Regis Cebu Leadership: Final Integrative Paper by Leader Gem S. Reuyan
Outline:
I. Where I am now?
II. Where am I going?
III. How do I get there?
IV. My Leadership Wheel
"The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away."
Pablo Picasso
I. Where I am now?
My life experiences, as written in my defining moments, have molded me to grow as an individual. My uniqueness as shown in my Reflection Paper Number 2 has challenged me to use whatever talents and resources that I have. My enneagram has showed my strengths as anchor in times of challenges. My AVP shows the highlights of my life.
Leadership is a continuous journey for me. Based on our lectures, leadership is different from merely management of employees. "Leadership is the art of persuading people to do what they should have done in the first place."[i] Leadership is different from management. A leader provides direction, influences, motivates and inspires others. Managers plans, controls and solves problems. I intend to exhibit leadership not only on professional aspect of my life but also on a personal basis, from influencing our family and friends to . I would like to revisit my professional leadership journey on how I exhibited leadership and how I plan to continuously improve this journey.
Leadership Journey – Corporate:
Profession / Work
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Circle of Influence
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How I exhibited influence?
How is my leadership skills put to test?
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Lawyer
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Board of Directors
Business Units
Executives
Other lawyers
Paralegal
Government Regulators
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Unlike when I was a Finance Manager where I used to manage 20 Accountants, being a lawyer requires a different exercise and test of leadership skills.
I influence the decision makers of the company such as the board of directors and the executives. Matters such compliance with government regulations, acquisitions or dispositions of companies, structuring or organizations of companies to imposition of employee discipline are within my scope of work as a lawyer.
Learning: Self-awareness
Prior to taking up this Leadership subject, I was not consciously aware that I am exercising leadership. This subject made me realize that I can be a vital instrument not only in improving the organization that I am currently working but I can also extend my influence to the employees and even to the government (e.g. resource or rendering opinions on government regulations like Revenue Regulations of BIR during public consultations).
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Finance & Accounting Manager
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Chief Finance Officer
Executives
Department Head
Operations Manager
Accountants
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As a Finance Manager I am expected to influence and manage the team to achieve our over-all purpose in the organization. Day by day I should exhibit my leadership skills not only with the Finance team but also with other teams in the organization as well.
I also influence the President and other decision makers of the company. On an ad hoc basis, I also participate on the employee discipline and investigation process of the HR department. It was not an easy task to determine and evaluate employee sanctions.
One major challenge that we had was during ERP transition of the company. The company and all the teams has to come up with a plan to be able to successfully implement the new system (SAP) without disruption of our daily services. Our team was first to successfully implement. In fact, after the implementation, I was offered a new job to lead the Asia Pacific Region which I turned down since I could no longer practice law because I will be handling more accounts. (As Finance Manager, I was allowed to practice law as long as cases are not in conflict with the company. I then handled labor and civil cases.)
Learning: Ingenuity & Love
Implementation of our new ERP system was received with complaints, negative reactions and rejections. However by approaching the situation with new approaches made our team successful in the implementation (without down time unlike other teams). Accountants were given back-ups/ assistants in order to support the old system while the existing accountants work on the implementation. Complaints on being overworked were addressed. Some back-ups were eventually hired to fill up some positions for the new ERP system. It was easy moving around employees as the participation were high after listening to their sentiments. Exercising ingenuity by addressing the problem and love by listening to the emotions of the accountants paved way to the successful implementation of the system. Other groups soon followed our approached in the implementation. Our team then was confidently leading and adapting to the change in the technology.
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Financial Reporting Analysis Manager
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Project Managers
Department Head
Accountant & analysts
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I was on my very early twenties when I was promoted as a manager of a team that will measure the financial performance of all the departments worldwide. I listen and scrutinize the justifications of the operations managers on their budgets and financial performance.
My manager and I (only the two of us) introduced a change in the ERP system of the company. She asked me (instead of the payroll manager) to join her even in the automation of the payroll and timekeeping system of the company. It was received by the employees with great resistance. In the sea of grouchy men, we were able to implement it on time. We have managed to convince them that it was for efficiency and improvement of the company. During that time (early 2000), the employees were not so sophisticated and any change is abhorred.
Learning: Ingenuity
I have learned to work with managers with different personalities (and nationalities). I have traveled to places like India & Sri-lanka where work cultures are different.
Different employees should be treated differently. We made different approaches depending on the country in the implementation of the system. We have to acknowledge that cultures affect how the employees work.
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Leadership Journey – Personal:
My personal leadership journey was described in my reflection papers. The high points in my reflection papers as well as the activities that we undertook are captured below.
1. Defining Moments
My crucibles unlike for some are not traumatic or turbulent. That does not however mean that those are insignificant or did not help me become a better person. .In the early part of my law practice, I went to litigation aside from the corporate practice. Most of those were pro-bono affecting the lives of people I know and people I don't know.
I consider my educational achievements such as passing the CPA board exam and passing bar examinations as my defining moments since it paved the way to the profession which I would like to pursue. Getting married is also a defining moment since it has changed my priorities.
In my childhood, I guess the most traumatic experience that happened to me was that I was a victim of deceit. My sister and I was led to believe that a man was a friend of my father and he pretended to borrow my earrings. I gave him my earrings only to find out that he will never return it. This is perhaps the reason why I am careful with trusting people I don't know.
Those experiences transformed me. I learned that our choices now could affect not only the present but also the future. Some leave a permanent scar one cannot just as easily erase or wipe away. Others may judge our experience, not knowing how it feels to be in the others person's shoes.
2. Internal & external factors that shaped me (RP2)
Knowing the internal and external factors that shaped me is a path to self- awareness. Truly knowing myself would give me an assurance that whatever the future challenges maybe, I will be able to surpass it. Being authentic to myself and address my weaknesses is a key to becoming an authentic leader. The people that surrounds me – family and friends – have great influence on the way I live my life. I should surround myself with mature and good hearted people so that I can learn from them.
I consider my strengths as my anchor in making decisions while my weaknesses serves as a reminder that I am not perfect and that I should continuously strive to improve myself. My weakness: lack of self-confidence, often gave me doubt whenever a decision is at hand. My strengths – being analytical and being a learner often pushed me to be innovative to do things I have never done. I am not afraid to introduce change and accept accountabilities for my actions.
From Strength Finders
Ideation - fascinated by ideas, able to find connections between seemingly disparate phenomena.
Learner - a great desire to learn and want to continuously improve.
Strategic - create alternative ways to proceed. Faced with any given scenario, they can quickly spot the relevant patterns and issues.
Analytical - search for reasons and causes. They have the ability to think about all the factors that might affect a situation.
Relator - enjoy close relationships with others. They find deep satisfaction in working hard with friends to achieve a goal.
Positivity - have an enthusiasm that is contagious.
Top strengths according to my Harrison Assessments are:
Analytical – the tendency to logically examine facts and situations. I enjoy and tend to frequently analyze problems and decisions. This will have somewhat a positive impact on my job satisfaction and/or performance.
Analyzes Pitfalls – the tendency to scrutinize potential difficulties related to a plan or strategy. I am therefore extremely mindful when it comes to making strategic decisions.
Takes Initiatives – the tendency to perceive what is necessary to be accomplished and proceed on one's own. This initiative will help me achieve objectives.
External factors:
Family. My first step to life and my guide to the external world is my family. My parents has molded us to become better persons. My sisters were there to assist me in every step of the way.
My Spouse. He has a profound impact in my life. He is my guide and inspiration. I stay happy and positive in life because of him. Each day we make sure that we talk and discuss our plans and the future. We may not be blessed with all that our heart desires but we are contented with all the blessings that we receive.
Work Experience. My work and travels opened my eyes to the different side of the world. My managers and office mates contribute to what I am today. I have learned a lot from my colleagues not only from the professional aspect of their life but also the personal aspect as they share their family problems and life's challenges. Some of them would say that I am advance for my age as my group of friends in the office are the old ones. My work also has a great influence on how I live. Working in different companies from service companies, manufacturing to holding companies has taught me different efficient practices:
1. Lean manufacturing
2. Six sigma
3. Kaizen, 5S and other principles
4. Seven habits
5. Creating future organization
6. Project management
I have undergone several training and seminars in order to improve not only my working habits but also my personal life.
3. Enneagram. I am Number 5. I am an observer, investigator, and thinker. To recapitulate, number 5s are (based on the exam I took):
· The life of the style Five centers on their thinking.
· Healthy Fives are both highly intellectual and involved in activity.
· They can be, if not geniuses, then extraordinarily accomplished.
· As the most intellectual of the nine Styles, they are often superb teachers and/or researchers.
· Many healthy Fives are fine writers because of their acute observational skills and a developed idealism.
· They are highly objective and able to see all sides of a question and understand them.
· Basic Fear: Being useless, helpless, or incapable
· Basic Desire: To be capable and competent.
· Key Motivations: Want to possess knowledge, to understand the environment, to have everything figured out as a way of defending the self from threats from the environment."
The enneagram result has made me aware of my capabilities and strengths essential to self- leadership. As a leader I should be aware of who I am, my strengths and my weakness. I should accept my strengths and improve my weaknesses. This enneagram result serves as my roadmap, a helpful guide in living a good life and in my further development as a person and as a leader. The enneagram helped me to become self-aware of who I am, my capabilities and my weaknesses, my opportunities and my potentialities. It also taught me of my default tendencies when placed in a specific context or when faced with a particular situation. To become self-aware of who I am is useful as it is helps me deal with my own internal issues as well as how to deal with others and the world. In cases where deals are complicated and deadlines are due, my strength as a thinker keeps me going. When other people rely on my advice for their problems (this is the nature of my work as a lawyer), I know I have a creative solutions to offer. I know I can connect and engaged with other people. I know I can make a difference in the world.
Learning. In my quest to become a better leader, it is good that I am aware of who I am, my capabilities and my weakness. Acceptance of my weakness are important for me to be able to find ways to improve myself to become a better person. I am delighted to know that it's my innate tendencies to observe and learn. I don't have to be a prisoner of my weakness but I can learn and improve myself to become a better leader. Leaders learn not only from their pitfalls but also from others. As they say, "you don't have to experience the mistakes of others, you can watch and learn from them.
After doing the enneagram test and the defining moments reflection papers, I have realized that I am a leader. I have always defied and shun this calling. I would rather work on my own than lead. I have to overcome my weaknesses and use my strengths. In one way or another, I have inspired people - my husband, my family and my friends - that if one thinks and plans his life well, everything will be in place. As they said, "we are the master of our fate, the captain of our soul."
I realized that my role has transcend – from managing and leading certain department (Finance & Accounting) in the corporate realm to giving advice to leaders. Yes, I do not handle as many workforce as before, but my tasks has transcend to making corporate decisions. I give advice to the President, to the directors of the company, to the managers and to the major decision makers of the company. Take for instance, the decision of merging the company or selling its assets. The impact is not only limited to financial aspect of the company but it affects the like of the people who give life to the company. The outcome of these advices could make or break not only of one but many. I feel responsible and accountable not only for my actions but to the future of the organizations and the people working therein.
Lessons: Self-Leadership, Self-Awareness & Love
The activities above forced me to a deep thinking of who I am, what am I capable of doing and where I am at the moment. Those are critical points before knowing where I am going. I find meaning in understanding the activities that I have experienced throughout this course. The exercises were deeply awakening. It started as doing reflection papers which challenged us to embrace and love who we are. It led us to self-awareness.
II. Where am I going?
Personal:
1. Giving back to the society.
My Passion: Giving voice to women and children who are victims of domestic abuse.
I choose this passion this is related to my profession and something that not many of us can easily reach out. Each of us is gifted with talents and skills and it's up to us to make it useful. I never thought I would find much more meaning helping abused women and children. Even if it is made for free, it is more rewarding to know that you have helped saved a life and gave others a hope for a better future.
Domestic violence is a slow lingering death for many women who suffer in silent anguish. The law and the judicial process is not enough to eradicate this menace in our society. That's why I choose this noble endeavor and crusade to be my passion. I would want to be the voice of women who have none or lost the tenacity to speak up for themselves. I would like to empower the women so that those in the darkness may see the brilliance of their own light. I am hoping that many people will rise up against violence.
Lesson: Heroism. Each of us, regardless of who we are, can do our share to make the world a better place to live. In my case, I chose something that is related to my profession and something that I can relate to as a woman. Each of us is gifted with talents and skills and it's up to us to make it useful. I never thought I would find much more meaning helping abused women and children. Even if it is made for free, it is more rewarding to know that you have helped saved a life and gave others a hope for a better future.
"The person who knows what he or she wants can pursue it energetically. No one becomes a great teacher, parent, violinist, or corporate executive by accident.[ii]"
2. Newly discovered passion: Swimming! I used to dislike going to the beach because I don't like to wander under the sun. I never learned how to swim but I don't fear riding boats and joining white water rafting. When my husband and I went to Siquijor, I discovered how beautiful the ocean is. I saw colorful sea creatures and beautiful corals. With this, I want to learn how to swim and perhaps get a license in scuba diving.
II. Corporate:
Trajectory - Separation from Spouse and uprooting myself from Cebu
In my horizon is my upcoming reassignment to Manila while my husband will transfer to Siquijor. How we will decide will definitely again change our life-story. It would certainly be a challenge but with the help of prayers, I know we can survive. Just as stated in the book "Crucibles of Leadership" the author noted that the most critical skill of a leader is the adaptive capacity. This is the ability to grasp context and hardiness. I shall consider our transfers not as a disaster but a blessing to truly test our love for each other.
Knowing that I am equipped with the required skills to the profession I want to pursue, Finance & Accounting and Legal makes me feel assured that whatever choice I make, I will be able to survive.
My current jobs allows me to practice both profession. Practicing both professions (CPA & a lawyer) is what I to pursue in life. I have geared my efforts and my youths towards this goal. My trajectory lead now will be the place where I want to work – Where am I going? Siquijor? Manila? Cebu?
1. Cebu – I can choose to remain in Cebu and be contented with my current job. Promotions in the coming years will of course come from Manila where our business is growing and the transactions are becoming challenging. I can also choose to apply with other companies in Cebu and pursue finance or legal profession.
2. Manila - It will be a challenge to transfer to Manila and be separated from my family. However with the assignment of my husband to Siquijor, it is more convenient for him to go to Manila than go to Cebu. It takes 4 to 6 hours travel to Cebu vis a vis Manila which will only take 2 hours via Dumaguete. The opportunity for career growth and learning in Manila is overwhelming.
3. Siquijor – Be my own boss! I can choose to be a housewife or pursue litigation and business in Siquijor and continue my passion to help abused women and children. I have been thinking of establishing a business and be an entrepreneur. My MBA will be a useful tool if I'd be an entrepreneur.
My most viable of the 3 options is going to Manila and chase the challenge of becoming Chief Financial Officer of a business unit. Prospect in line of becoming a CFO (where I can both practice law accounting and finance) of a business unit is an option for me since one business unit is encouraging me to transfer and pursue this career. We have an HR program called the "better me" program whereby the employees are given the chance to pursue other careers depending on the strengths and weaknesses of the employees. We have a tool to cross-match our talents with the available career opportunities (we are in need of CFOs retiring in the business units). In fact my MBA in Ateneo is part of our "Individual Development Plan" which I took in order to align with my goal on becoming a CFO. Based on the HR tools that we have, I am well-suited for the position. But of course, I make it as my personal goal to prepare and obtain the required leadership skills to pursue this new career. While a business unit and our HR are supporting this goal of mine the challenge is that I need to convince the corporate office to agree on this new endeavor.
III. How do I get there?
To determine how I reach my goals, it is essential to revisit my strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats.
Strengths
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Weaknesses
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Multi-tasker
Analytical & strategic
Goal oriented
Flexible/Adaptive
Loyal
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Lack of self-confidence
Super Cautious
Dislike monotonous work.
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Opportunities
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Threats
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Career growth
Varied experience in different industries
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Health
Distance which may affect relationship with family
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I want to conquer my weaknesses and use my strengths for continuous learning and self- improvement in order to contribute to the betterment of our society.
Personal:
Aspects
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Action Plan
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Goal
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Spouse
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Spend common activities such as travel, study, going to the gym or swimming.
Spend quality time with spouse.
Have or adopt children
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Express full support and love
Strengthen relationship
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Family
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Spend quality time with my family.
Spend at least one Sunday in a month with my family.
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Closer relationship with my parents and siblings
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Spiritual
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Revisit my spiritual journey.
Spend some time meditating (See #14, #8 in list below)
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Reconnect with the Almighty.
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Corporate/Career: My action plan on my goal to becoming a CFO:
How do I become a Chief Finance Officer? [iii]
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Action Plan
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• TO INCREASE THE LIKELIHOOD OF BECOMING A CFO, you need a broad range of skills beyond knowing the ABCs of accounting. You must be a business strategist, think like someone on the board of directors and be familiar with technology. Don't ignore the operations side of the business either.
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Enroll in the company's "better me" program where they support employees goals and future plans.
Emersion to one of the business units of the group.
Attend accounting trainings and seminars
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• CPAs ARE PARTICULARLY WELL-SUITED to becoming CFOs and working as the CEO's right hand. Because of their discipline and organization and their ability to present financial information appropriately and with integrity, accounting professionals make excellent CFO candidates.
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Finish my MBA.
Participate in the company's coaching and mentoring program with one of the company's CFO.
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• CFOs NEED CORPORATE EXPERIENCE in either the controller or treasury functions. It's okay to move around companies to gain experience. It's critical to keep up with continuing professional education, especially in today's regulatory environment.
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Gain more corporate experience.
To date I have gained 16 years of corporate experience (finance, tax & accounting) but I feel I need more.
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• POSITIONING YOURSELF AS A TEAM- AND CONSENSUS- builder will encourage people to trust your judgment. The CFO applicant must know how to deal with all the business departments, must understand risks and provide options for mitigating them.
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Enroll in the company's coaching and mentoring program with one of the business unit's CFO.
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• DON'T ASSUME THE CEO KNOWS you want to be CFO. Make yourself known. The CEO wants someone of impeccable integrity and loyalty. Network, develop contacts on the board and with your auditors.
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Participate in company's social programs.
Join PICPA seminars and accounting forums
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Lastly, for my action plan. I have written 40 things that I would like to do before getting 40 as part of my personal goal.
40 things I should do before 40
(For the Society, Self & God)
Inspired by my 2016 belle de jour power planner, I have come up with 40 things I should do before 40. The 16 things I plan to do in 2016 and the rest for the next succeeding years.
Society & Others
1. Work for an advocacy close to my heart
2. Organize my closet and donate clothes I don't need to wear
3. Help a senior safely cross the street
4. Rescue an abandoned animal
5. Help a stranger
6. Grow a small herb garden
7. Volunteer to lead an outreach program
8. Lend a shoulder to a broken hearted friend
9. Offer to watch my nephew or nice for a day
10. Make a breakfast for my parents
11. Sponsor a child to school
12. Send someone a postcard
13. Tell a stranger that he or she is beautiful (dare!)
14. Treat an old classmate for lunch
15. Volunteer at an orphanage
16. Ask an elderly person to share his childhood stories
Self
17. Attend dance classes
18. Learn how to swim
19. Learn one or two magic tricks
20. Learn new language (Spanish maybe?)
21. Write one quote a month (must be handwritten)
22. Learn how to bike
23. Spend an entire day in a library
24. Quit fast food
25. Learn sign language
26. Take a photography class
27. Ride a rollercoaster
28. Drink a full glass of water after eating
29. Visit an orchid garden
30. Research on how to grow money in mutual funds
31. Walk 10,000 steps a day (bought a pedometer and I'm doing 3k steps per day only)
32. Travel Europe
33. Fill up a piggy bank
34. Take a photo underwater
Spiritual
35. Read about other religion
36. Meditate for an hour every Sunday
37. Go back to my childhood playground sand reflect
38. Climb a mountain
39. Learn a challenging yoga pose
40. Make a wish upon a shooting star
Lesson: Ingenuity. We have different ways of achieving our goals and purpose in life. Others plan and do a checklist others may leave everything to faith and prayers. I will do both.
My attempt to do my wheel of leadership
My leadership circle is inspired by the book mark bought by my husband in Singapore. He gave it to me to motivate me to read more books.
It's a star but its made up of two hearts overlaping each other if you look at it closely
My Vision is at the head of the star. It leads me to where I want to the direction I want to go. My strengths and weakness are my wings. Values and my EQ & IQ are at the tail. My motivation is my guide while my passion goals keeps me going. Motivation is one of the five core competencies of emotional intelligence which is a passion to work for reasons that go beyond money or status[iv]. On the internal side, self- awareness is an important factor that leads me to know all the other elements in the star including my habits and traits.
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