.    The Type of Leader that I want to be

I have always said that I wanted to emulate my father in terms of leadership style. I have always admired how he is respected by people in his industry, as well as his employees. I thought that this was because he is naturally kind and trusting towards people, but upon further reflection, I have realized that this is because he is an authentic leader. He knows himself and stands by what he believes and other people see him to be real and not a fake person. He does not try very hard but lets his natural tendencies, values, and strengths guide him in making decisions. Upon realizing this, I have learned that I must indeed strive to be an authentic leader in my own way.

Level 5 Leadership by Jim Collins

This is one of the articles that struck me the most during this term. The concept of being a humble leader, you could say, is quite new to me. I have never thought of being "humble" as one of the pillars of being a good leader because most "good" leaders I know or are popular, are not at all humble.

"How do Level 5 leaders manifest humility? They routinely credit others, external factors,

and good luck for their companies' success. But when results are poor, they blame themselves.

They also act quietly, calmly, and determinedly—relying on inspired standards, not inspiring charisma, to motivate."

I related very well to this because admittedly, I am not a person with great charisma. I am not a "people person" and I am often awkward and clumsy. The Level 5 leader is accountable for his actions/decisions, and inspires through leading by example.

GROWING TO LEVEL 5

First who

Attend to people first, strategy second. I need to find my people's strength and where best to place them. I must also have enough courage to "let go" of those people who are no longer contributing to the vision of the company.

Stockdale paradox

Deal with the brutal facts of your current reality—while maintaining absolute faith that

you'll prevail. This is a recurring concept in leadership because leaders must know how to bounce back from failures and never back down from challenges. Being persistent and staying positive will get me to my goals and will also inspire my employees to keep going.

Buildup-breakthrough flywheel

Keep pushing your organizational "flywheel." With consistent effort, momentum increases

until—bang!—the wheel hits the breakthrough point. I must be able to make the follow-throughs or else, the movement towards success will not be sustained

The hedgehog concept

Think of your company as three intersecting circles: what it can be best at, how its economics

work best, and what ignites its people's passions. Eliminate everything else. I have to be aware of the company's strengths and weaknesses and must know how to move with or against them. Staying focused is crucial.

In the article it is mentioned that not everyone will have the level 5 seed within them. I can never be sure if I have it, but reading through the article has inspired me to try to attain this. With my personality type, I think I can work on these parameters and that it will not be too hard for me since I am not really a loud and outgoing person. Personally, I also feel that this kind of leader is the kind that will inspire me, so it is indeed something that I believe in.

Heroic Leadership by Chris Lowney

Discussing the history of the Jesuits was also inspiring for me. I was brought up in a catholic environment but I was never familiar with the history of the Jesuits. The four pillars of success as enumerated in the book are:

·        Self-awareness

·        Ingenuity

·        Love

·        Heroism

I was particularly impressed with how in the book, it was described that Jesuits encouraged self-awareness as one of the important disciplines. Individuality is encouraged, and so is critical and independent thinking. I was quite surprised because most devout catholics I know, including some relatives, did not really practice this. Most are easily swayed by other's and their organization's (or religious order's) opinions. The road to leadership starts with knowing yourself inside and out, acknowledging both your strengths and your weaknesses.

Ingenuity is about being confident enough to formulate your own ideas and to learn to adapt to a changing word. There is no room for rigidity in this ever-changing world, especially today. A good leader must be comfortable in this world and must accept changes readily, and to see opportunities as they unfold and be able to react to them positively.

Love is a recurring theme of Christian teaching, and is as equally important to good leadership. As what Chris Lowney said, Generals who love their men make better decisions in the battlefield and also, Soldiers who love their country/countrymen or what they believe in, will continuously fight for it, and will fight for it to the very end. To be a good leader, the people you are leading should feel that you love them sincerely so that they will see and understand your vision and will work with the leader towards achieving it. I have heard time and again that people will follow love better than they follow fear. This is also true for customers of businesses. When customers see and feel the genuine concern and love of the company, they will continue to patronize it because they know they will be well taken care of.

Heroism is about working for something bigger than your own aspirations, and in the process inspiring other people to do the same. It is about leading by example, and working towards a goal which is not only beneficial for you but also for other people. For me, this is also connected to Love because if you love the people you are leading, then you can do heroic things for them. Having a clear vision of the greater picture, communicating these to your employees, and being able to take action towards your goals is key. Even if you are acting heroically, the people you are leading have to understand why you are doing it so they can be engaged into action. It is also about not being afraid to fail and to persevere even in the face of adversity.

How do I get there?

After all the reflections, group activities, lectures, and readings, I have concluded that I must make some changes to lessen my negative habits and to strengthen my values and strengths. The first step towards this is to be self-aware, to acknowledge my positive and negative traits (which I have done in the previous pages). I have enumerated what values I hold most dear and how they guide me in my life decisions. To add to this, I have also thought about what kind of life I would like to live and some other goals which I might not have communicated previously. These are:

Ø  To live a simple life

Ø  To be able to give back to my community

Ø  To improve on my spirituality

As I've grown older, I no longer find material things, luxuries, and fame appealing. I have realized that the life I want to live is simple, with a small house, a happy and healthy family, enough money for food and my children's education, and perhaps a few trips to the cinema to watch a movie. I am no longer attracted by a lot of money or being famous and being called "successful" by my friends. Success to me is subjective because to me, I would be successful if I am living a comfortably simple life and I'm able to contribute my time and talents to improving other people's lives. I have seen and felt the sense of fulfillment of being able to help someone through my parents, and this is also what I want to achieve in my life. Being able to give back to people and to contribute to the growth of a community is something I will aspire for because this will outlast the sense of pride in owning a luxury car.

As I indicated also in my learning agreement, most of my goals/objectives are for the growth and sustainability of our family business. My family and our employees are the ones who inspire me to do better because it is for them that I would like to continue on with my father's legacy. However, I have also seen the need for us to innovate in order to adapt once again to the changing business environments. It has not been an easy road for my parents but it is once again time for some changes in order for us to be more competitive.

Action Plan

For Myself

·        I will work towards my virtues rather than my vices, as described in my Enneagram. I think this is the first step towards my path in becoming a good leader. I must learn to be conscious with my actions so that when I am starting to procrastinate, I must nip it in the bud and remind myself that in order to get results, I must first act.

·        I shall continue on in my learnings by pursuing my MBA degree. This term has been quite hard on me due also to the demands of work, but I will see to it that I am enrolled every term so that I am not stagnated again. I have been learning so much from my classmates and professors and I want to continue this to aid in my personal development.

·        I will continue also in my efforts to make myself healthy because a good leader should be sound both for both body and mind. Eating good and exercising contributes as well to mental health.

For our company

·        I will start to make the changes/objectives that I enumerated in my learning agreement starting with strategizing on how to build our brand. Our company has only been known to be a "manufacturer" and so it is time that we go into branding our products and start selling direct to consumers. They say that "Brands outlast Factories" so it is time for us to evolve into a lifestyle brand.

·        We need to start making technological changes within the company, by automating some of its divisions like accounting, and also improving our items database. We should also start using a CRM (Customer Relations Management) software so we can better manage our accounts for a better customer experience and ultimately, brand/company loyalty.

·        I would also like to start an employee rewards system wherein we can properly acknowledge and reward our outstanding employees. We already do this in some ways but we do not have any written guidelines and so I think we should start to formalize it so it can be a regular thing.

Working on myself first will help me achieve my goals both in my personal and professional life. Applying the learnings about servant leadership is also an approach I would like to follow because it is parallel to my aspiration of helping others. Seeing other people's potential and making them realize this as well will make them motivated knowing that someone empathizes and believes in them.

Conclusion:

I have learned from this class, the value of listening to other people and learning from their life stories. From our Call to Arms Speeches and our AVPs, I have learned each of my classmate's passions and what drives them to do what they do. It has touched me that people can draw inspiration from their work, their families, sports, and even the challenges they faced. Each of us is a leader in our own ways because we constantly strive to become better versions of ourselves and are also committed to helping and inspiring others to be the same.

Through our team building, we also got to know each other more personally. We had undergone different team building activities which tested our patience, challenged our innovativeness, and also our resolve. I learned the value of teamwork and effective communication especially during the "tower-building" activity where we had to create the tallest tower using only marshmallows and toothpicks. Although we lost that activity, I saw how each team member moved for the team and did not mindlessly try to make the tower taller.

I was also quite impressed with my teammate's resolve during the "Coin collecting" game where we had to introduce ourselves and get to know the staff of Prado farms. I was especially challenged by this because I am a shy person, and would not normally do this on my own. However, I was inspired by my teammates because instead of resting during that afternoon, they were already busy collecting coins since they also knew that we were behind points! I was motivated into action to go out of my comfort zone and do the same. Although I only got one coin, I consider this as an accomplishment because I realized that to be a true leader, one must be confident enough to be present in the world and not be content in being a wallflower.

My leadership journey is a continuous effort and I am glad that I took this subject during my first term. I will surely take all the lessons with me throughout my entire life.

--   Erika Manrique