by Prof. Ernesto D. Garilao, MM 1982
When I received the invitation to give the commencement speech to this MM graduating class, I was initially hesitant to accept for many reasons. But then, over dinner, my youngest daughter said “Dad, you are now over 60; you need to share whatever it is you may have learned over the years.”
So it is in that spirit that this address is being given.
Being a graduate of the MM myself, I have always encouraged my friends to take the course because it gives greater added value. You have more rigorous teachers; your classmates are street-smart, and you learn to look at situations from different perspectives.
My own MM experience was my quantum leap. It gave me the new knowledge, new skills, new relationships. But it did not give me something that the more recent MM classes had.
And for that let me tell you the story of Leon Araneta, MM 07.
After his graduation, there was a family gathering where the returning scions reported on their newly-acquired MBAs. One came from a prestigious school in Europe and another from the United States. Both spoke glowingly about what they have learned from their respective schools and the quality of their professors whose published books were the class materials.
When it was finally his turn, they asked him what he had learned from AIM and he answered “I learned about myself.” Obviously, this was not the expected answer; but I think it was a most profound insight.
Leon continues his story, “My MM was a journey of personal transformation to be a better leader; and for that to happen I need to understand and master myself and connect the new learnings, tools and frameworks with what I wanted to do with my life. “
The need for self-awareness and self-mastery.
In the pronaos of the Temple of Apollo at Delphi , there is an inscription “Know thyself.” This is attributed, among others to Socrates, who in the 4th Century BC wrote that a life unexamined is a life not worth living.
Self-awareness is most important. That is why you went through the process in your 1st Module. You learned about your EQ, took the MBTI, looked at your Gennogram where you encountered your gifts and talents, as well as your limitations, shadows and challenges.
You saw your life-defining moments where you got life’s lessons. And you identified the people who influenced you for good, or for ill. You looked at members of your families who provided the modelling and who influenced you and your aspirations.
You also got to understand the values you hold dear. And if you listened well enough, you would have connected with your inner self and you would have discovered your life’s purpose.
Identifying purpose and self-mastery. Having done that, the MM journey moved forward to give you competencies –tools, skills and knowledge that can help you operationalize your life purpose.
In my many years of doing this exercise with students, I have been amazed by the range of “purposes” that have emerged. One wanted to be the world’s greatest father. His father died young so he never experienced his father’s love. He wanted his son to have the love he never got. Everything else in his life was secondary.
Another said he wanted his people to have a better life; and for that he wanted to be a state minister. He came from a family with a tradition for public service.
Still another said that he wanted to bring peace into the world, coming from a Gandhian tradition, though at the time he was working in a technology firm.
If you listen to their many stories, one theme emerges: their life was no longer about themselves. Most saw themselves as caring for either family or community through service. The job was simply a means to do that.
Connecting to your purpose. It is important that you connect to your personal purpose because this serves as your life’s anchor. And when you identify your purpose, you can use the MM program for self mastery.
While I did not have the opportunities for deepening self-awareness when I did my MM in 1982, I was fortunate that in the development field I was in, one had to be clear about personal purpose if one was to stay and find meaning in the work.
With that, I used my MM program to enhance my development competencies to prepare myself for higher responsibilities and greater challenges.
I had many unforgettable experiences: the strategic mind of Vic Limlingan , the critical thinking of Gaby Mendoza, and the attention to details of Leni Panganiban – all these gave me the skills to look at case facts, analyze them critically and come up with recommended action.
Inequities and Bill Gates. When Bill Gates was asked to give the commencement speech to Harvard graduates in 2007, he introduced himself as Harvard’s most successful drop-out. In that address he said that the only thing he regretted about Harvard was that he was not introduced to inequities.
He said, “I left Harvard with no real awareness of the awful inequities in the world – the appalling disparities of health, and wealth, and opportunity that condemn millions of people to lives of despair.”
At the end of the address he said, “I want to exhort each of the graduates here to take on an issue-–a complex problem, a deep inequity, and become a specialist on it. If you make it the focus of your career, that would be phenomenal. But you don’t have to do that to make an impact. For a few hours every week, you can… get informed, find others with the same interests, see the barriers, and find ways to cut through them.”
These words came from the then world’s richest man. And he discovered inequities while he was foraying with his billions in Africa where he slowly realized what a bum deal the rest of society got from their governments, from their leaders and from the corporations that made money on them.
One might then surmise that if Harvard gave him an early understanding of inequities then, perhaps, his story and many stories of his generation could have been different.
The vision of Dean Mendoza. In the late 1960s, then Dean of the Institute Gabino Mendoza wrote an AIM Values paper that went on to be approved by the Faculty, the Trustees and the Governors.
The paper was prescient. It stated that it was the responsibility of AIM among others to develop Asian leaders “whose skills, knowledge and attitudes are relevant to Asian conditions and concerns, who are sensitive to Asian values and sensitivities, and who are committed to the development of Asia and its peoples, particularly the disadvantaged, the underprivileged, the poor.”
Linking personal purpose to societal outcomes. In today’s terms, it frames Professor Gavino’s constant reminder – that one must link organizational outputs to societal outcomes.
We resonate this because at the end of the day, our organizational outputs -whether it be in pharmaceuticals, banking, telecommunications, services and the like, have to be situated within the context of societal outcomes.
Let me give you a current example. Pfizer has a business model of blockbuster, patent protected products. It made a lot of business sense in the developed markets of North America, Europe and Japan. When the model was introduced to emerging and developing markets, it proved to be not sustainable. While the emerging markets have a growing middle class; still the majority of the population remains low income. In these markets, Pfizer is expected to be relevant to all segments, otherwise they will be accused of cherry picking. If they are to be present in all segments, they have to move into the realm of public health and better health outcomes of society. This means that the product offerings must go beyond the lifestyle diseases for which Pfizer is known, and must also include those relevant to the disease burden of the majority of the population.
When Pfizer starts looking at the lower market segments, they must listen to customers, dialogue with the major health actors and organizations and establish partnerships. This means that as it now looks at the whole country its organizational outputs must contribute to the societal outcome of better health.
Hence, corporations today need to ask the question: Do our organizations contribute to better quality of life? (Or better still, how do our organizational outputs reduce human inequities?)
The early challenge of Gaby Mendoza to the AIM in the late 60s to produce Asian leaders committed to the development of Asia and its peoples, particularly the disadvantaged, resonates with Bill Gates challenge to Harvard in 2007 to produce graduates dedicated to reduce human inequities.
After graduation, the options you face.
Tomorrow, you return to the World.
I have always told my MM classes that you owe it to yourself to develop your full human potential and to be with organizations that foster that development.
Just as you will be true to your purpose, the institution you join must likewise be true to its mission and to the values it espouses.
Hold yourself and your organization accountable for results.
Be ready to engage people you work with, including your organizational leaders. The environment is more complex today. Leaders need to hear not just their voices but other different perspectives to better comprehend and assess situations more effectively.
In summary, let me just return to my points.
The first is about societal outcomes and inequities. You will operate in the region which has the world’s largest number of people who live below the poverty line. You have to keep them in mind.
Second is that addressing societal outcomes require new knowledge and skills: systems thinking, listening and dialoguing, listening to stakeholders and having enduring partnerships to achieving societal outcomes. These are skills you have developed.
Third, be ready to engage institutions to remain true to their mission and be more responsive to the stakeholders they serve. This you must do.
And last but not least, be aware of the alignment of your own personal purpose and the mission of your organization.
As you go forth, trust that you have what is necessary to contribute your Meaning in this world.
You are a good seed. Germinate and grow and yield many fruits for many to share.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
This commence speech was delivered before the AIM-MM Graduating Class of 2010 on April 24, 2010. This is the original longer version of the speech; portions were omitted during the actual delivery. I wish to acknowledge the kind assistance of Michael U. 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