Leadership in the era of Covid-19 pandemic

In a faraway place lived an arrogant king who was advised by his people to prepare for an incoming dreaded disease. The king arrogantly told his people that they need not worry because he will immediately kill the dreaded disease the moment it arrives in his kingdom. Soon after, the dreaded disease arrived and because of his arrogance and laxity his kingdom was ravaged by the dreaded disease.

How does one exercise leadership in the era of Covid-19? Effective leaders during this time should be proactive in anticipating what can occur ahead. For example, due to the flat economic activity lay-offs of employees would seem predictable. However, a good leader/manager must not only look at lay-offs as a solution to sustain the survival of the organization. Temporary reduction of working days should also be looked at as an alternative until the economic activity begins to increase and normalize.

Ego-tripping and the mindset of I am the only voice in the organization must be discarded. Leaders who are ego-tripper and power-tripper are insecure thus they are not good leaders. Leaders during these extra-ordinary times must be humble but decisive and they must listen to the other well-intentioned voices in the organization.

Countries that are being severely ravaged by the Covid-19 virus are countries who took action reactively. They belatedly instituted measures to counter the pandemic when it was already in their territories. For example, belatedly imposing travel restrictions.

Other countries took action proactively they closed their borders ahead of time. They immediately quarantined and monitored those whom they suspected to be carriers of the Covid-19 virus. They also proactively imposed travel restrictions ahead of time.

Leaders who are talkative are also strongly admonished to do away with this ego-infested mindset. Because this only exposes their incompetence the more they talk the more that they waste the precious time of their employees. Excessive talking is cheap during times of emergencies. What the people wants from their leaders are concrete acts of leadership.

In times of crisis such as this pandemic Covid-19 virus the actions and pronouncements of leaders will surely determine their fate in the organization. The best leaders are those who are able to tow their organization outside the door of the crisis. – Marino J. Dasmarinas

The wise and wisdom filled leaders listen first before they speak

The story is told about a leader who called for an important meeting among his direct reports. He did so because he wanted some changes effected in his department. When the meeting started the leader talked lengthy about his plans for their department. After he spoke he gave the limited time that they had to his subordinates to share whatever ideas that they may have.

After all of his direct reports were through sharing their ideas he found out that their ideas were very different from his own ideas. He was now in a dilemma on how he would reconcile this gap.

Typical, egotistical and authority drunk leaders always speak first during important meetings. They do this to emphasize their authority and to let everyone know who is the boss and master of their organization. In doing so, they highlight their selfish, autocratic and ego-driven intentions and behavior.   

On the other hand, when a leader lets his direct reports speak first he is silently telling them that their opinion and ideas matter. That they are important and that they have a voice that needs to be heard. When we listen first we are silently able to align their ideas to our ideas and we can adjust our intentions without prejudicing their intentions. So, we can easily arrive with a win-win outcome.

When the leader is the last to speak it doesn’t mean that he is weak, that he is relinquishing his leadership and authority. As matter of fact he is actually strengthening, solidifying and reinforcing his leadership and authority. This also shows that the leader is wisdom filled, confident and humble. – Marino J. Dasmarinas    

Humanize your leadership

The story is told about a slave driver manager who would always treat his subordinates as expendable machines. That needs to work hard day in and day out. This was always the scenario for so many months until the subordinates had enough of the slave driver mentality of their manager.

So they talked to the said manager and warned him that if he would not change his foul behavior towards them. They would petition for his replacement. Aware of the repercussion if his subordinates would petition him he therefore changed his way of treatment towards his subordinates.

Organizational leadership is not only about the achievement of organizational goals, targets and objectives. It is also about humanely treating our employees. What use would it be if we are able to achieve our organizational targets when we don’t treat our employees humanely? If we treat them like robots?

We have to be aware that organizational leadership is not all about meeting the organization’s objectives and goals. It’s also about treating our employees rightly and humanely. So, how do we humanize our leadership in the midst of the frenetic pace of an organization?

Number one is we have to be inclusive when exercising our leadership function as much as possible. To be inclusive means that we consult and solicit the ideas of our subordinates before we do leadership decisions. The beauty of inclusive leadership is we convey a message to our subordinates that they are not simply employees. That they too are decision makers and vital members of the organizational family.

Number two is we have to be helpful. Many leaders choose to stay in their ivory towers and look and lead from afar. For the reason that they are already leaders they choose to create distance rather than mitigate the distance by being helpful towards their subordinates. When we are helpful towards our subordinates we create an invisible bond with our subordinates. Invisible bond which we can always activate whenever we want to activate it.

Number three is we have to be up close and personal in the right manner with our subordinates. Some filthy minded leaders take advantage of being up close and personal with their subordinates by despicably trying to build sexual relationship with them.

Being up close and personal with our subordinates simply means that we try to get to know them better and personally. For example, we try to know their family and once in a while inquire about how their family is doing etc. And it ends there.

There are infinite benefits when we humanize our leadership primary among this is we increase the intrinsic motivation of our employees. Therefore, try to humanize your leadership and see the transformation that it would bring to the behavior and motivation of your subordinates. – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Why is there a need for leaders to learn more?

The story is told about a young man that got promoted to a leadership position in the land development company which he works for. The Chief Executive Officer of the company saw a promising future for the man. She therefore told the young man: “Keep on learning: Learn from your mistakes, learn from your interactions with the people in this organization and learn by taking a post graduate course for it would help you ascend the organizational hierarchy.”

Why is there a need for leaders to learn? Because leaders who learn and who use their learning are effective leaders, why? For the simple reason that they don’t stagnate, they make their minds work and it strengthens mental activity which reinforces their leadership skills.

If exercise is for the strengthening and development of the body, learning is for the strengthening and development of the mind. If a person is not anymore willing to learn it certainly would hasten his/her advance to the geriatric ward of life.  Henry Ford the founder of the Ford Motors Company once said: “Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty.”   

We increase our value as a leader when we have an appetite for learning. Because it open us new avenues for promotion and other opportunities in the workplace. And it makes us desirable for piracy by other organization that would offer higher compensation.

But many are not inclined with learning anymore for the simple reason that it would entail burning the midnight oil/candle. It entails sacrifice, effort and time however everything that is invested into learning is worth it. Perhaps not immediately but it surely will come in handy in the future when there’s an opportunity for promotion.

So, keep on learning: Read books, read articles and commentaries that relates to your field of interest. Use google to the hilt to learn more.   For learning is the elixir of the mind. – Marino J. Dasmarinas

An effective leader is not afraid to show his/her emotions

Are you sometimes afraid to show your emotions? For example, your direct reports failed to achieve their target accomplishments and you were naturally disappointed. As much as you want to express your disappointment you held back because you did not want to antagonize them. So, you simply reminded them about your failed expectation and that’s it.

Managers and leaders should not be afraid to manifest their emotion when there is a need for it. Even if it will antagonize those who would receive the emotional outburst, why? Because it’s when we manifest our emotions that we become more effective managers and leaders. A good and effective leader/manager does not paint brush, sugar coat and hide his true emotion in the exercise of his managerial/leadership function.   

When a manager/leader is afraid to manifest his emotions he becomes hostage of his direct reports. He becomes an inutile leader subject to the whims and caprices of those under his supervision and care.  Emotions are what make a leader/manager effective. It galvanizes those under his care and supervision and it makes the leader/manager authentic to his direct reports.

What would happen if we are not afraid to show our emotions? We inspire our people to move towards the achievement of the goals of the organization. We create a magical but invisible motivational instrument that would push them to move forward and be positive no matter the odds in front of them. – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

On handling a needy employee

How do you handle a needy employee? A needy employee is someone who often seeks your attention. Among many other reasons, he does this because he lacks confidence in doing his job. Where does his lack of confidence emanates? There are many behavioral reasons to this lack of confidence. If it emanates from his lack of knowledge on how to properly do his job. The solution available is to educate again the person on how to do his job properly.

After reeducating the person again the expectation of the manager is the neediness behavior would be cured or eliminated. But more often than not an employee’s neediness doesn’t only emanate from the lack of proper knowledge about the job. Sometimes it’s much deeper than what we think it is. And when this is so, the manager should sit-down and have a heart-to-heart talk with the needy employee to properly address the symptom of his neediness.   

One of the results of the heart-to-heart talk could be lack of freedom on the job. For the simple reason that the manager is micro-managing his direct report. The solution here is to loosen the grip and give the direct report freedom in doing his job. This freedom that is given is of course not absolute it should still be within the ambit of the rules and regulation of the organization. Lack of self-confidence of the direct report can be solved also by telling the employee that you would always be there to help if needed.

Needy employees exist. And an effective and good manager can easily address this human behavior issue by having a heart-to-heart talk with the concerned employee.  – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Do you want to enhance your leadership?

The story is told about a homeowners organization that was looking for a leader. During Election Day many names were nominated to vie for the presidency of the homeowners organization.

Prominent among those names were Nap and Pablo. Nap was a loudmouth and a voracious talker. On the other hand Pablo was the reserved type he seldom talks but when he talks he commands attention. After the votes were counted Pablo was declared the winner by a mile. 

How can you enhance your leadership? Many have this false notion that leadership is enhanced by being a loudmouth, blabbermouth and opinionated. None of these are actually true, leadership is not in anyway enhanced by these ego driven characteristics. On the contrary leadership is thrown into oblivion by a person that seeks attention. As the saying goes, “An empty can is noisy” so is a person who pretends to have leadership qualities.

Thus, how do you enhance your leadership? Be reserved, listen more; don’t seek attention and talk only when it’s necessary for you to talk. Silent water runs deep, right? The same is true with a person who has unfathomable leadership qualities.

This kind of person carefully studies and reflects on his leadership character. He/she thinks ahead regarding the outcome and the ramification of the words that he/she might say.  – Marino J. Dasmarinas