Some years back, the author was privileged to conduct a research on the leadership style and management approach of Manuel V. Pangilinan. The academic paper became then a springboard for a continuing study on this outstanding Filipino businessman.
The study revealed that MVP’s leadership style was developed primarily by his character, competence and core values. These three elements were honed by family, quality education and extensive professional experience. One thing notable about the character of MVP is his sense of mission for the country, and his unwavering faith in the Filipino. All these are strongly manifested when MVP came back to the country and gave up the comfort of a first-world environment in Hong Kong.
Living By Filipino Values
Other than love of country and belief in the Filipino, MVP lives by the Filipino values of hard work, financial and mental integrity, resiliency, compassion, and a deep and abiding faith in God. Such homegrown values were molded by his family as well as the Catholic education he received. It is, however, the culture of the foreign environments where MVP studied and worked that nourished his business finance and investment competence, work ethic, competitive spirit and passion to meeting world-class standards of excellence and professionalism. MVP, however, singled out three core values that are essential to great leadership: hard work, financial and mental integrity, and passion.
Transformational And Transactional Leadership
Drawn from his character and competence, a unique brand of leadership has emerged. MVP’s dominant leadership style is transformational with a moderate touch of being transactional. MVP’s transformational leadership style is best described by the following attributes: charismatic, visionary, high emotional intelligence, encourages personal development of his subordinates, supportive leadership, value thinking, leading by example, higher moral reasoning and people empowerment.
MVP’s leadership style has also a touch of being transactional. MVP is essentially a coach-mentor who plans, guides, monitors, controls and, most importantly, rewards generously good works and punishes undesired behaviors — but always with a forgiving heart. Being an astute businessman, MVP is investment- and profit-driven. That is why his leadership style demands that it be transactional as well. MVP has this knack to stack his corporate profile with quality people. He gets personally involved in selecting his top executives and placing them in the right positions. As such, MVP has been able to successfully maximize their full potentials, strengths and capabilities to meet organizational goals. This is also the reason why MVP managed to be chairman of the board, president and CEO in more than 20 top diversified corporations in the country.
His transformational leadership style, however, has essentially two quality attributes, namely:
Visionary
MVP is one gifted with the ability to “see” the future, anticipate what the future will bring, and prepare well for its coming. MVP had a compelling vision when he took over the reins of PLDT, Maynilad, Meralco, Makati Medical Center, and a lot more companies under the First Pacific Group which he managed to steer and bring to ultimate success. MVP has become successful in making his vision a reality, rallying his executives and workforce to join him in the pursuit of his dreams for his corporate organizations.
Sense Of Mission
MVP’s sense of mission finds its way in every aspect of his leadership. This sense of mission — “to improve lives of Filipinos” and his prime belief in organizations with a sense of purpose beyond just the profit motive, made his leadership remarkable. He wanted all people in his organizations to share and embrace this. The sense of mission he exhibited, found its expression in the virtues that he practices and the business decisions that he makes.
His persuasion that “business especially in a developing country like the Philippines should play a unique part in enhancing overall welfare” and his prime belief in organizations that look beyond profit or other economic considerations led to several company turnarounds and enabled him to envision where his corporate organizations will remain strong and enduring.
Today, MVP at 70, continues to bring to this country inspiration, greatness, and so much hope for a better Philippines.
