Cebu Leadership Reflection Paper 3 - My Passion by Leader Andre Ladan

Prof submitted is my reflection paper 3

Regis Leadership Cebu

Leader Andre Ladan

Reflection Paper 3 - My Passion
Post date 1/9,/2016

       Many would think that serving in the military is as bland as a nine to five job where similar events happen repetitively over time. Yet for the past sixteen years serving as an officer, I have experienced so many things and have seen so much more than the average person. I have traveled the world, tasted different cultures and time zones, experienced the heat of the desert sun and the wind chill of winter in the span of a week. I have met and befriended different people with different colors and religion, I have seen peculiar culture even among Filipinos. I have climbed mountains, dived and sailed the seas and has visited almost all the provinces in the Philippines. I have led men, women, some younger at times much older than I was.

       With such a trove of experience it has been difficult to pinpoint a specific passion for I have learned to cherish each experience and wisdom I've gained over the years. When I started leading people there came a time when certain issues and concerns cannot be readily answered by what I've learned in the classroom. A lot of times, learning from ones mistakes makes a profound change to the way leaders lead men. When I started to exercise more compassion and sincerity to what I do I discovered an unintended but inseparable off-shoot, helping people. It became an inevitable by-product of my brand of leadership that I could not just ignore. As I continue to immerse myself in knowing the character of my men to help myself lead them, I began to see the both the good and the bad, their struggles and weaknesses, and where their hearts are. They began to trust me more and I've earned not only their respect but their loyalty as well. Yet with their submission I have to do more and exert a better effort as their leader.

What is my Passion?

       My passion is to help people. It was several years ago, as I grew up in rank that I realized that I can do more for my men rather than just fulfilling the roles I was given. Sure, it was easier to do what was asked as your men will likewise do as they are asked. But leadership with a powerful will coupled with compassion and sincerity ultimately makes people exceed their limits as they put forth not only their skills and time to the organization's objectives but give their hearts in accomplishing the task at hand.

       As a military officer I do not have amazing stories of daring rescue missions, black ops or suicide squads that punctuate my leadership. Mine is made up of all the little things that I've done for my people compounded over time. For the past decade I've been helping my men not only in their work but in their personal lives as well.

       I remember a time when one of my former soldiers was wrongfully accused of something and was brought to jail on New Year's Eve. He was probably going to stay there for the rest of the holidays as public offices were closed. I was the one he called that day, and pleaded for my help. I remember promising him that he will spend New Year's Day at home. It was difficult but I managed to get him out before midnight.

       At times I even provide job opportunities to the dependents of my men, some would go to me thanking me for helping their sons or daughters. Others would even made sure that their children who eventually became soldiers gets assigned in my unit. It's a feather in my cap when fathers (my former men) send their children to serve the country under me. That alone is payment enough for the kindness I've shown.

       I've also encountered several instances where in my men would report to me to settle their marital disputes. Admittedly this is one of the trickiest circumstances I have encountered. These marital disputes would range from issues of having other women, financial support, parental absenteeism and children outside their marriage. It is difficult to act as counsel because of the sensitivity of the situation and my inexperience. Most of these people are even older than me and providing marital advice is really tricky. I'm lucky that most of them are still together.

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

       My passion is easily reflected in my work. Being in the military is actually not a career but a way of life. Most of what we do are dictated by orders and families always take a back seat to serving the country.  As such leaders exercise a greater amount of influence in affecting change to the lives of their subordinates. Their place of assignment, leave and furloughs are all under the discretion of the commanding officer. As a commanding officer it has been my policy to assign my people as near to their families as possible to help them spend more time with their families. We've also initiated a move to maintain emergency funds in the event of medical emergencies and assign people tasked to take care of our soldiers requiring medical attention and attend to the needs of their respective families as well. Because of my lie of work I don't usually spend my evenings at home. More often, I spend weeks at my post and visit my sites located in the far flung areas of Visayas. Much of my daily life is taken up by my profession. But during the few times that I'm home I try to expose my children to that passion by asking them to donate toys they no longer play with and clothes that they've outgrown. We also ask them to come with us everytime we visit the local orphanage ran by nuns hoping to inspire them to help people. My life's journey is already aligned with my credo of building good bridges of friendship, making a better self and bringing out the best in others. That motto emphasizes my desire to help people become the best that they can be.

What is the new learning?

       I found out that we can find our passion in whatever we do, it is just a matter of finding what is closest to our hearts and what moves us and dare ourselves to make a move. It is about being brave enough to cross that line and discover one's passion. Helping people, it is only on this paper that I've actually pinpointed what it is. In the course of my life I've been doing it yet failed to identify it. As leader of around a hundred men I strive to walk the extra mile when it comes to taking care of their welfare. I've also come to accept that as a by-product of what I do it will be inherently attached to whatever decision I make regarding my men and they will continue to expect that effort consistently. Honestly, it can be a bit tiring and trying. But I believe that it is always worth the effort to take that extra mile.

What is the relation to what I already know?

       The passion for helping people is inherently right however it should be done with compassion and utmost sincerity. We should expect nothing in return, the deed should be the reward in itself.

       In the course of my life I've also come across people who didn't want help or wouldn't take it when offered. They've become so independent that accepting someone's help feels like a moment of weakness. That their strength lies in being able to do anything alone and feels that any act of kindness done to them requires payment. The passion to help others with compassion and the cleanest of intentions should not discriminate. I believe in continuing to offer it whenever it is needed. People sometimes build walls not to keep people out but to find someone who cares enough to break it down.  Eventually those kind of people will know that there is strength in accepting help.

       It is also important to understand that at times people require something different from what they're asking for. Some people would ask for money but actually require jobs, some would ask for answers yet actually require guidance. Other people sometimes ask for a million different things but they actually need our time and attention.

       The passion to help requires discernment to really affect change in people's lives.

What have I done, am doing, will be doing for this topic?

       As I have previously written, my passion was initially an off-shoot of my brand of leadership which I have been practicing for quite sometime. Going into my third year in Cebu I have somewhat institutionalize that passion among my men. We have established our own support system readily available to our people in times of medical emergencies. Presently as an organization it's been our advocacy to support disaster response and environmental protection efforts of NGO's in Visayas. Though it's beyond our mandate I feel that we ought to be proactive on this matter for it will eventually save lives. Though my stint as commander of a small military unit here is not set in stone I would want the passion to genuinely help people catch on with my men. If I could at least inspire ten of my men to do so and they do the same, it would probably make a difference. That multiplier effect when continued over time may eventually change the perception of many people.