Volodymyr Zelenskyy: A Heroic, Inspiring, and Shining Leadership Masterclass

The man of the hour right now is Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. His name, videos, and quotes are trending across the world of social media. Why? Because he dared to confront, head-on, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s immoral, unprovoked, and inhuman war against his sovereign nation.

It all began on Thursday, February 24, when Putin’s tanks, missiles, and other instruments of war and destruction rumbled through targeted cities in Ukraine—most notably the capital, Kyiv, where the seat of power is located. Given President Putin’s overwhelming military strength and nuclear armaments, the world assumed it would be a cakewalk for Russia. But it was not. In fact, it is shaping up to be a quagmire for Putin and his military cohorts.

Hours before Ukraine was invaded by Russian armed forces, President Zelenskyy, in a  video address, warned Putin by saying:"When you attack us, you will see our faces, not our backs."

On February 25, the morning after Russian missiles rained down and tanks rolled into Ukraine, Zelenskyy posted a  video defiantly vowed to stay and fight. He said:“I am here. We are not putting down arms. We will be defending our country, because our weapon is truth, and our truth is that this is our land, our country, our children, and we will defend all of this.”

These courageous words from Zelenskyy galvanized and inspired his people to hold the line—no matter the odds. What leadership lessons can we derive from this video of Zelenskyy and his subsequent pronouncements?

Lesson Number One: Great leaders such as Zelenskyy always lead the way and show the way. This means they are in the thick of things—they're in the trenches, giving orders and fighting alongside their people, not hiding in the safety of luxurious and secure offices. When the U.S. offered him a safe exit from his besieged nation, he stood his ground and courageously said: "The fight is here; I need ammunition, not a ride."

Lesson Number Two: Great leaders are effective communicators. They use social media to their advantage and carefully craft their messages. They promptly communicate what needs to be said. In times of crisis, delays can cost a leader dearly—in reputation, character, and authority. Zelenskyy is a master communicator, owing to his background as an actor and comedian. He flawlessly conveyed messages of defiance and unity to his soldiers, his people, and the global community.

Lesson Number Three: Great leaders project strength and calmness at all times. Why? So they can inspire, guide, and motivate their people to resist oppressors—no matter how powerful they may be. In the now-iconic video, Zelenskyy’s face was the epitome of bravery, composure, and defiance, with a historic, well-fortified building as his backdrop.

Lesson Number Four: Great leaders are not afraid to ask for help—they show vulnerability. On the second day of the attack, when Ukraine’s situation seemed dire, Zelenskyy didn’t hesitate to say: “Who is ready to fight alongside us? I don’t see anyone. Who is ready to give Ukraine a guarantee of NATO membership? Everyone is afraid.” “We’re defending our country alone. The most powerful forces in the world are watching this from a distance.” Hours later, pledges of support—military aid, weaponry, and humanitarian assistance—began to pour in.

Lesson Number Five: Great leaders have a positive mindset, are effective motivators, and have a vision. Even as the violent forces of war were unleashed against Ukraine, Zelenskyy addressed his people and security forces with these inspiring words: “Our military, our national guard, our national police, our territorial defense, special services, nationals of Ukraine—please carry on. We will win.” 

Why did he say this despite the overwhelming odds? Because he knew that high morale and unyielding spirit are key to defending a nation. And President Zelenskyy is succeeding—because he, his nation, and his people continue to hold back the violent tide of Russian aggression.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s courageous and inspiring leadership masterclass is a real-life saga unfolding before our very eyes and ears. It showcases his extraordinary leadership, from which we can draw countless insights as we lead our own respective organizations.

Are you learning gems of insight from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s courageous and inspiring leadership masterclass? 

Let us continue to pray for peace in Ukraine. Let us pray for Vladimir Putin’s enlightenment, that he may end the unprovoked war he started. And let us pray for the suffering people and nation of Ukraine.— Marino J. Dasmarinas

The achievement of Organizational Goals vis-a-vis to the Levels of Management

Organizations that capitalize on their organizational goals have many positive things going for them. For one, goals can influence an increase in performance output in an organization’s human resources. They can also increase human resource motivation and provide positive direction to the organization.

There are three levels of management in an organization. The highest is the top-level management. In a corporate setup, this is composed of the following: the Board of Directors, Company President, Vice President, Chief Executive Officer, and so forth. Any organizational position that has policymaking power is included in top-level management. These company officers are in charge of setting the strategic goals of the organization.

After the goals at the top management level have been set, they are passed down to the next lower level, which is the middle-level management. Each functional area or strategic unit of the organization is given its assigned goals that will contribute to the realization of the strategic goals. These officers are composed of the various department managers. Their main responsibility is to see to it that the goals are successfully implemented.

The last organizational level involved in achieving the goals is the first-level management, which normally consists of the supervisors. Their task is to operationalize the strategic goals set by top-level management. Under them are the operational workers who make things happen for the organization. They are the “foot soldiers,” so to speak.

Regardless of their level, all of these organizational goals should always be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-bound. — Marino J. Dasmarinas

When you Impose discipline impose it with civility and respect

How do you impose discipline in your organization?

Some, if not many, of us impose discipline the old-fashioned way. This means punishing the transgressor right in front of a crowd to shame the person. But when we do this, we only plant seeds of anger and resentment in the person being disciplined. He or she may not immediately vent this anger and resentment, but sooner or later, it will come out.

There are leaders and managers who are heavy-handed when imposing discipline because they think it is the appropriate way. However, heavy-handedness in imposing discipline is counterproductive, as it results in the development of deep-seated resentment.

So, what should a leader or manager do when he or she needs to impose discipline? The leader or manager should immediately call for a private meeting with the transgressor so that appropriate punishment can be imposed in private. By doing this, the leader or manager avoids the unnecessary and arrogant projection of power and authority.

What is the importance of having a private meeting with someone who has breached the discipline of the organization or has committed a fault? You signify your sincerity to correct the person, and you send a message that you want to immediately contain and resolve the problem without grandstanding, ego-tripping, or insulting anyone.

By doing so, you create a sincere message that you want to heal the wayward behavior without shaming the person in front of a crowd. If you do this, you will even gain the respect of the person you are disciplining.

Many of us commit the mistake of correcting a person in front of a crowd, but this will not help heal wayward behavior. It will only create deeper emotional resentment in the person at fault. Hence, instead of bringing him or her closer to correction, healing, and reconciliation, we end up creating an emotional bubble within the person being disciplined, which could explode at any time.

Let us not allow ourselves to be consumed by our power and authority when we impose discipline or exercise leadership, as this will do us no good. When we unnecessarily and arrogantly discharge our power and authority, we only expose how flawed and limited our leadership skills are. Let us instead hold on to civility, respect, and reason, for this is the only way to correct and completely heal wayward behavior.

What is the use of showcasing our power and authority in public if it only creates deeper emotional injury? What is the use of correcting a person in full view of the crowd if it only creates a monster called hatred and resentment? – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Should you always reward an exemplary performance with money?

Do you always need to recognize an exemplary performance from your subordinates? Yes! It is always a must to recognize every exemplary performance from your subordinates. 

Why? For the simple reason that recognition or reward is an integral part of motivation. 

However, there is a misconception that when we say “recognize,” it always means giving money or something material. Not true! We can actually give rewards even without a price tag attached to them. For example, simply calling the attention of an effective employee during meetings is more than enough recognition. A tap on the shoulder coupled with a short pep talk is another priceless form of reward and motivation. 

We should not always look at money as our vehicle for reward because it is temporary and impersonal. Besides, it does not convey a lasting impression in the heart of the recipient. For a change, why not try something that is not visible or measured by money yet will be forever felt in the heart? 

What are these? Verbal recognition during meetings, banners that convey positive messages, and so forth. Motivation’s true purpose is best served when you reward your subordinates with things that are not quantified by money. – Marino J. Dasmarinas

Secure leaders vis-à-vis insecure leaders

In a faraway kingdom lived an insecure leader who was about to end his term. So he said to his underlings, “I want you to highlight all the accomplishments that I achieved during my term.” His minions were in a quandary about how they would undertake his order because he had nothing to show but his incompetence, arrogance, autocracy, and laziness. 

Effective, secure, and humble leaders would never be concerned about whether their accomplishments during their term of office would be noticed or not. Why? Because they are secure in what they have accomplished. They know in their hearts that during their incumbency, they had a laser-like focus on their mission and vision for their organization. They also saw to it that they were surrounded by the best intellectual minds to help them achieve their mission and vision. 

On the other hand, insecure leaders will always crave attention. They normally do this by using bombastic words or words that portray them as having a strong character and personality. Insecure leaders are not consultative; they decide based on their whims and caprices, without regard for the greater good. What is important to them is that they are able to bulldoze their own personal agendas. 

But a leader who is secure in his leadership will not be afraid to make decisions that are unpopular because he knows that these unpopular decisions will be for the long-term welfare of the people in his organization. 

At the end of the day, leaders are not judged by their present actions and accomplishments; they are judged by history and the legacies they have built and left behind. 

For example, how they have improved the well-being of their people, how they have enhanced the financial wealth of their organization or country, and how they have fought for the welfare of their people and organization against a bully organization or country, and so forth. – Marino J. Dasmarinas

How do you assign work/task to your Work From Home (WFH) employees?

Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the work-from-home (WFH) arrangement is one of the ways organizations today continue their operations. But how are you going to assign tasks to your work-from-home employees when they are working in the comfort of their homes, and when you cannot directly supervise them?

The best course of action here is to maintain the status quo. Your WFH employees will have the same workload they used to have when they were not yet under the WFH setup. Is this still achievable? Yes, of course! Considering that there is no more travel time, less preparation in the morning to report to the office, and the same ease applies in the afternoon when going home.

WFH is the future of the work setup, and there is no turning back. Whether we like it or not, we have to adapt to this new work environment, which is very favorable to employees and to the organization as well.

The Covid-19 pandemic, along with the availability of high-tech modes of communication such as the internet, has forced organizations to take a closer look at the WFH setup. But WFH is not new; this arrangement has been going on for quite some time for some organizations. However, the pandemic has forced all organizations to harness the usability of WFH arrangements.

They now find this setup very useful, cost-effective, and practical in addressing the many work challenges organizations face today, challenges that have been primarily influenced by the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Profit Sharing/stock ownership as method of Motivation

Do you want to strengthen the motivation of your employees?

There are big corporations that offer creative financial schemes to further motivate their employees. One of these methods is called profit sharing, which is essentially the allocation of a certain percentage of the organization’s earnings to its employees. Another method is stock ownership, where employees own shares of the company in which they work.

This is a very viable means of motivation because workers are entitled to these attractive financial schemes. Who would not work hard if employees are given financial rewards from the net profit of the organization? Who would not work hard if employees are offered shares in the company they work for? Stock ownership is actually being implemented by big corporations worldwide. However, the globalized economy makes stock ownership quite risky.

For example, if an economic power such as the United States, China, Japan, or other economically powerful nations experience problems with their economy, there is always the risk that your local stock market will also be affected, which may result in the devaluation of your local stocks. Nevertheless, this is still a good scheme to impress upon employees that they are valued by their organization.

How about small-scale businesses? Can they also offer profit sharing to their workers? Of course, they can! This can be done by forging an agreement with employees that they shall be entitled to a certain percentage of the organization’s yearly net profit.

Profit sharing and stock ownership are very effective motivational tools that are seldom used by organizations. Why? For the simple reason that there are greedy business owners who only want the fruits of their organization for themselves. They do not want to share them with their workforce, who play a big part in the realization of organizational goals.

Why not try sharing a percentage of your profit with your employees? Why not offer them the option of stock ownership? See how they will plow back this goodwill in terms of motivation and concern for the well-being of the organization. – Marino J. Dasmarinas