PMAP, the People Management Association of the Philippines, a national organization of human resource managers and practitioners, has come up with a practical guide for Filipino voters in choosing their next President. Partnering with Development Dimensions International, a well-known talent management consulting firm, PMAP developed a table of roles of the President, a definition of the roles, and possible predictors of future performance.
The starting point was DDI’s nine roles of strategic leaders. A series of interviews were conducted with with competent resource persons that included, among others: former Presidents Ramos and Estrada, former Senate President and Executive Secretary Franklin Drilon, former Chief Justice Hilario Davide and a good number of former Cabinet members; senior reporters covering the Malacanang beat; heads of the political science departments of Ateneo and UAP; and several Muslim and labor leaders.
Focused group discussions with business and civil society leaders were used as a final filter to validate the roles and specific manifestations of the roles. This template was completed in late 2003 by a research group headed by Grace Abella Zata who has just finished serving as PMAP President (2009). It was first issued as a voters’ guide in the 2004 presidential elections.
The PMAP study identified five roles for the President: navigator-strategist, mobilizer, servant-leader, captivator, and guardian of the national wealth, patrimony and the rule of law.
As navigator-strategist, the President “steers the ship of state to arrive at the destination: a just and humane society.” The President “provides a clear and detailed plan to address poverty and our major problems (budget deficit, jobs and livelihood, agriculture, infrastructure gap, education and health, peace and order, and so forth).” The candidate must have “demonstrated the ability to work through difficult political, economic, and social issues.” Finally, there is a showing of “past success in dealing with crisis situations.”
As mobilizer, the President “leads the executive department, proactively builds alliances with concerned sectors to achieve complex objectives and build consensus.” Possible predictors of future performance in this role are past success in: a) “the management of an organization (preferably similar in complexity to that of the executive branch of government); and b) building good relationships with and influence over groups to achieve goals.”
As servant leader, the President “serves the people with a genuinely caring heart, rather than being beholden to personal, familial, or other vested interests; is a good example for all to follow.” To evince and manifest competence in this role, the President’s “actions show motivation to serve the people, rather than self or familial or other vested interests.” Moreover, the President must “display humility and reaches out to all sectors” and “has developed good habits of study and work.”
As captivator, the President “inspires unity, trust and optimism among the people, moves people away from cynicism, builds trust in the presidency and the government.” In demonstrating competence in this role, the President “effxtively partners with media to inform the public and build support for his/her advocacies or programs.”
Finally, as guardian of national wealth, patrimony and the rule of law, the President “ensures the long-term health, security, and prosperity of the nation and the people through principled action and the rule of law”. It is in this role that the PMAP template has indicated the most number of possible predictors of performance, to wit: a) “has shown integrity in private and public life; b) displays sincerity and transparency when talking about matters that may affect the integrity of (the) government (campaign contributions, advisers, etc.); c) takes a clear and unequivocal stand on current controversial issues (population growth, taxes, etc.); d) has a clear and detailed plan to address graft and corruption in the bureaucracy; and e) respects the rule of law.”
For candidates with public service experience, the PMAP template specifies the following additional criteria: ) demonstrated will to make politically unpopular but sound decisions; b) appointed honest and competent people to government; and c) has a good track record in establishing peace and order.”
Before evaluating the leading presidential contenders vis-à-vis each criterion in the PMAP template, it is well to assess the template itself and ascertain its relevance and appropriateness for use as a meaningful guide for voters in making the crucial choice on who will lead our country for the next six years.
The first two, navigator-strategist and mobilizer, are factors that emphasize straight-up, down-pat managerial competencies. The next two, servant leader and captivator, are evidently leadership capabilities. The final role of guardian is an outcome of the first four. It is like a wrap-around or synthesizing role. The person who can substantially and effectively perform the first four roles ends up being able to safeguard our country and people’s long-term well-being.
In our next column, we will evaluate the leading contenders vis-à-vis the PMAP template.
