‘To be a leader, you should also know how to teach others to lead’

"We were taught how to discover ourselves, accept who we are and what we have, embrace our leadership, and develop more so we can serve better," shared Ellenita Abrantes. The Assistant to the Associate Dean for Graduate Programs for Administration and Policy recently completed the Women's Leadership in Asia (WOLA) program. Initiated and developed by South Korea's Ewha Institute for Leadership Development, the six-week online leadership course was intended for emerging women leaders from higher education institutions in Asia. It ran from 20 October to 30 November 2021.

Abrantes graduated from the Philippine School of Business Administration with a BS in Business Administration major in Management Information System in 2003. She served as a president of the Management Information Society System (MISS) Organization in her 4th year. She started her career at the Loyola Schools at the Office of Admission and Aid (OAA). She later landed a permanent position at the Office of the Associate Dean for Graduate Programs (OADGP). She then got promoted to an administrator position at the OADGP, carrying the knowledge and experiences she acquired from all her previous & current colleagues, office teams, and heads (Fr. Nemy Que, Mrs. Cynch Totanes, Dr. Norman Quimpo, Dr. E-yes Gonzalez, and Dr. Anne Candelaria)

Abrantes recalled that her participation in WOLA would not have been possible without Dr. Anne Lan K. Candelaria, Associate Dean for Graduate Programs. She initially had qualms about joining WOLA as their office was busy adjusting to the pandemic, but with Dr. Candelaria's encouragement, Abrantes pushed through with her application. She also received a full scholarship to join the program.

Even after getting accepted, Abrantes voiced her reservations about participating—she didn't think she would fit into the program. She also believed that a leader should be someone with a more prominent role than hers. But Dr. Candelaria reassured her that she served as a leader in their office with significant contributions to their team.

The program started asynchronously with modules, lectures, and assessments that Abrantes said were mostly about self-reflection—what influenced the participants to join WOLA, their purpose as leaders, and their recognition as women leaders. 

The program also had synchronous sessions, allowing the participants to interact and exchange experiences about their fields and leadership journeys. From how other women leaders shared their struggles in their respective countries, Abrantes noted how the pandemic amplified these challenges as women had to take over duties at home and work. 

"We have to be more empowering; we must collaborate with others," Abrantes said. Abrantes added that these interactive sessions were one of the most memorable parts of her WOLA experience. She had the opportunity to expand her network, learn from other women leaders, and apply these learnings to her leadership.

She mentioned that a particular module about self-discovery helped her come to terms with her inner self and accept who she is as a leader—despite her prior experience of seeing leadership only as a responsibility instead of fully embracing the role to initiate change. 

Being part of WOLA has made Abrantes more accepting of herself as a leader and more competent in carrying out this leadership role. "I was taught to be more open, empathetic, and disciplined to know how to walk the talk. But, if you want to be a leader, you also have to know how to be a follower."

Joining the program also gave her a different lens through which to see herself.

"You also need to know your positive side—it's what will push you to do more. Because you know you can do it (Kasi alam mo na kaya mo). So you have to be able to convert the negative into something positive eventually."

By translating what she learned from WOLA into her leadership at work, Abrantes said she is now better equipped to empower her colleagues to express what they think would be best for the team, not just for themselves. She also learned how to maximize her strength: her capacity for foresight that allows her to prepare and provide steps for overcoming a problem if it ever arises.

And if there ever comes a time when she cannot do things by herself, Abrantes learned this: "You have to look for people who can help you. We have to have our board of trustees—people who can keep you on track, who will keep you grounded." 

Abrantes added that this is especially helpful for those with 'Superwoman syndrome,' the tendency to take on multiple roles that only make one physically and mentally worn out. She shared that their team had started to establish more explicit work boundaries to avoid being worn out at the workplace, such as setting office hours or taking lunch breaks.

When asked about her WOLA program's challenges, Abrantes said time management- balancing her time among work, family, and the program. However, what helped her overcome this was the support and encouragement she received from her boss and colleagues at the OADGP. She felt reassured and empowered that their team was more like a family whose members knew and understood each other's struggles and needs.

Through the WOLA program, Abrantes discovered what her leadership journey was, what she can contribute to the organization, and how she can inspire others to take on leadership roles.

"To be a leader, you should also know how to teach others to lead." 

And this is what Abrantes hopes to accomplish in the new year.