Last May, my good friend Rolly Soliven, treated me to this wonderful leadership seminar in Every Nation The Fort
The event is part of the efforts of Pastor Joey Bonifacio, Victory Biz Group and Victory Christian Fellowship to reach out to different sectors of the community – this time the professional and business sector.
The father-and-son tandem of former GMA president and CEO Nardz Jimenez and PLDT senior vice president Butch Jimenez graced the occasion with powerful and meaningful leadership speeches.
Butch Jimenez went first on stage and spoke about three important elements to properly lead people.
Here are some notes I have taken during the meet.
PRESSURE
Likened to a balloon, people needed just the right amount of pressure to move up. Putting in too little helium into a balloon, will make the balloon drop to the ground and not serve its purpose. Likewise, too much pressure will stretch the balloon so much and inevitably, burst. However, if the right amount of helium into a balloon will not only make it move, but let it “fly” into insurmountable heights, more than we expect it to be.
People, as well, needed the same appropriate pressure on them not to make them lazy nor restless… and this will make the best out of our peers and people.
PASSION
Infuse onto the people a burning desire that will give them the motivation to work beyond what is asked from them. Passion drives people to love the work they’re into and treat it as if not working, but as a “pleasurable” duty.
PURPOSE
Inject a sense of purpose on the people – a purpose far greater than themselves. No man has ever lived a life not seeking for his purpose. Neither does a follower. A clear purpose gives the people beyond what good pay or even passion can bring. For people will reach for anything and strive continually to meet the purpose – if they envisioned themselves being an important part of that great purpose they are up to.
After that Butch, his father Nardz stepped towards the podium and took his turn. Manong Nardz, as he is popularly called, stated his nearly-Cinderella story coming off from humble beginnings to a big finish as president of GMA.
Coming from a not-so-rich family from Pangasinan, Manong Nardz financed his own schooling through limpia bota sideline or shoe shining.
After saving money, he bought comic books and fixed his bike. From there, he launched his business of renting out comics and bike.
When he reached college, he worked as a clerk in a government office to augment his educational needs. He said the lack of printing machines during those times, made him stamp hundreds of thousands of government envelopes. He spent eight hours a day just stamping “for official use only” on piles of envelopes, every working day.
Good for him that he believed in something vital to the success of any individual: no job is too big or too small.
He then graduated accountancy. He took a bookkeeper position in an abaca firm, even though he was a CPA already that time, thinking that there is more to him than just a bookkeeper.
It didn’t take long for Manong Nardz to rise in the ranks and became the assistant general manager.
There was an opportunity for him to be the next general manager of the company, but somehow, it was not meant for him. His belief was that “when God closes a door, He will open the window”.
This ‘misfortune’ led Manong Nardz to take the dilapidated and sunken station of GMA to be his next vocation.
Lo and behold, after many drastic and faith-filled measures, GMA grew to be one of the country’s best stations now.
Surprisingly, amidst all the great talks and fascinating success story I was more focused on the underlying story I see during the event. I was more amazed not on the principles they both are sharing the public, but more on the “story behind the story.”
While hearing the speeches of the Jimenez father-and-son tandem, I was dwelling on the thought of where true leadership would matter to me.
More so, during the time that Butch was reading the foreword he wrote for the book of his dad. I was moved when Butch said that to him and their family, Manong Nards was like a rainbow. Though it was a belief that at the end of the rainbow, there is a pot of gold – for Butch and their family, Manong Nards was both the treasure at the end of the rainbow and a representation of God’s promise after the turmoil.
Seeing Butch, the principles he said in the speech, is the epitome of what his dad Nards has taught him, directly and indirectly. And that I say, is one of the best things that Nards can take pride of until the day he dies.
Bottom line is, for me, the family should be one of the first followers of a true leader. This is both a challenge and a privilege
I would miss out on one of God’s greatest privileges for my existence – leaving a LEGACY behind – if I won’t live up to the challenge of leading my son (and my children in the future) to lead them to a life worthy of living.
To me, that’s Beyond Business. Family goes first more than anything – except God ofcourse.
By the way, there is a re-run of this engagement on the 18th of June, 7pm at the Assembly Hall of Every Nation Building, Fort Bonifacio Taguig for only Php 500 (inclusive of dinner).
I hope you take the time out to participate in this rare event.
You can contact Every Nation Secretariat Office at Tel (632) 817-1212 loc. 224 or 0918-951-5826 and look for Ms. Mayet Lempin.
Rey Belen