Ethical Leadership from a Public Servant’s Perspective

In between working as an intern, panicking over my thesis topic and deciding which museum to visit next, I have been given a task(!): Interview a leader in your community on ethical leadership. This is just one of the prep works for the incoming ASEF Youth Summit that I will be attending next week. I had to take a moment to think about who I consider as a leader…and an ethical one at that! In my years of working in the field of research, I have been fortunate to have met several outstanding people who inspired me to become the kind of leader that I one day hope to be. Yet, among them, I decided to focus on someone who I can most identify with, and whose leadership journey I am most familiar with.

A leader among leaders: Melissa on her recent trip to China for the Forum on China-ASEAN Techno Transfer and Collaborative Innovation

Meet my friend and former workmate, Melissa Bulao. A seasoned program coordinator, she is one of the brilliant people behind Tuklas Lunas, a Drug Discovery and Development program of the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (PCHRD).  As a process expert in project management, she has spearheaded initiatives aimed at improving the Council’s procedures for monitoring and evaluation of various research projects. She also represented her agency in many local and international S&T fora and engagements. In addition to her degree in Chemistry, she obtained a diploma on International Health to further broaden her perspective on the interplay between S&T and health. A consistent achiever in her academic years, she continued to exemplify excellence throughout her professional career. Currently, she supervises and mentors junior project officers under the continuously expanding drug discovery program.

We started the interview with the question on what makes one an ethical leader. Melissa shares that an ethical leader is one who exhibits honesty, integrity, and selflessness. In showing honesty and integrity, Melissa believes that an ethical leader uses their position to motivate and inspire their team to achieve organizational goals. She further stresses the need to prioritize the community and others over the pursuit of ones’ self-interest.

The idea of self-interest over that of the “greater good” is a particularly interesting ethical issue for me. While I believe people are inherently good, we are not impervious to the to our own biases and ambitions. This prompted me to ask her views on how a leader can remain ethical, selfless or honest in the face of personal interests. Melissa has this to say: “In civil service, I am always reminded of who I am serving and whose money we are using. (And) it’s the Filipino people that I am serving, it’s their money that we are using.” I find her response so simple yet an idea many tend to forget. Her statement is not only relevant among civil servants but for almost all vocations. It is vital that we do not forget who we serve, and why we do what we do.  Interestingly, she adds that sleeping peacefully at night motivates her to keep herself in check, in an ethical sense. She explains that with a strong set of moral values she has formed growing up, her own conscience is a big factor in ensuring that she remains faithful to her oath as a public servant.

Since she works in a research funding agency, she jokingly adds that an “ethical dilemma” is an ever-present part of the job. An example she cited is the common issue of funds allocation. While most researches do intend to solve pressing scientific questions that will be of benefit to society, certain realities such as scarcity in resources mean that many of the decisions they make are closely tied with certain ethical challenges (e.g. who should benefit more, which projects to prioritize). Unsurprisingly for someone from the scientific community, Melissa believes that the decision-making process should be rational and evidence-based. However, she also emphasizes that exercising empathy is must when dealing with people particularly in communicating a decision.

To wrap up our conversation, I asked Melissa for some advice for young leaders and those who wish to take on the leadership task in the future. She offered these points:

1. Have a strong heart and mind. Because the reality is far from the ideal, it takes strength in character to not be disheartened by realities of life. Instead, embrace the challenges that come along.
2. A leader is only as good as the people he or she leads. You cannot work alone. As a leader, you must also encourage collaboration. Moving forward towards your goals means working and growing together with your entire team.
3. Lead by example. The quality of your work will speak for you. Without even trying, respect is earned when you consistently show that you can be relied on to do the job right and to do what is right in whatever project you are working on.

Simply put: live and work ethically.

Aside from a leader at work, she is also a leader in travel!

Post Note: When I asked for her permission to do this interview, Melissa replied with three letters: LOL. A typical lighthearted response from my friend. But perhaps it is also typical for many of us to discount ourselves and our peers as “leaders” since we have yet to project the  image of a traditional leader: one who is at the top of an organizational chart, an elected official, a manager, a founder of a company, a movement or an enterprise. Yet, I find that the most effective leaders are those unassuming characters in our lives for whom we attribute deep respect and admiration, a colleague who helps bring out the best in us, that person who we run to for answers or advice, or sometimes, if we are lucky, a friend who walks with us side by side and asks, “Tara, let’s have another round of Samgyupsal!”

Salamat, Melai!

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LINKS LINKS LINKS!

ASEF:http://asef.org
ASEF Youth Leaders Summit: http://www.asef.org/projects/themes/education/4442-3rd-asef-young-leaders-summit-asefyls3

Rusty “Tin” Years on WP

I don’t write now as often as I would have wanted. Often I’d think of something interesting to write about but I would often lose interest. I logged in on my account because La Toussaint will be celebrated in a month’s time in Paris and I remembered that I wrote something about it years before.

I was welcomed by a WP notification: Happy 10th year anniversary! Wow, where did the time go! Yes, I may not have written much, and, often, not even remotely well but I do thank the old (or perhaps younger me?) for not procrastinating in making a blog account. I vaguely remember googling which blog platform to use: Blogger vs WP. I had a french-themed blog as I was just starting to learn French then, although ten years in between then and now didn’t really make much difference (the kind madame at le boulangerie will surely agree that mon français sounds very “fresh”).

I don’t have much to show really, not the significant number of followers that some people then aimed for when they started blogging, or more importantly, a decent portfolio of writings to show. Just the occasional babble now and then. But in those ten years, I have had the most interesting conversations with random folks I will never have conversed with if not for this platform. The times I spent typing away some blog drafts that didn’t even see the light of day or those times when I pushed for my target of writing five posts a month — those were really fun. Now, I blame Netflix mostly for not writing more…among other things 🙂

While I regret not writing more, I do still consider my small corner in the big cloud of the cyberspace as a success, probably a measly one at that, but one I still treat with much fondness. The “typos”, the grammar mistakes, the opinions I had (or may still hold), all the words in between this time and years previously are pieces of evidence of how my written thoughts changed and evolved.

I don’t know if WP and I will still see our 20th year together. It can be bought by Zuckerberg’s daughter for all we know, or be taken down. But I guess I should just keep typing and see where this goes.

La vie parisienne 1.0

Today is my 21st day in Paris, or in Villejuif to be more precise. The Eiffel Tower is often always just thirty plus minutes away by metro. I often dreamt of seeing the tower but I never imagined that I will be seeing it this often. Paris was just a dream destination before. Now, it is the third city which I can really call home.

The Eiffel Tower shot from Place Joffre

It isn’t my first time in Paris. Truth be told, even on my first time here, it didn’t really feel real. Not in an OMG-pinch-me feeling. It was not like in the movies where my eyes grew big(ger). My heart didn’t leap. I guess getting dropped off at Bercy close to midnight robbed me of that feeling. It was more like, tadaaaa, but with less enthusiasm. But it was not anticlimactic either. It may sound a bit like a stretch but really this city has yet to make me feel like a tourist. I am not saying that I feel that I belong 100%. It seems that I have read up and thought about this city for so many times that coming hear felt like the most natural thing in the world.

I re-watched Midnight in Paris the other day. Marion Cotillard’s character, Adrianne, said that she can’t decide if Paris is more beautiful in the morning or at night. I agree. This city holds so much charm that you just want to devour it whole only to find yourself being devoured.

I have a couple of months more to explore, I know it won’t be enough. Still, I couldn’t be more grateful for the opportunity to be part of this city even for a short while.

Let the Ink Sink In

Despite all the things I actually want to write about, writing has somehow lost a bit of its wonder. Not having been able to write anything worth posting, writing now feels like an awkward conversation between friends who have drifted apart.

Before, it was so easy to just type things in. Now, I feel like every word is up for scrutiny, not by any reader, but by the very paper I write things to.

Attempting to spill out the words in this blank space feels like opening up to a familiar, yet now unrecognizable place. I wonder if the problem is in the paper, or the pen – like trying out a new ink on a piece of parchment. The ink seems to effortlessly melds itself into the fibers of the paper, many moons before. Now it feels like I am using an ink-filled pen on a glossy sheet.

The resistance is palpable. A resistance that was probably built from a long period of neglect, of fading familiarity — much like many things beyond writing.

Maybe, I need to give it some time before the ink soaks the paper. I wonder if I should just buy a new notepad, or something.

For now, I hope the ink sinks in.

 

Why Misery Loves Company

Once there was Misery.
Swimming, breathing, solitary.
It went about its business like you and me.
Lived on its bubble while sipping tea.

One day Company came.
It had color that I cannot explain.
Neither good nor bad.
It didn’t really make one happy or sad.

Misery was curious and somewhat amused,
Of this new fellow that came rolling through.
Things are the same, but not exactly
It’s just that this time, there is Company.

Sometimes it speaks
Sometimes it sings.
The other day it was silent,
Brooding even, it seems.

Misery went about its routine.
Lived on its bubble while sipping tea.
But now Company is here
With Misery, drinking its coffee

“Misery loves Company”
I heard someone say
The reason, I wonder
So I started to ponder.

Not for its mood or songs,
Not because of what it’s given or done,
Despite liking coffee over tea
Misery still loves Company

Even after tea has run cold,
In a bubble drowning in silence,
Misery has company
….and that makes all the difference.

Travel Notes: Manila

Travelling is an awesome teacher. And while some learn their lesson on top of a mountain or in a deserted island in some exotic destination, I got mine in Manila, the same “unsophisticated” city that I was born into.

Fresh out of my first trip abroad, I stepped out of the cab, looked around me and saw something different. Well, not too different, but it certainly wasn’t the same. Having spent the the past five days in four different cities in Thailand, I think I still had in me the wide eyed wonder of a tourist. Everything I saw felt like it had a promise of a new discovery. Perhaps this is to be expected while travelling in a different country, but the feeling of weird unfamiliarity prevailed during that hot May morning.

– Let the excitement subside, I reminded myself.
– Adventure’s over.
– There’s nothing here you haven’t seen.
– But is there really nothing more to discover?

I walk the same streets everyday going to work and school. The only place that I am used to exploring are the brightly lit halls inside shopping malls. Basically, I know the place that I know, but outside of that, I am lost.

Travelling, for me is not just about getting on a plane to go somewhere different (although, I wouldn’t say no to that). I think it has more to do with the intention of experiencing a space with fresh eyes and savoring all the craziness that comes with it.

Don’t be a foreigner in your own country, I think that is how the Philippines’ tourism catch phrase years ago is translated. Although I know that it meant to encourage Filipinos to  travel the Philippines, I also don’t think that it is such a bad idea to go about with the “eyes of a tourist” sometimes.

Familiarity does breed contempt sometimes. Even worse, familiarity nurtures indifference. Seeing the same squalid environment and hopeless traffic condition day in day out has robbed us all of the opportunity to appreciate the energy of this bustling city. The intention of experiencing this place, this vast living space, has all but passed. The beauty, the history and the spirit of the city is left waiting to reveal itself for the next willing tourist.

Lighting up

Candles are so full of metaphors, or at least us humans keep on making some sort of interpretation on a lighting mechanism we invented ourselves. Anyway, life is short so I decided to indulge a human frailty this quiet night.

Candles are most magnificent when they are serving their purpose–when they are giving light. Somehow, in this process, the wick, the candles core, can sometimes lose its light by drowning on its own melted wax.

In order to keep the light from burning, you either pull out the wick or pour out the melted wax from the candle holder to keep the wick from drowning.

Tonight, watching how the flame danced reminded me not to overdo things, to not drown from our own version of reality. It is also sometimes necessary to rid ourselves of things we have grown to consider as part of our being, to shed some pounds perhaps, or to just pour out the negatives in order to keep the light alive so our purpose can be revealed to others and also to us.

Uncorking…again

After almost a year, here we go again. Writing an entry here feels like praying to the Big Guy after a long long while. At first, you don’t really know where to begin despite knowing how much you really want to let out. It’s also probably like opening a bottle of champagne, once the cork is out, the words should just keep flowing in.

I used to write regularly here. I guess a lot of it has to do with my “five posts per month” goal and also the novelty of blogging for me at that time. I don’t think I will ever run out of topics to talk about. But oftentimes, when I have talked to somebody about some new idea or thought, it feels a bit redundant to put it again in writing.

Another blogger and also real life friend calls her blog a “repository of her thoughts”. I think that is quite accurate. The cyberspace is a great way to dump some brain farts and probably a place to spill some of those heart farts as well.

Here’s to more online spills and spiels! 🍻 (<—that’s a beer emoji, in case it doesn’t properly show)

No Thank You, Google

I thought Google had all the answers.
It does not.

Some theorizes that in the future, not too far from where we are today, the cyberspace will have achieved some semblance of omniscience. But it won’t.

Humans know lots of things. We also do NOT know a ton of shit. We may know some things, but not all. Definitely not everything.

As long as we have a heart that even the minds cannot decipher, the human condition will remain to be a bottomless crevice filled with irony and enigma.

The mystery of our humanity might look endearing (to aliens perhaps?), something to set us apart from unicorns and hyenas. But when you find yourself drowning in that same pool of uncertainty, you will crave for the cold and unflinching comfort that only “knowing” can bring.

✌

Match Up: Good versus…Great?

Good and great.

These are two words that can be used interchangeably in describing people, events and things. I have often thought that “great” is in many ways better than just being “good”. For example, when  asked about a particularly pleasing experience, one could say that it wasn’t just good. Instead one can describe it as something that was rather great.

Same words, right? Only, the latter seems to carry much more weight — in a higher degree of “goodness” if you may.

But my simple understanding of both of these terms was somewhat changed when I read how Mr. Ollivander described Lord Voldemort in the wand choosing scene in Harry Potter.

“Curious indeed how these things happen. The wand chooses the wizard, remember…. I think we must expect great things from you, Mr Potter…. After all, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named did great things — terrible, yes, but great.“

Suddenly, these two words no longer felt like proper synonyms of one another. I mean, can something really be great and not be good at the same time?

Apparently, the answer is yes.

Growing up, I thought that in order for one to be successful (whatever that means for each person), one must also be “great”. Excellence has always been the aim, hence being merely “good” would not really suffice. As I meet people with varying levels of successes and accomplishments, the difference between all things good and great seems to widen all the more. This is not to say that most great people are far from being good, or the other way around. I was just struck by how different these words mean when describing an individual.

Greatness, despite its obvious relativity,  is often easier to gauge while goodness, in its truest form, is far more difficult to define. In an effort to make personal changes in attaining both of these description, one cannot help but compare the roads that lead to each of such attribute.

Winston Churchill once said that “great and good are seldom the same man”.

I wonder if this is really true.

Merci 2013, On y va 2014!

2013 has been a really amazing year for me. It is so amazing that even the word ‘amazing’ sounds too puny and insufficient for such a blessed year. I think crazy good is a more fitting description. There isn’t any competition really between this year …

Lines, Patterns and Homo sapiens

Lines. Straight, bent, crooked, curved. Alone, they often do not really hold any real significance. But when lines are stretched, bunched together, weaved, inter-laced, crossed, and/or cut, they suddenly create a new pattern, effectively creating a new life of its own. Very much like humans. 

One Year Flying

I know it was around July, but I didn’t exactly mark the date on my calendar. I was actually hoping WordPress would send me a notification, a little confetti shower of sorts. It took a comment from Ishaiya on one of my older post for me to be reminded of the actual date of the anniversary of my first post.

(Pause for some cheers and confetti^^)

This isn’t my first attempt at blogging. The first blog that I had was a french-inspired blog where I mostly put things related to…surprise, surprise (!)…the french language. With some previous posts under my belt, this technically does not mark my one year in WordPress; however,  I felt the things between last year and today is enough reason to celebrate.

I find it a bit surreal that a year had already gone by and that now, sitting in my bed, I am now writing an anniversary blog post. (Another pause for some cheers and confetti:) ). A couple of months ago, I envisioned that I would be writing a very impassioned piece on the joy of writing, the wonders of the blogosphere, and other sweet stuff to mark this occasion. But to tell you honestly, after a long day at work, I am not feeling very impassioned at the moment. But do not despair, I am not about to write a sappy, whiny post on my blog anniversary. This momentous (O_0) event just made me a little pensive, that’s all.

To feel a bit tired of writing is not exactly an unusual feeling (especially when the real world is getting in the way). Looking back at my experience with my first blog, I now see, that the fact that I am still writing this despite not feeling very motivated is what kept me from maintaining my little space in the internet.

With my old blog, I thought that the main problem that I would be having is the lack of topic to write about. In retrospect, I find this a bit silly considering the number of topic one can relate to french, the study of language, France, culture and other similar themes. That can also be an occasional problem from me, Daily Prompts, weekly challenges and other people’s input do help in this department.

So what was the difference with this page?

Two things: GOAL and a COMMITMENT to that goal. Since this is my anniversary blog post, (more cheers and confetti!) I hope you would indulge me to expound on those two things.

First is my goal.

For flyforicarus, I only have one: To have at least 5 posts per month.

You might ask, “Why 5?”. Well, why not. I am not really sure of the answer myself . But I guess since my first month only had 5 posts, I made it a goal to at least maintain that figure. What I am sure of is that it was never really about the actual value of the number. It could have been a 4 or a 10 (good thing it was not 10 ^^). The important thing here is to have a clear target that is realistic.

“Achievable goals are the first step to self improvement” – JK Rowling

I would admit that having a stat info to look at every now and then can be a good motivator. However, of all of the numbers in my stat, the one thing that I truly care about is the number of post I make in a month. Racking up on the number of likes, comments and follows gave me a happy feeling especially in the beginning. But these numbers are not numbers that I should obsess about. For one, these numbers are also dependent on the quantity and quality of my post. Instead of focusing on the result of my work, I decided to concentrate on the things that I can actually control.

More post = more materials for people to read = higher possibility of more likes/ comment = more happiness 🙂 🙂

Next on my list is my commitment to the goal.

I had a particular month when I was so busy  that I didn’t even bother to check my page until the last few weeks. I think I needed two more post to meet the goal. I was not in the mood to write anything and was making lots of excuse like, “maybe I can just stick with 3 post, then I will write 7 the next month” or, ” I wrote more than 5 last months, so by the  law of averages, I’ve already met my quota.“, etc… They were not works of art but I still managed to meet my quota despite all that bargaining. That made me feel quite pleased.

All in all, this whole blogging thing had been a great way for me to unload some ideas that I would just normally keep to myself. The experience had reiterated some of the values that I already know but do not consciously practice in real life. It has also made me appreciate writing, although it didn’t care much for it before. I feel really proud and happy that I was able to write some of the stuff I wrote here and was glad of the decision to start this whole thing. I don’t know if it’s just narcissism or if other bloggers feel the same as well.

Aside from the sense of accomplishment that I get every time I click the “Publish”  button, I get this inexplicable excitement whenever I see that that notification box light up. The conversations that I’ve had with some of the people here at the WP community has been the best part of the experience for me. Conversations that I would not have thought possible, from sharing our views regarding a mythical character to cats, books, social issues, more stories about cats– I just feel so blessed to have chanced upon some of these amazing people.

For the next year my goal is to read and interact with other people more. Considering that some of the most stimulating conversations I had came from people across the country and the globe, this new goal would be a great way for me to expand my horizon and to broaden my perspective on  a lot of issues. I think 5 comments or likes per week would be a manageable goal for me. Now all I have to do is to strengthen my commitment to this goal.

Finally, I would like to thank all those who liked, commented, followed and read what I wrote here most especially to those who keep on coming back. I hope I can talk to you again soon.  ❤

Hugs and cheers,

Arianne

Writings on the Wall: Nurturing the Seeds

Like or Unlike it, Facebook’s presence in the cyber society is undeniable. Asked a question of whether it is a bane or a boon, I think it goes both ways. But ultimately, the answer lies with who uses it.

Just like other media form, we are constantly being exposed to various information and ideas in Facebook. Last Month, I decided to make a string of post called Writings on the Wall where I plan to write things that were inspired by what I see on my newsfeed. Basically, these are things shared by my friends and possibly, pages that I follow. Not all of these ideas are exactly positive or negative but they are interesting enough to evoke thought and emotion. Unlike my previous Facebook-inspired post, this one is just from a short quote that I liked.

“What a child doesn’t receive, he can seldom later give.”

Quote · July 7, 2013July 7, 2013 · 2 Comments ·

Baby Steps, Bouncy Hops and Big Leaps

People are not very different from books, especially those people I meet. Sometimes you breeze through some seemingly inconsequential literature only to stumble upon a phrase that would make you stop and think. Sometimes it would take an entire book to fully appreciate its impact but often times, a line or two is enough. Not all people in my “library” are exciting reads nor do they all offer inspiring thoughts or life changing aspirations. Some, sadly, are not even books which I can keep. But I am quite sure that each of these person have left an imprint. Not exactly a memory, just an effect that may not even be intentional, well perhaps the contrary is true if I consider the  “Writer”.

In 2010, I decided to enroll in a  french classes on a whim. I thought I was just about to learn a language. I never thought that I would also be opening up myself to a whole new perspective. Aside from the things I learned in class about culture and life outside of the Philippines, my interest in traveling was very much piqued.  It was not just the cultural exposure that got me interested, it was also the people who I met in class. They come from different backgrounds; some have traveled but some have not but what they all had in common is this dream to explore and experience a life outside their own.

I never thought much about it  because, you see, I had this idea that only people who have lots of money can travel. Much of my thoughts on travelling are usually set aside on a bin that is labelled, “when I win the lottery” or “goal after 10 years”. In short, traveling was not exactly on my priority list. I know some might it a  bit dumb if you are from a well-off background but money (or the lack of it) is some thing that I take  into great consideration for such expeditions.

Now going back to my french class, I have the pleasure of meeting a person who’ve had such an impact on me. We never became close or anything, but one thing she really emphasized on was the importance of travelling. It doesn’t really have to be overseas nor does it have to drain your bank account. She shared to us how she and her husband have been saving up for a trip overseas. I’m not sure but I think she mentioned Rome or Italy as a possible destination. But one thing can remember from her was this idea of saving up for a trip.

Now this may sound like a no-brainer now, but at 22, I thought that this was such a novel idea. It wasn’t so far-fetched anymore. At that time,  I had a job that actually provide for my needs and a little extra to fund my other interest such as taking up a language course.

My journey didn’t start right away. If you were thinking that I actually dropped everything that I was doing to get to the earliest flight away from Manila, you couldn’t be more wrong. I sat on it mostly. I mean, the idea was there, the inspiration was there BUT I really didn’t feel any urgency to do it. I was more like a complacent boxer on the sixth round. Dancing to the tune, Dodging, playing tag at some point, it is still clear that I now meant business come the 11th or the 12. I had a virtual list of things to pay and save for before making a serious decision to travel. The opportunity to do it so was high, but again, NOT on my priority list.

Now fast forward to 2012. I said to myself that this was the year. I’m really going to do it. I really, going to push for it. By hook or by crook.So what happened in 2012? Nothing. Not much for me, I tried some things which worked and didn’t work.  But I was basically almost where I started.

Also, this was the year that my remarkable classmate died. Car accident. In her early 30s. No more Rome or travelling. Gone. Just like that. And there I was waiting to for the very last minute to pounce. We were never really close, more like acquaintances, which made it more odd how I kept on obsessing about our conversation about savings, the future, travelling and other things. I would have loved to ask her tons of questions about her travel experience but that would never be. My reaction to her passing was a bit harder than expected possibly due to these two reasons:  first, it felt like she is one of those genuinely happy person who has some much more to offer to life and second, her death made me realize how that the final blow can come at an early and unexpected time.   It was a very surreal moment to feel depressed and inspired and determined at the same time. I realized that I have been dancing far too long and too far out. I already had the right idea planted on my brain but I was never really determined enough to act on it.

You are again mistaken if you thought that the shock would have drove me to the nearest travelling agency that same week. However, this time I felt that I had a really deeper purpose of embarking on an adventure. It took me a couple of months to book a flight but it did finally happened. I went to Thailand last month and was able to go on my first plane ride. It was indeed possible.

Paolo Coehlo rambled on on how the stars in the universe would align to give you your hearts desire. In my case, the right people  circled around me forming this positive energy the made me feel like my universe is indeed expanding and that the list of things possible has just grown exponentially. People at work and in school not only influenced my desire to  travel but also introduced several opportunities that I would have never recognized even if it danced naked in front of me.

Books may provide a lot of motivation and stimulation but I never realized that my personal relationships with others other than my family and close friends could have such profound effect. I know I mostly spoke of travelling but I think it’s only the tip of the iceberg. Their word, manner of speaking, random act of kindness, a person’s life (or its loss) can touch us in a way that is both mysterious and mesmerizing.  I can spend my whole life in wonder and awe but above  all I learned how important it is to act on these inspiration —  to get out of the couch and actually do something about it.

After all, We Only Live Once.