Response to MSSL ET1 – “El Equipo Directivo”

Marcelo’s post can be found here: https://create.twu.ca/marcelowarkentin/2018/10/16/mssl-et1-el-equipo-directivo/

Marcelo, thank you for your post. Are you sure this post isn’t about the Philippines? You wrote about Paraguayans being fatalistic, believing in a predetermined destiny (Warkentin, 2018). Filipinos also have a reputation of fatalism – our expression is “Bahala na”, or whatever happens is Bathala’s will (Menguito & Teng-Calleja, 2010). This expression has both negative and positive implications – negatively, relying on the omnipotent may result in “irresponsible and passive resignation” (Avelino & Matienzo, 2015). On the other hand, the positive side of “bahala na” is “acknowledging our role in the overall design of nature in which there is one Supreme Being watching over us” (Mengutio & Teng-Calleja, 2010). If anything, I can see the common Spanish roots, as quoted by the famous song, whatever will be, will be!

Further, you note in your section of systems thinking the discouragement of making decisions and not immediately seeing the results, expressing an occasional failure to see long-term (Warkentin, 2018). Northouse (2016) concurs, noting the Latin American culture cluster as scoring low on future orientation, which includes “planning, investing in the future, and delayed gratification”. It can be difficult to focus on future ideas when the present threatens to drown us in a myriad of concerns.  McChesney, Covey, & Huling (2016) talk about the whirlwind or the urgent day to day activities keeping us from achieving the wildly important goals. I emphasize with the struggle to encourage your team to “create more groups to tackle difficulties” due to the perception of more work (Warkentin, 2018). I also applaud your attempts to connect with your team through the various team-building activities you do. Your actions are your way of building community, one of the ten characteristics of a servant leader according to Spears (as cited in Northouse, 2016).

Finally, one of your points that hit home for me is the concept of “there is no blame”. Like your team, Filipinos do not want to lose face, or “the positive social image that individuals want to maintain in the presence of others” (Miron-Spektor, Paletz, & Lin, 2015). Accepting blame would be difficult, especially when there is a “deep feeling of inferiority” (Warkentin, 2018). Yet, a TSL has the characteristics of empathy and healing to understand and support their followers (Spears as cited in Northouse, 2016). I emphasize with your challenges and will pray for you and your team.

References:

Avelino, R. & Matienzo, R. (2015). Revisiting the philosophy of bahala na folk spirituality. FILOCRACIA: An Online Journal of Philosophy and Interdisciplinary Studies. 2. 86-105. Retrieved October 19, 2018, from http://www.filocracia.org/issue4/Matienzo_Aug2015.pdf

McChesney, C., Covey, S., & Huling, J. (2016). The 4 disciplines of execution: Achieving your wildly important goals.

Menguito, M. L. M. & Teng-Calleja, M. (2010). Bahala na as an expression of the Filipino’s courage, hope, optimism, self-efficacy and search for the sacred. Philippine Journal of Psychology, 2010,43 (I), 1-26. Retrieved October 19, 2018, from http://lynchlibrary.pssc.org.ph:8081/bitstream/handle/0/1543/03_Bahala%20Na%20as%20an%20Expressinon%20of%20the%20Filipinos%20Courage_Hope_Optimism_Self-Efficacy%20and%20Search%20fo.pdf?sequence=1

Miron‐Spektor, E., Paletz, S. B., & Lin, C. C. (2015). To create without losing face: The effects of face cultural logic and social‐image affirmation on creativity. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 36(7), 919-943.

Northouse, P. G. (2016). Leadership: Theory and practice. Los Angeles, Calif: SAGE.

Warkentin, M. (2018). MSSL ET1 – “El equipo directivo”. Retrieved October 19, 2018, from https://create.twu.ca/marcelowarkentin/2018/10/16/mssl-et1-el-equipo-directivo/