Polls, Pulse, False: Presidency Is Not Popularity, It’s Leadership

Philippine Political Scene: Some supporters of some presidential candidates are expending time & resources portraying their chosen as more popular than any of the others. Popularity is what they are emphasizing, lower ground, not Personality, higher ground. They are all missing the all-important acquired characteristic of a President: Leadership.

Above, I love the boat image because, on second look, this boat scene summarizes leadership for me: Leadership takes care of Vision, Mission, and Strategy (VMS). So:

Vision: “Where are we going? Are we in fact going there?”
(boat people image[1] from IMD.org)

Mission: “What do we want to do?” “Travel to a place & execute a plan.” “What is the plan? Where is the boatmap?”

Strategy: “We need a rowing boat; we need rowers.”

The boat image is excellent as it shows that the people (followers) have their backs turned and are entirely dependent on the leader for direction! Blind followers? No, because they were told where they are going and while rowing backward, they can see if they are moving forward or not.

“Saan po ba tayo pupunta? Papanantayo ngay apo? Where are we going Sir/Madam?” That’s direction. It must be clear all the time, from beginning to end. In fact, the End of the journey must be clear right at the Beginning! The End justifies the Means.

“Are we in fact getting there? Do we have to change direction now? Are we proceeding too slow or too fast?” The leader should judge at any time. Some perceptive followers would know.

Today, instead, people are treating Credibility as #1 identifier of an excellent PH President. That is in fact what the supporters of Bongbong Marcos, Isko Moreno and Leni Robredo are harping on, not so much the supporters of Manny Pacquiao and Panfilo Lacson.
(image profiles[2] of 5 PH presidential candidates from Rappler)

If not Credibility, Popularity. As a voter and a Facebook hound, which millions of Filipinos are, I don’t care if you have 5 million followers or 7 million subscribers to your Facebook posts. I want someone who has Vision, Mission, Strategy. All 3 in 1 package – you can’t have one without the others!

Vision – If you can tell me your Vision, that means you have an excellent idea of what this country needs foremost, for the good of all; you have my admiration.

Mission – If you can tell me what you want to achieve so that our country will reach that Vision you have described, you are my candidate.

Strategy – If you can tell me how you hope that with the people’s help you will accomplish the Mission that will bring the nation to the realization of the Vision, you have my vote!

Without VMS, even if or especially if you damn to high heavens your rival candidates, you cannot convince me that you are good, or better, or the best! In fact, you are the worst!

I dream of Filipino families cultivating common comfortabilities in cities & communities countrywide. The candidate who can dream my dream, or brighter, is my President!@517

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[1]https://www.imd.org/research-knowledge/articles/resilient-leadership-navigating-the-pressures-of-modern-working-life/

[2]https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/cocfiling