Memorable Moments from the ILEP Mentors’ Training

Dr Leland dela Cruz; AVP for Social Development, Environment, and Community Engagement; was one of the 22 participants of the recently concluded mentors’ training for the Ignatian Leadership in Education Program (ILEP) held from 14 to 18 July, 2025, at Abagatan Ti Manila, Alfonso, Cavite. Organized by the Office of the AVP for Ignatian Leadership Formation under Dr Joy Salita, this third run of the ILEP mentors’ training brings the number of mentors to almost 80. The ILEP is Ateneo de Manila’s university-wide program for leadership formation for students, faculty and staff.

I was first appointed to lead an office at Ateneo de Manila University thirty years ago. Since then, I have been appointed to lead four other offices one after the other. But if I recall correctly, in all those thirty years, there was only one time when we had a one-and-a-half hour conversation on our leadership experience (back when gatherings were held at CTC second floor). I remember telling my conversation partner back then that I was tired and burnt out.

One session into the recently concluded Ignatian Leadership in Education Program, I realized that intentionally reflecting on our experience as leaders was an important exercise. The group I was with included vice presidents, assistant vice presidents, directors, coordinators, and student affairs professionals. I would assume most of us got into our positions without formal leadership training. A good number of us had doctorates, but those are research degrees. Some were medical doctors, accountants, or information technology specialists. And I think most of us never had a chance to reflect on our leadership journey, certainly not for an entire week. 

So there we were, at Abagatan Ti Manila in Alfonso, Cavite, not really knowing what to expect but open to the experience. Of course it didn’t hurt that leading us were two leaders we trusted and respected, Fr Johnny Go SJ, Dean of the Gokongwei Brothers School of Education and Learning Design and former President of Xavier School Greenhills and Dr Achoot Cuyegkeng, Director of the Lily Gokongwei Ngochua Leadership Academy and former Vice President for the Loyola Schools.  

They got my attention from the get-go by inviting us to reflect on our relationship with ourselves. What kind of a leader were we? A commuter with a set destination and a set route? Or a wanderer with neither a set destination or a set route? Or a pilgrim with an initial destination and an initial route. I smiled to myself when I realized that I’m not any of those because I sometimes have a set destination but no set route which drives my staff crazy (but I always get to my destination!)                                  

The next memorable moment for me came over lunch. We had just come from a session where we were taught nonviolent communication as a tool for listening leaders. Reflecting on my own experiences having tough conversations (and having just sent out a number of rejection letters for an academic conference my organization is hosting), I told Dr Cuyegkeng over lunch that sometimes we prepare to give our feedback nonviolently, but the response to our feedback is violent. She said in reply that you must assume the response will be violent so you must prepare yourself psychologically. Fr Johnny replied when I shared the same thought and Dr Cuyegkeng’s response during the open forum after lunch that he prays that he won’t get mad before he has a tough conversation. 

The third memorable moment for me was at the very end. I tried to apply what I learned to three decisions I had to make in the coming months. At first I tried to consider what values were associated with each choice like we were taught in the session on the Discerning Leader. But that exercise didn’t help clarify things. Then it just so happened that Dr Cuyegkeng wrapped up the workshop by talking about the four criteria for discerning in common, the first of which was the Passion for Mission. 

Then I remembered that the leader must be anchored in the mission and that helped clarify the decisions I had to make. The initial inclination for the first decision became clear when I asked myself: what choice will enhance the passion for mission of stakeholders? The next step for the other two choices also became clear. I need to first ask how the mission is to be articulated for particular groups today. 

Beyond the substantive learnings, the gathering also became an occasion for us to get to know each other. There were vast differences in age with one participant in his early twenties and two participants who were seventy-five! There were personnel from all levels and the gathering became an occasion to see that those in the President’s Council were far from unreachable. We have VPs (who shall not be named) who dance really well and another VP who is a great DJ. Building community will definitely help us work better together. 

We, the participants, would like to thank Fr Johnny and Dr Cuyegkeng for leading us through the workshop. Thank have given us much food for thought. We’d also like to thank the people who organized the event, Dr Joy Salita, the Assistant Vice President for Ignatian Leadership Formation and her staff, Berna Eslava, Geoff San Esteban, and Tonette Delica. 

I’d like to end on this note: Among the participants was Dan Vijandre, a student affairs professional based at the college’s Office of Student Activities who just graduated from college last year. Throughout the workshop, Dan was an articulate spokesperson for his office and his generation. Thirty years ago, I was also a student affairs professional at OSA who eventually became its director, my first leadership appointment. I remember being a twenty-something someone in a sea of older people and couldn’t help, but wonder if I was like Dan back then. Whether or not I was, I’m glad that young ones like Dan have workshops like the ILEP available to them. I hope it makes their leadership journey more intentional. And I hope that those who are reading this who are invited to a Leadership Circle accept the invitation in pursuit of our common mission.