Building That Institution... Part II

How is your company so far? Is it moving in the direction stated
by your vision? How's the people within your organization? Are
they working for you just because they need a job? Or are they
there because they truly believe in the organization?

Believe. That's the key word. Believe. Faith moves mountains.

"The accomplishment of individual and collective purposes in
the most fulfilling ways possible will create winning
organizations." - Craig R. Hickman

Once we get people to our side, then we have taken that crucial
step into building that institution. It's all about shared goals. It's
all about mutual benefits. It's all about commitment.

You see, a great vision is nothing if you are unable to get
commitment from your people, from your audience. And
commitment, I mean, is really all about continuity.

Look around you. Any worthwhile undertaking or important
relationship, without continuity, will go to waste. Say, a president
may have started great projects but if these are stalled when he
is no longer around, what's the use?

Continuity. That's what an "institution" is all about. To build one,
you strengthen your today. Today is a gift, that is why it's called
the present. Thus, you do what it takes to build a strong
foundation. Understand what you have and use your today
wisely, only then have you paved the road for continuity.

Building an institution takes more than just a vision. You need
cooperation from others and courage from yourself.

"Those who are going to be in business tomorrow are those
who understand that the future, as always, belongs to the
brave." - William Bernbach

Do you have what it takes?

The future is not for the adamant but for the open-minded. It is
not for the selfish but for the caring. Not for the "first to get there"
but for the forward thinking. The "first to get there" could be
gasping for air but the forward thinking would still have much to
spare.

The future... is not for the traditional mind
but for the courageous heart.

Do you honestly know where you stand?

Remember…
"Whenever you see a successful business, someone once
made a courageous decision." - Peter Drucker

Building That Institution...

From establishing a corporate culture, let's now get into building
that institution; and again, it all starts with that one person on the
steering wheel.

"The beliefs that mold great organizations frequently grow out
of the character, the experience, and the convictions of a single
person." - Thomas Watson, Jr.

See how big that one person could be? Big enough, actually, to
impact not only his company but his industry and society as well.
This then only confirms yet another truth which is "with great
power comes great responsibility".

Whether you are CEO or not...
Are you ready for "greater" responsibility?

Mind you, responsibility is not about "I" or "me" but about "we"
and "us". It's not about flamboyance but about objectives. In this
age, to be ready for responsibility, you got to be a team player
and be ready to sacrifice if needed to win as a team. For true
legacy is not based on how much one scored but how much his
"team" has won. Hence, a true Leader's fulfillment is in seeing
his men satisfied and growing.

More than products or services, a heart for others and eyes on
the goal only are the building blocks of a true institution. And as
the Leader, you are the company. And your company is what
you would make of it.

"Corporations, because they are the dominant institution on
the planet, must squarely address the social and environmental
problems that afflict mankind." - Paul Hawken

Soft is different from empathetic as stupidity is different from
humility. A caring company is loved not just by its employees but
by society as well. If all your shareholders care for is the bottom
line then you are not working with a true institution but an
unenviable corporation that would later on adulterate even your
grandchildren's children.

"In every era, society must strike the right balance between the
freedom businesses need to compete for a market share and
to make profits and the preservation of family and community
values." - Hillary Clinton

Yes, again, you may not be a "charitable institution" per se but
money and advancement, in whatever form, is not everything --
being human is. So if you still care then take the lead... start
building that institution, an institution that truly understands where
we are going.

Is this important? Only if your legacy is. Only if your family is.

Remember…
"Perhaps the biggest responsibility of any corporation is to own
up when it makes a mistake." - Lee Iacocca

Creating That Corporate Culture...

By the definition of culture alone, one could say that corporate
culture has something to do with the values, customs, and
traditions of a particular company. In short, its simply about
that vital working environment.

Hence, what determines corporate culture? And who shapes it?

First, culture is determined by the kind of business the company
is engaged in. And of course, the top honcho lays out the kind of
culture he wants to have. Well, almost everybody would point out
the apex but realistically, it is the CEO's personality aided by his
lieutenants that molds the corporate culture.

So, if one's business is about car washing, it's culture is a bit free
wheeling; if you are into accounting services, the culture is a bit
more sober. Still, without management's continuous support and
regular monitoring, the machinery would break down.

"A company's ethical conduct is something like a big flywheel.
It might have a lot of momentum, but it will eventually slow down
and stop unless you add energy." - William Adams

This culture is crucial in having a sound and satisfied army to
carry out business objectives. And it all starts with the Head.

He must be the example. He must commit himself totally to the
company and to its products or services. He must understand
and believe in the company's mission. He must personalize the
company's culture, and then add to it. He must do these
unflaggingly, publicly and without reserve -- otherwise, why work
in such a company?

"We've replaced the concept of having a job with having a
mission." - John Meyers

Thus, when recruiting your army, you need to carefully assess
the candidate's personality more than his experience if he
would thrive in your kind of atmosphere and so much so, if he
believes in your vision.

Skills can be learned but personality is hard to change. This is
what the "perfect fit" is really all about; and using your good
connections is a great way to get "good" hires... simply because
your personalities jibe. On the other hand, traditional job posting
and screening only brings you traditional workers.

"The most visible difference between the corporation of the
future and its present-day counterpart will not be the products
they make or the equipment they use -- but who will be working,
how will they be working, why they will be working, and what work
will mean to them." - Robert Haas

A wonderful corporate culture is like having a big, happy family...
where issues easily mend and things just falls into place with
minimal effort. And as captain of the ship, steer with confidence.

Remember…
"What we are trying relentlessly to do is get that small company
soul -- and small company speed -- inside our big company."
- Jack Welch

Coping With The Times...

Life does not always go as planned, no matter how proactive one
may be. This is why every person on earth is afraid, if not,
worried of something.

Have you heard of the six basic fears that could ruin man's quest
for success and happiness?

The fear of poverty, death, ill-health, loss of love, old age and the
fear of criticism?

Are you aware of which one you have, if not one of the six then
maybe something else? Well, for one to be able to live his life
to the fullest, he should know how to conquer his fear.

Yes, the world has gone through a lot... good times and bad
times. But notice? Everything eventually fades, so why worry?

We are all in here together. Each one of us had nothing to do
with his own coming and certainly, only little if ever, with his own
going. But does this mean that we could be idle, just have fun
and wait for our death??

Of course not.

As a Leader, one is supposed to lead the way, to show how life
and most everything else should be handled, to be the example.
Life is short yet enough for us to make it meaningful.

See, a Leader is never content, otherwise, everything would
decay sooner than expected. Imagine if we stop innovating on
products or whatever, what would happen? Things would seem
slower. Life would get dull. Yet, is life all about materialism and
things like that? No. We don't live in an aquarium. Hence, for
the sake of the generations to come, we must try to do business
with social responsibility.

Preserve the greens.
Put a check on morality.
Provide for everyone.

"You're not going to transform society until you transform
business. But you're not going to transform business by
pretending it's not a business." - Lawrence Perlman

Indeed, the world has evolved into a more comfortable though
faster pace of life through business. And for many, change has
not only brought excitement but fear and more competition.

Look with all the advancement coming around us, have we ran
out of problems? Of diseases? Of issues? Instead, something
always seem to crop up just before things could be solved, right?

Should we just give up? Definitely not. Giving up is like suicide.
Bear in mind that our business in this world is to succeed and
be fulfilled. "A winner never quits, and a quitter never wins!"

How then do you cope with change?

Conquer time by conquering yourself.
Uphold values. And get better.

"If your hands can not be employed usefully,
attend to the culture of your mind." - James A. Garfield

Take note, no matter how successful a person already is,
because people need people, he understands that being
altruistic is the key to coping with the times... to conquering fear,
worry or the unknown.

Thus, build and value relationships.
Be helpful... what goes around, comes around.

Remember…
“I want a revolution, and I want it to start in Crotonville." - Jack Welch

The Awakening...

It is said that if there are no opportunities coming your way at
press time; then why not create those opportunities yourself?

Yet in setting up those opportunities, can you really control
everything?

If you could... then you do not really need to fear the uncertainties
of business; you need not worry of recessions or even competition.
Hey, you can control everything, remember?

Challenges are no longer part of one's dictionary then, after all,
there's nothing that could challenge you anymore. Collaboration
is even not crucial at all as you could survive and thrive alone.

Are all these really possible?

What do you think? Let's see. Doing business involves a buyer
and a seller. If you grow your own farm, at the very least, you
could be manufacturer, marketer, and accountant. No real need
for partners or employees unless it's more than just a home
business.

But leaders and entrepreneurs are ambitious, hence, they think
big, they act big -- they understand that we don't live on our own,
that people need people.

This means... even when creating your own opportunities, for it to
truly succeed, you need to partner. You would need creative and
courageous people in your team.

"Revolutions aren't made by gadgets and technology. They're
made by a shift in power, which is taking place all over the world.
Today, intellectual capital is at least as important as money
capital and probably more so." - Walter B. Wriston

People make things happen. They think. They create. They
innovate. They decide. And a True Leader recognizes these,
so he is humble enough to take in all the help he can muster.

This awakening is all about realizing that creating opportunities is
really a matter of self-promotion and collaboration. While a good
deal or investment only happens when you learn to see beyond
the surface.

Many claims to know these but not surprisingly, there are just
those who needs to be rocked repeatedly to wake them up from
their slumber.

"Our doubts are traitors, and make us lose the good we oft might
win by fearing to attempt." - William Shakespeare

The time to apply what you claim is long overdue. Let's just do it.

Remember…
“A truly successful businessman is essentially a dissenter, a rebel who is
seldom if ever satisfied with the status quo.” - J. Paul Getty

A Leader In The Woods...

How will you know a potential leader? Or determine a True Leader
from a figurehead or pretender?

The average person who occupies a position of leadership exceeds
the average member of his group in the following respects:
intelligence, knowledge, dependability in exercising responsibilities,
and activity and social participation.

The qualities, characteristics, and skills required in a leader are
determined to a large extent by the demands of the situation in which
he is to function as a leader.

A True Leader knows a potential leader when he sees one. Learning
to spot talents is an important ability of a leader as like a tree bearing
fruits. Without this ability to produce leaders, a leader is incomplete.

"Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on
it except leaves. Then he said to it, 'may you never bear fruit
again!' Immediately, the tree withered." - Matthew 21:19

Then what makes a potential leader? A degree? Certainly not as
most everybody can have one given the opportunity.

On the other hand, most people accepts that leadership implies
personality. And a True Leader knows how one evolves to become
a leader being aware that it all starts from deep inside.

Here are fifteen of the most important Executive Qualities:

JUDGEMENT... is the ability to give sound judgment; it's about being
astute or shrewd.

INITIATIVE... is the power, ability, or instinct to begin or to follow
through energetically with a plan or task.

INTEGRITY... as according to Viscount Slim, it's the quality which
makes people trust you.

FORESIGHT... is the ability to foresee.

ENERGY... is vigor in action; in this aspect, it's health not age that
matters.

DRIVE... is enthusiasm, determination, perseverance, and resilience
all rolled in one.

HUMAN RELATIONS SKILL... speaks of empathy and diplomatic skills.

DECISIVENESS... is characterized by decision and firmness.

DEPENDABILITY... is about being reliable and responsible.

EMOTIONAL STABILITY... is of having self-control and self-discipline.

FAIRNESS... is being non-biased, non-discriminatory and just
in dealings.

AMBITION... more than just being goal-oriented, it's about aspiring
for greater heights.

DEDICATION... more than just being loyal, it's being hard-working.

OBJECTIVITY... is about being realistic; about understanding the
difference between true potential and fantasy.

COOPERATION... is the act of working together toward a common
end or purpose; this is the cornerstone of power.

An understanding of leadership in terms of the qualities of personality
and character which one person has to a greater degree over others
is key to recognizing potentials and talents.

Remember…
“The Best Leaders are not found in flocks... just like Eagles.”

A Leader's Battery...

It's a maundy Thursday; for Christians, it's one of those days when
we slow down and reflect on life. Yes, even for us leaders, we
need to get our engines checked... if we are living how we should,
if we are truly using the gifts God gave us.

"We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a
man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith.
If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is
encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs
of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him
govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully."
~ Romans 12:6-8

I understand that not everybody is a Christian; but whether
Christian or not, I am sure all sectors teaches rightful living. This
is not about religion but about being fair and doing good in every
opportunity... and that's exactly what True Leaders would do even
in business.

See, while we try our best to achieve, people still needs people.
Oh, this is not about letting emotions rule over ourselves but
about realizing that life is good and promising but fragile. It's
about accepting that one way or another, even just through ideas,
people gets that needed push to grow, to advance.

"I not only use all the brains that I have, but all that I can borrow."
~ Woodrow Wilson

Humility is a priceless gift True Leaders pick up on their way to
greatness. It's understanding that we can not control everything.
It's realizing that we could fail no matter how good our foresight is.
It's accepting that we need a hand and it's what actually brought
us to where we are.

No one can climb the ladder of success without taking anyone
along... even Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay knows that.

If the Holy Week has been successful in bringing meaning to
your life, then you now know that caring is an integral part of
leadership -- whether in or out of the organization, so much more
for those you are connected with, business or personal.

"And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for such
sacrifices God is pleased." - Hebrews 13:16

No, again, this is not about religion but about being what a True
Leader is. For what is a leader without a heart? And how could
you be a good shepherd if you don't even know what a sheep is?
If you don't show real care?

In networking, most connects with "like-minded" people. Why?
To seek out opportunities? To collaborate? Well, of course yes
but sadly, many just connected for personal interests. What then
happened to the "win-win" thing? To ethics? Yes, needs and
opportunities may not come at the same time and to both
parties -- but that's no excuse to help out in a way you can.

You are supposedly a Leader, yet, did you just connect for numbers?

Let's witness the power of networking... it should be for all of us,
whether Holy Week or not, whether Christian or not.

Remember…
“Great ambition and conquest without contribution is without significance.”