Entrepreneurship At It's Best

By Tita Datu Puangco

Recently, I flew to Cagayan de Oro to help " form" the new management team of an aqua and hog feeds plant named Pro Natural. Traveling from the airport, one can witness the brisk activities of rebuilding after the devastation wrought by the recent Sendong typhoon. I did not know that the workshop was to be held in a beautiful unpretentious resort called Midway owned and personally managed by Borge Echavez, 32 years old.

I was quite impressed by the level of customer service of the person assigned to assist us. He was quick on his feet, pleasant and respectful of the rules. Once he was offered something to eat. he politely declined the invitation because it was against the rules and that there is a proper time and place for the service assistants to eat.

Our training room left much to be desired, the air conditioners were not enough to cool the blistering heat being transported to us from outside. At one time we decided to open the windows and the doors to let the sea breeze cool us. But the group managed to work their best given the challenging environment. The joy of bonding, camaraderie and of course of good and delicious food worked wonders on people's learning.

Borge shared with us the history of the resort. His father bought it for 500 pesos a going away gift from wealthy and famous Muslim families whom he served for 10 years as a houseboy. He bought the resort in 1980. Borge recently got an offer to sell the resort for P 90 million that he courteously turned down.

In 2001 Borge took over after his father died. It was not easy because the enterprise had debts that even resulted in a foreclosure of property. After paying off debts to get back the property, he realized he a had to go back to study to manage the resort.

In one of the seminars he attended he was impressed by one of the speakers who talked of the importance of "personalized hands on operation" and the secret of success being " to befriend every guest " so that they come back for repeat business or spread through word of mouth the great service they received. He adopted the strategy and true enough he achieved a high 90 per cent repeat visitor record.

Then keenly aware of the trends in resorts he decided to attract the young through water sports including jet ski, kayaks, banana boat. He also added a zip line with a difference. The end point was a delightful splash into the sea. His first zip line he acquired at P 200,000 And the investment he recovered in 3 months time. Then he invested in a longer one for
P 400,000 and the experience of a quick return on his investment was repeated. When I took the zip line I noted the concern for safety and also the signing of the waiver protecting the resort from unjustified legal suits.

Another factor for success is good financial management that ensures that he keeps himself relatively free of debt. Borge also attracts groups to the resort through reasonable and competitive low packages for groups as few as 12 persons that include 3 meals, 2 snacks, rooms, all rides, jet skil, zip line, banana boat, kayak, glass bottom boat, beach volley ball and airport transfers for minimum for less than P2,000 per participant. He also understands customer seasons, one for the summer is attracting families and company outings and the seminar and training session from July to December. He has preference for government institutions who do several training batches year round.

Borge is also keen in preparing for succession, training his young children to work in the resort as his father did with him. Each child is assigned to monitor one major revenue stream on weekends. A young daughter takes care of the catering business. another boy the water sports and still another the zip line. Each one is paid P 100 per day during the weekend.

So, are these success factors in explaining success? In financial terms, resort revenues of P 400.000 to P 2 million a month. Other less tangible factors include his good relationships with both Muslims and Christians, and as a Christian he pledges a tithe to his community. he believes in " helping each other " as a practice.

Slowly he is replacing huts made of native material into concrete houses. In one section of the resort brisk construction is happening. One can already imagine the bright future of this resort and the blessings in store for the family that runs it.

It was a privilege talking to Borge. he is someone who can be mistaken as a coast guard, tanned with broad shoulders, wearing beach slippers with a walkie talkie in hand, making decisions and talking to customers. In Midway, unlike other resorts, one finds the learning entrepreneur, right at the middle of the action.

Managing Leader Transitions

By Tita Datu Puangco 

I rejoice every time I have the opportunity to do a leadership transition intervention for companies. I realize the benefits when a Mancom or Excom gets together to ensure through proper leader transition business continuity. It sensitively honors the legacy of past leadership and ushers in new  leadership that ensures new perspectives and approaches.

Recently, I had the privilege of acting as facilitator to this critical leadership challenge to a company that is leader in its industry. It  always amazes me how a series of simple questions answered and shared in sincere dialogue can increase trust. It builds the much needed bond among members who can move forward with great confidence towards the future.

I have witnessed it in a client company that is a leading institution in micro finance. The family owned institution decided to hire an experienced banker retired from a unibank. The two-day transition  workshop built a strong foundation of credibility and drove away fears and lack of confidence of the home grown officers. Since then, from the unified leadership, the institution has experienced much growth.

The training intervention has to be designed by first strengthening the bonding typical of a first stage team building exercise. Then it moves to a two-stage dialogue. The new leaders answer a set of questions guided by a consultant while the others work out answers to another set  of similar questions.

Then a sharing of answers follow with one side listening and asking questions of clarification . Then the tables turn with the other side sharing answers and enter retaining questions.

The session then concludes with norm sharing and a listing  of next steps. I realize creating a risk free environment where people can express their thoughts freely and candidly with consideration result in a windfall of goodwill for everyone. If any of our readers want sample questions, I would gladly share.

The opposite is true. A fast growing company was greatly hampered by cliques among the leaders, the clique of the old , the clique of the new and a number of leaders caught in between the politics of the two cliques. Leadership however refuses to see the need to confront the situation. Little by little resignations started to happen as the environment inside the company has become a contest poisoning the environment, discouraging talented employees from remaining and productivity remaining at low levels.

My learning, handling leader transitions result in big gains for an enterprise.

Art of Successful Career Shifting

By Tita Datu Puangco
[Published April 22, 2012  in the Philippine Daily Inquirer]

You are in a job that does not fully optimize your talent. You graduated from a nursing course and have difficulty landing a job. You are a call center agent who can’t adjust to sleeping during the day. These and other reasons may make you consider shifting careers. There is a part of you that wants to cling to the old comfortable job and skills, yet the yearning for a fulfilling job encourages you.

Leider and Shapiro, in their book “Repacking your Bags”, ask: where is your smile? They encourage you to answer the following questions: Are you living your own vision of the good life or somebody else’s? Are you having more or less fun than you did 5 years ago? They formulated the concept for the good life“ as living in the place you belong, with the people you love, doing the right work on purpose.” If you have lost your smile, then it is time to consider shifting work or career.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE JOB­

Where do you start? First step is to get to know better the job that you are attracted to. Interview people who work your dream job and find out how they got to their jobs. You may also offer to do on the job training with a company that offers them. For some , the Chinese saying,” one step backward and two step forward” may apply

NETWORK EXTENSIVELY.

Step 2: Ask your friends if they have in their network people who can introduce you to the sector that you are interested in. In this age of social networking, people can introduce you to people in the know. Keep an active curiosity. Be open.

INVENTORY YOUR SKILLS

Step 3: Take an inventory of your skills and competencies. Remember to do an exhaustive list to include general, managerial or technical skills. Then ask yourself which skills are transferable to other jobs and those you enjoy most.

MATCH WITH SKILLS IN TARGETED JOB

Step 4: Make a list of skills and competencies in your targeted jobs and do a match of your earlier inventory. For those that match, are they your strong skills? If not what can you to build them? You may want to attend training programs or find a certificate course

DEVELOP YOUR JOB OBJECTIVE

Step 5 : Develop your job objective. Your job objective in essence becomes your vision. It is important because it calls attention to your potential and alerts the employer on the type of job you seek. You may choose to do it the short way or th long way. What is important is to clearly state your functional interest. It can also express what you want to offer. Make it work oriented rather than self directed.

WRITE AN INTERESTING RESUME

Step 6: Write an interesting yet concise resume covering your competencies, knowledge and skills as well as your work experience. If you are interested in a career shift note down your strengths that you can tap for the position applied. Then email your resumes to acquaintances and friends who can help pass it on. The goal is to get as many job interviews as possible that increase your chances of landing a job. Or be on the watch for job fairs where companies go out of their way to woo applicants.

REHEARSE FOR THE INTERVIEW

Step 7: Prepare and rehearse for the interview. Write down a list of possible questions and prepare answers. Ask a friend to rehearse with you the interviewer-applicant interaction so you can refine your answers while maintaining authenticity and integrity.

ANTICIPATE CHANGE

Step 8: Identify the helping and hindering forces in making the career transition. Find out how you can optimize the helping forces and how to minimize, neutralize or eliminate the driving forces. Develop action plans to facilitate your career transition.

COMPARE RISKS WITH BENEFITS

Step 9: Consider the risks compared to the benefits. Anticipate the potential discomforts of moving from your existing job and prepare mentally and emotionally for the endings, moving through the neutral zone, then moving to your new beginnings. Consider likewise the financial adjustments by ensuring you have enough savings when you make the career shift.

LEARN THE NEW JOB

Step 10: Starting in a new job requires enthusiasm and energy. Manage your stress as you adapt and flex to the new job. Remember your learning curve has to rise. Be patient with yourself and make time for building learning partners in your new workplace.

Shifting career is not easy. But if your new job is aligned to your talents and skills before long, you will find not just a smile on your face but money in your pocket as well.

Leader as Servant

By Tita Datu Puangco
[Published April 15, 2012 in the Philippine Daily Inquirer]

With the Lenten season just over and the joy of the Risen One today Easter Sunday, as leaders we turn inward to reflect on our roles as leaders. Due to the request of a client I started to review the concept of servant leadership that I shared in my last column. I also launched "servant leadership" in my company Ancilla. Ancilla means to us "helping hand" or "handmaiden". How appropriate for a company dedicated to Mary, the handmaiden of the Lord.

SERVING INTEREST OF OTHERS

One of the principles of servant leadership is that, "the leaders serve the interests of others, above their own self interest for the good of the organization as a whole". It was a message, we put on all desk tops to remind us constantly that we have to be servants to one another.

In this period it is proper to think of the God man, who showed the way as role model of the servant leader. He who is God, has chosen to lead by being one, by choosing to become like us. He showed the example by spreading the "word" that brings us to touch the eternal. He healed people, he loved everyone as he loved himself, he washed the feet of disciples, he fed bread to the multitudes. He was the role model of the servant leader.

LEADERSHIP CONVERSION

Servant leadership is a leadership model that requires maturity. It is not easy in the sense that servant leadership as a practice requires personal conversion. Often, leaders are put to a test. Recently, we were excited to deliver to a project with tight deadlines. The team did not meet the deadline. In our company it had no precedents. It just does not happen but it did.

My first impulse was to express disappointment and react negatively. But it would mean the opposite of thinking of serving the needs of those led for the common good of the organization. Instead, what is important is to inquire how people were feeling and doing considering that they spent much time and energy delivering on the project. I have to be a servant leader. I have to understand the situation as something to embrace and accept, an offering for the Lenten season. On the other hand, we also have to engage in appreciative inquiry, looking at what helped or hindered the situation.

Before the meeting, 3 members of the team asked to meet with me. They came forward to express that they were holding themselves accountable and wanted to share the truth of their views of what happened. It was a refreshing change from the typical regrets and recriminations that would ensue from a similar situation. I realized that they were adults coming forward because their leader has acted as an adult wanting to know what happened without blaming.

Then when the whole team met, we did force field analysis brainstorming what helped and hindered the situation, we discovered that the root cause was the absence of the orchestrator, the project manager who would wield the baton ensuring doing the right things the first time and on time. This was the proverbial, anybody, everybody and no body. In essence it was my failure, the failure of leadership. Readily I accepted the mistake and we started to move on to discover the right things to do for the next project.

What amazed me was how the atmosphere moved from sadness to joy from fatigue to greater enthusiasm and commitment. Here I was learning the right behaviors of the servant leader. But there are more lessons for me to learn or unlearn.

AUTHENTICITY

One was to be authentic, leaders are to be open, real and approachable and accountable to others. We avoid the tendency to defend ourselves, instead we have to admit our mistakes. We recognize that we have much to learn as we have much to teach. We have to know how to listen and ask questions and be sincere to find the answers. Authenticity is being honest and demonstrating integrity. People can trust what we say as we fulfill our promises.

PEOPLE GROWTH

Two, is developing people. Leaders take responsibility to help others grow to their full potential as leaders. Every interaction is a helping opportunity that can encourage growth and development. In fact, mistakes and failures provide the springboard for learning. Servant leaders recognize that people as they are have present value as well as future potential. I realize that my most memorable bosses were those who took time to coach, mentor and counsel me, moving me forward in terms of leadership maturity. But my best bosses were those who acted as role models, setting the example. They also brought out the best by affirming rather than putting down people.

BUILD COMMUNITY

Three is building community. Servant leaders aim at making people work together in caring, achieving communities. They recognize that equally important to achieving results is concern for the relationships of people doing the job. This means, getting people together to spend time to reflect and heal and get to know one another. They encourage friendships. I remember clearly one of the "great place at work" characteristics is having a best friend at work. They go for win win relationships working in a collaborative manner. Servant leaders value differences careful to sense their own biases and taking care not to play favorites or make others feel less valued.

PROVIDE AND SHARE LEADERSHIP

The other servant leadership practice is valuing people by serving them first,believing and trusting in people, and listening non judgmentally. They also encompass providing and sharing leadership. This means developing a vision, taking initiative and clarifying goals. It likewise means sharing leadership so that others get the opportunity to lead, empowering people to act for the good of the group and the mission of the organization.

May we truly have the joy of Easter by giving ourselves as servant leaders to others!