“Advocating One Camhi, One Spirit through Excellent Service”

A. Intro- Anecdote (While showing hs pictures)

I clearly remember when I was your age, that was around eight years ago, I was also very busy
with implementing events and projects for the SSG. As a graduating student then in the
Engineering and Science Education Program, it was a challenge for me to balance my tasks such
as a long test in Advanced Chemistry and organizing Mr. and Ms. Hayskul. I was always out of the
classroom and my teachers were already asking me if I just enrolled to be the President of the
SSG. I still recall the time when I was sent to a leadership conference and after the activities of
the day, I would still stay awake to finish my Logic Gates. These are some scenarios I believe many
of you can relate to because truth be told, being a servant leader comes with bountiful challenges,
but at the end of the day, the insights and experiences we gain definitely outweigh the struggles
and challenges of our role. With this, let me share with you my five biggest learnings as a
Hayskulana Servant Leader.

B. Body- Five main learnings as a Servant Leader

1. Be COMMITTED.
Yes, servant leadership has strings attached. I used to believe that it is passion that propels a
person forward. But during the late nights that I was left alone in the SSG office to finish heaps
of paperwork, it was commitment that kept me going. Passion, like fire, burns out. Many of
you may have experienced this already- that remarkably sad moment when you are
overwhelmed with to-do lists and you have zero motivation to move a limb. Hy666 know you
love your organization and the position given to you but there are just days when you are not
in the mood. But you still get up not because you want to but because you know you have to.
That external force that pushes you to do your tasks despite having bad score in your quiz, an
argument with your friends or boyfriend/girlfriend, PMS days, or a family problem is called
commitmenthho.
2. Aspire to be better, every day.
One of the biggest mistakes a servant leader may make is the denial of improvement. It is
natural to receive feedback here and there and it is also understandable if some of these
comments may not be that nice. I remember that time when I was working really hard for this
certain school activity, I had very few hours of sleep, did not have enough time and I was
evidently stressed out. Despite my diligence, this activity that we organized gained negative
comments from teachers and students. But you know, I have always believed in the adage
that criticism is the breakfast of champions. The best way to respond to this situation is to
utilize the feedback constructively. Take time to reflect on the comments and decide how
these pieces of information can be used to your advantage. Did they say that the event started
late? Then next time, have an earlier call time. Were they annoyed because of the many
technical difficulties in the program? Then for the next event, have a tech rehearsal to test
your equipment and multimedia. Do not be offended because everybody was not pleased,
not only will it demotivate you but it will also hinder you from growing as a servant leader.
Being able to work with the biggest corporations in the country and the world, I realized that
even the most successful organizations and the best CEO/s cannot do everything perfectly.
But what they have in common is the desire to become better.
 3. Manage your time wisely.
If you would ask me, the most crucial thing that you have to manage as a servant leader is
your time. I’m sure that you are not just a leader- you are also a student, a daughter, a sister,
a girlfriend/boyfriend, a volunteer in church or community, a contestant, a member of a band,
chorale, girl/boy scout, and many more to mention. I can say this because during my fourth
year here, aside from being the SSG President, I was also an editor of the The Isarog and
contestant of a number of competitions. I was also assigned to create the script of our
section’s big play and sent to numerous seminars. This was beyond overwhelming and if I did
not have a good time management plan, my life would have been chaotic. There are
numerous self-help books and strategies about time management but I have always believed
that every person should have his own personal style of managing his/her time. After all, the
best person who completely knows your personality and your priorities is YOU. It requires a
number of trials and errors but once you get a hang of it, you’ll be extra productive.
4. Have a restful break when you need it.
The path of servant leadership could be quite bumpy. Projects may not hit your objectives,
your org mates may not do what are expected of them, your audience may not like what you
have prepared for them and many more discouraging events may occur. Do not lose heart.
And do not make decisions when you are down and emotional. Should you be on the brink of
giving up, take time to rest. Baka pagod ka lang. What I usually do during stressful times, I
take a break, watch a series or read a book I love, eat my favorite food, shower for an hour,
put on a really cold face mask and get a good sleep. Sometimes all you need is a pause and
not feel guilty about it. You are just a human being and your energy supply is not infinite.
Believe me, once you are fully recharged, you are smarter which means you can make better
decisions and you have a stronger tolerance for stress.
5. Ignite and inspire.
One remarkable quote that I learned in a leadership camp is that good leaders don’t make
good followers, they make better leaders. I definitely agree with this because I believe in
transformational style of leadership. When a leader embodies desirable traits and yield
fantastic results for the organization, the members of his/her group would be inspired to
emulate the same characteristics when given the opportunity to lead in the future. To add to
that, good leaders don’t do everything, they delegate, they empower. They give opportunities
for their members to shine and stand out. They become instruments for growth and
development for their groupmates. This entails courage, and faith, and hope.

C. Conclusion
As a former corporate consulting associate and a present business educator, I have always
believed in the essence of establishing your organizational leadership brand- your trademark,
your leadership spirit. A leadership brand conveys your identity and distinctiveness as a
leader. When every leader in an organization upholds the same type of leadership, there is
unity of path, of direction. When there is unity of direction, everybody eyes the same goal.
When everybody is geared to the same prize, the force towards achieving it is stronger, more
focused. So always remember, the brand of a Hayskulano leader is one that is
Committed
Aspires to bet better
Manages time wisely
Has necessary restful breaks
Ignites and Inspires