Pamamahalang Pilipino: Level 5 leadership

Success bears no single standard of measure, even more so in today’s results-driven landscape. Let alone the idea of gauging successful management; there is a degree of difficulty in gauging with various experts and so-called “gurus” who provide different standards.  A particular seminal article that most, if not all, business students have come across is Jim Collins' take on the concept of Level 5 Leadership. This ideal epitome of a leader exhibiting a “paradoxical combination of deep personal humility with intense professional will,” which Collins himself dubbed to be a rare species in the business world. Nevertheless, it would be safe to digress as perhaps Filipinos do in fact possess, if not embody, this standard of excellent leadership.

With recent talks of Pamamahalang Pilipino, we cannot help but compare the very values and traits Level 5 leaders possess to be intricately woven into our philosophy. Sikolohiyang Pilipino serves as the backbone of this synthesis. This analysis beckons the question as to “How Jim and Juan can agree on their idea of Level 5 Leadership?”

Personal humility—arguably something hard to come by with the materialistic standards of success these days. Brandishing a Rolex or touting a Land Cruiser would often come off as the total opposite of this quality. However, it would be prudent to digress from such a perception of this misconstrued value as it goes beyond tangibles. Collins attributed this concept to a sense of “compelling modesty” with a grounded sense of crediting success. Simply put, we Filipinos know a thing or two about pagpapakumbaba (humility). 

From one’s earliest memories of childhood, Filipinos have passed on this concept. Be it gently or by force—as some mothers would smack some senses into their kids—this is integral to our cultural narrative. It was ever so recent when even esteemed giants such as Ramon Ang gave sound advice of “Be kind and humble,” words often attributed by those lucky enough to have interacted with the SMC chairman. Such powerful words of wisdom this comes off, especially when one considers the tycoon's humble beginnings as a working student to his eventual success today.

Adding more fire to our sense of humility is the double-edged sword that is utang na loob (gratitude through reciprocity). One would care to argue how this is a disease in Philippine society that perpetuates a pervasive patronage system, yet it has its equal merits. Take the modest testimonies of Manny V. Pangilinan, sharing credit for his success with other members of his company. It is embedded in the Filipino psyche to laud others in our personal triumphs. Perhaps our idea of bayanihan (solidarity) further instills the need to bolster others in our individual ascents.

Professional will—what better word to encapsulate this in our mother tongue than the concept of tiyaga (perseverance). Linguists may scoff at the translation to be merely “hard work” or “diligence.” Though strictly speaking, this is true, we have to understand that Filipinos go beyond the rigors of simply doing their best. It is a testament prevailing in every karinderia, every family-owned hardware store, every taho vendor, and all walks of life that strives to make ends meet in our country.

Filipinos do not merely push things to the mettle for the sake of profit maximization, but dire economic situations in the country strengthen our indomitable will. Call it our survival instinct backed by our often romanticized katatagan (resilience)—no loss in revenue or fear of bankruptcy can be too big of a blunder. Filipinos endure and find ways to upend whatever setbacks may come our way. After all, we have diskarte (ingenuity) to back us up whenever we are in a corner.

Suffice to say, what Jim Collins envisioned as successful management has always manifested in the ways of Juan dela Cruz. The values enshrined in the fledgling of an idea that is Pamamahalang Pilipino ascribe to the principles of humility and professionalism that Level 5 Leadership promotes. In due time, with more refinement and structure, this emergent paradigm will go beyond Level 5 Without a doubt, Pamamahalang Pilipino provides a “better” prospect in ensuring authentic and humanistic management as it truly and uniquely ours.