Leaders are not born, they are trained. For a hesitant leader like I am, it takes a lot of rigorous training.
I have been a hesitant leader for as long as I can remember. I get nominated for class leader positions which I decline, always saying I am ‘busy’ with acads but really I’m scared if my classmates will acually follow me. I remember in high school, I was a freshman and was pushed by the teachers to run for student council president against 2 seniors! I said yes for the sake of it but I was happy I didn’t win. Yes there are still doubts but the fact that it is always happening makes me think – baka nga meron akong potential?
Fast forward to now, as a child of a business owner, I am once again caught in a position of leadership – a position by default. My mom, perhaps feeling the company is getting steady, expresses her desire to turn over the management to me. Now her tone is on the humorous side but it gets more serious every conversation.
Looking at my cards, I have to choose if I will play the tyrant or the queen of hearts.
It is not that easy. You see, people follow a person either thru fear or respect. My mom, the current CEO/President, has both. She’s respected because she has 20+ years experience in management and she’s feared because she owns/started the company.
I, on the other hand, have nothing.
I cannot collect 20+ years of management experience instantly to gain other people’s respect. I was hoping I graduated cum laude with a course related to food and beverage but I don’t have that either. I would want to use respect as a rod to make people follow but I think I can’t establish it fast enough.
Tyrrany on the other hand is easy to project. I can just shout and hurl objects whenever I’m dissatisfied and voila! People will follow. My mom is a tyrant. She uses the fear factor more than the respect factor in management and honestly, she’s able to make the company grow big as it is now. The tyrant technique may sound bad, but it works. Think Hitler, Marcos… It deters inefficient, cunning, underperforming employees. Instilling fear may be the best shortcut for me but I don’t know if I can ‘maintain’ it. It gets tiring to always be angry.
I thought writing it down could help me decide. Hindi parin pala. Mahirap parin. I’m not called to the stand yet, maybe, then, I would have chosen. We will see, will time make me a horrible? Or a loveable boss?
Rafi Sartin 