The three primary leadership skills

There are three primary leadership skills: Technical, Human and Conceptual. Each of these skills can effectively help leaders/managers in exercising their function provided they know how to use it appropriately.

The third leadership skill is Technical skill: This is the knowledge of the leader/manager about the nitty- gritty or the specific details of the job of his direct reports and subordinates. For example, in a food business such as Mc Donalds the leader/manager must know every small details of the job that his crews are doing. Such as the preparation of hamburger, spaghetti, fried chicken and so forth. The proper mixture of fruit juices, dispensing of coffee and other drinks. Inventory and set up of supplies and every little detail that makes a food business work.

The second is Human/People skill this refers to the ability of the leader/manager to work effectively with his people; this is human relations in action. We all know that humans are the most precious resource of an organization. We also know that no human is an island, thus, it is a must for the leader/manager to know how to build teamwork. He must learn how to effectively communicate towards his people, he must be sensitive to their needs. He must know how to empathize and he must always start the communication process.

The leader/manager must also know how to mediate and ease tension brought about by the behavioral idiosyncrasies of his people. He should also know how to be vulnerable when there’s a need to be vulnerable this he can best do by asking questions. And by asking his people to teach him of the things that he needs to know.   

The number one leadership skill is Conceptual skill, this is the ability of the leader/manager to think on how he can best run his organization: In terms of expansion, profitability achievement of organizational goals, mission and vision. He must also know how to conceptualize strategic plans and solutions for his organization when it encounters problematic situations. 

Simply put, Conceptual skill is the ability of the leader/manager to think on how he can successfully Lead, Manage and Grow his organization. That will not only benefit his organization but also benefit his employees and the environment at large.  

Most especially during this era of Covid-19 pandemic wherein many business organization are finding it very hard to survive. Therefore, a good and effective leader/manager must harness whatever conceptual skill that he has and put it to good use. So that he can safely navigate his organization in the midst of the business disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.        

For leaders/managers to be successful, they must know how to properly utilize their Technical skills, Human/People skills and Conceptual skills. - Marino J. Dasmarinas

On jokes and leadership

The story is told about a leader who made light of the crisis that his organization was going through. So, he would make jokes about shutting down the organization which he leads and the lives of his people after they become jobless. To one male subordinate he said, “You will become a villain in a movie because you have a face that only your mother can love.” To another female subordinate he said, “You will become a nightclub bouncer because you are built like a male even if you’re a female.” His subordinates did not buy his jokes they simply smirked and left him.    

It’s not right for a leader to joke with his subordinates while exercising his leadership function. And it’s not right also to make jokes while the organization is in crisis mode. However, there are leaders and managers who cannot help but make jokes at the expense of their direct reports and subordinates even if the situation doesn’t warrant it. They sadistically love it when their people laugh at their jokes.

This is quite fun in the short run but as the leader does this every so often this becomes ineffective and insulting already. Until it reaches a point that the leader/manager is not being respected anymore and he himself becomes a joke to his direct reports and subordinates.

Does this mean that a leader should not joke with his direct reports and subordinates? Not really, because it’s OK for a leader/manager to banter with his people but he must see to it that this is done in the proper environment. For example, during activities not confined to official working hours wherein the leader/manager becomes just one of the guys.

 In this instance he can freely exchange jokes for so long as he wants. It makes him more human and more approachable when he does that. It breaks the unseen barrier that separates his position from his direct reports and subordinates. And this also solidifies their team spirit.

It’s not actually bad to tell a joke for the sake of hilarity provided that this is done in the most appropriate situation.  And provided that the jokes will not infringe on our honor, office and integrity and the honor and integrity of our direct reports and subordinates as well. - Marino J. Dasmarinas

The best Leadership Trait

What is the most important Leadership trait?

There are so many important traits that a leader must have. Such as Charisma, Positive behavior, Confidence, Courage, Knowledge, Integrity and the like.

But there’s one that’s in front, this is the ability of the leader to inspire his people. Leaders that know how to inspire have an incredible enthusiasm for their job. They always have a positive mindset and as a result, this positive mindset cascades down to each and every member of his organization.

Leaders that inspire must also be an exceptional communicator: Every word that he utters must be motivational and inspiring. They must also embody their utterance.   However, there are leaders who are only good with communication but they don’t walk what they preach, this is the principal reason why they fail to inspire their people.

An inspirational leader should also know how to sacrifice his personal comfort for the sake of his people. Not sacrifice his people for his personal comfort. For instance, if the budget is tight thus there is no money for important miscellaneous expenses. The leader must not think twice to shoulder the expenses.

A Leader/Manager gains tons of respect from his people when he is always there to help them. When he dives with his people in the sea of problems that they are in. By doing so, he earns their respect and commitment. Thus, he further inspires them to be his committed team members in the achievement of his goals.

Are we the kind of leader/manager who knows how to inspire our people? - Marino J. Dasmarinas

Let us not let social media dictate upon us

Are we always tension filled caused by the Covid-19 pandemic? Many are tension filled these days and when we ask them where it emanates they conveniently point to the havoc caused by Covid-19. This is correct to a certain negligible degree! But what really cause the useless tensions that many of us are feeling right now? It’s our addiction to social media!

Many of us are so addicted to our smart phones and laptops that we always browse facebook and other online portals to get news about what is happening regarding covid-19. Many would even uselessly comment and share news items about it not minding the psychological injury that in can cause to themselves and to those who read and receive it.

When we do this we let social media dictate upon us, we let useless tension creep into our system of thinking. And we end up what? We end up like fools and neurotic people, we end up like headless chickens swarming an unknown environment, all because we let social media dictate upon us.

The Wise and Wisdom filled don’t allow social media to dictate upon them they instead dictate on social media. How are they doing this? For example, they purposely limit their time of exposure to social media for the simple reason that they know the psychological harm that it can cause them.

So, they set limited time to browse facebook and other social media platforms. Say, 30 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes before retiring at night and that is more than enough for them. And what are they doing for the rest of the day? They go about their usual routines: They clean the house, they read, they listen to uplifting music and useful audio books.

They pray the rosary, they read the bible and reflect upon the word of God. They tend their gardens with facemask of course :) and they talk to their plants but let us not overdo talking to our plants because our neighbors might accuse us of neurosis :) :) :).

We can still do so much outside of social media; we can plan on how to carefully walk the post covid-19 new normal. And then we set our sights and soon after sail and carefully navigate to a bright, hopeful and faith filled future ahead of us. – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Leadership, Organizational Culture and the Covid-19 pandemic

Organizational culture is the standard, philosophy and shared ideal of an organization. Organizations that have competent culture are the ones that succeed.

For an organizational culture to be pervasive; it needs to be implemented from the top management down to the lowest ranked employee of an organization. A good and competent Organizational Culture is very contagious especially when it is thoroughly implemented and lived by its leaders.

For example, in the present Covid-19 pandemic many countries are struggling to fight this pandemic. On the other hand there are also countries such as Taiwan, Vietnam, South Korea, Germany  Singapore, Israel, New Zealand and Japan that are able to contain the spread of this Covid-19 pandemic. What separates them from the other countries that are struggling to contain the spread of this pandemic notwithstanding the draconian measures that they have instituted?

What separate these countries are the competent organizational Culture that they’ve put in place. And who is in charge of putting in place this competent organizational Culture? It’s their respective leaders! 

 A good and competent Culture also attracts the best and brightest work force. For the reason that everyone would want to work for a company that has a good organizational culture. Who would not like to work for an organization that has a competent organizational culture?

For an organizational culture to be effective, it must be inculcated into the minds of the employees during their very first day of work. This is normally facilitated by orientation wherein the newly hired employee is informed about the culture and other policies of the organization. The workers are introduced to the many guidelines of their new organization. And if competently done it is expected that these employees would follow every rules and regulations of their new organization.

Does your organization have a good and competent Organizational Culture? - Marino J. Dasmarinas

How do you motivate yourself?

Can you still find the motivation to work in this era of Covid-19? 

Motivation is a positive energy that fuels an individual or group of individuals to achieve their organizational and personal goals. Usually there’s a person who motivates and there are people who are being motivated. This is usually the scheme of things.

But can we motivate ourselves considering that the pandemic called covid-19 is ravaging the world? Yes we still can! Notwithstanding the discouraging business and societal environment! We have to remember that motivation is a positive state of mind. Everything begins in the mind, if we have a positive mind and heart sets motivation is within us already.

What is important is we persist and believe in what we are doing. And for as long as we continue with what we are doing sooner or later there would be realization of what we are aspiring for.

For those who are losing heart already and is soon to give it all up. Don’t raise the white flag of surrender motivate yourself by doing the following:

1.) Pray and ask God to strengthen you!

2.) Think positive and believe in yourself because nobody else will believe you if you don’t      believe in yourself!

3.) Post inspirational quotations that will inspire you to continue!

4.) Be inspired by Motivational stories.

 5.) Work hard and never ever give up!

Saint Augustine once said: "Pray as though everything depended on God. Work as though everything depended on you."  - Marino J. Dasmarinas

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