Educating management

MANILA, Philippines - In 2003, I was invited to be a director for Systems Technology Institute (STI). I knew that it was a computer school which had its origins 20 years back and that it had successfully franchised and expanded its reach all over the country. However, I knew, too, that in the previous years it was plagued by business setbacks and was barely breaking-even. As directors, we were making these decisions that we knew would ultimately help the company but little did I know that I will be taking a more focused and involved role in STI’s survival and growth.

Six months since joining the board of directors, I was tasked to head STI as its president and CEO. My only links to an educational career was as a college instructor during the 1970s but I never regretted taking on the challenge of heading STI because I believed that it had the capacity to make its mark as a good educational institution. We had the infrastructure (the school network) in place and we had the people who can (and did) make the change for the better. It has been a long five years, and not without its share of tribulations, but I am confident in saying that STI has gone a long way in the public’s and shareholders’ eyes. What was once viewed as a “vocational” school has expanded into a multi-disciplinary college that offers healthcare, business administration, engineering and education, and a team of industry partners that aims to make the dream of every Filipino student come true.

Before I stepped up to the plate, I was involved in corporate rehabilitation and management consultancy. My objective was to help companies in distress formulate recovery plans, conserve assets and curtail spending. Getting the bottomline back into the black was the end goal and like any company in rehabilitation I encountered, I approached STI in much the same manner. Finances were carefully husbanded and re-invested in sound financial instruments. We paid off liabilities that have accumulated in the past several years and we improved our available courses in our campuses to encourage students to enroll with us. We did not have bailout packages but we had perseverance, a dedication and a sense of ownership, and a refusal to be held back by conventional approaches to a solution. A tight budget is not a deterrent to getting things done, nor the end to creative thinking. I can safely say that the credit for STI’s success is due to a spirit of innovation that permeated every decision that was well thought of and implemented. I was fortunate enough to be surrounded by people who were brave to roll with the punches, as it were, and thought out-of-the-box to keep two steps ahead of everyone else. As I saw it, we were fighting not only for our own survival but also for our own credibility and relevance in a sea of other educational institutions.

STI’s growth would also not have come to fruition were it not for the full backing and support that we received from our board of directors. Industry leaders themselves, they shared their not inconsiderable knowledge and expertise to help us in crafting and fine-tuning the decisions we needed to make. Our major shareholder, Mr. Eusebio Tanco, was especially instrumental in driving the company forward and bringing us in contact with potential partners who can expand the network. We are constantly aware that we have to strategically grow STI as an educational leader but we never lost track of the fact that we also need to consider our students’ needs and expectations as part of our top priorities. 

I believe that we are all driven to make a difference. Everyone is committed to STI’s vision to be “the leader in innovative and relevant education that nurtures individuals to become competent and responsible members of society.” This is not a platitude and we are continuously finding avenues to make this vision a reality. It is rooted in a constant re-thinking of course programs, level competencies which ensure that our students absorb the knowledge that comes their way, extra-curricular activities which improve their interpersonal skills, and a fully realized certification and placement system that brings our graduates in contact with prospective employers. This is all encapsulated in a program that we call the Enrollment to Employment (E2E) System. It is a commitment we make to every student that enters our doors, thereby ensuring that they have a fighting chance for a better future, the values they need to change and improve their lives, and the capacity to contribute to the country.

I look not only to satisfy our students’ and shareholders’ expectations but also to enrich our employees’ stay with the company. We give employees a chance to let off steam through friendly sports competitions and fraternize in company celebrations and outings. Inasmuch as the people behind STI continue to let the company grow because of the support they provide, we think it only fair to reciprocate with company events that celebrate unity and camaraderie.

It is funny but I never thought of myself as having a textbook style of managing. I know, though, that I have confidence in the talent and skills that STI has been fortunate to have. As the head of a company answerable to its shareholders first and foremost, I work with the management committee to come up with programs that will answer our core directive of educational delivery and our intrinsic mandate of making a difference in the lives of our students. This dual drive for quality and excellence would not have all been possible without the men and women who have pushed for the realization of our company’s vision and has not stinted on their capacity to deliver it. A company’s leader may guide them and give them direction but it is due to their own ingenuity and drive to make a difference that made STI what it is today.

In all of my years with STI, I have not remembered a time when we were content to bask in past glories. Every year, we strive to surpass past targets and fulfill a challenge that we have set for ourselves. I believe that motivated and talented individuals when taken together as a cohesive whole, becomes a powerful force to be reckoned with. We care and will continue to guard in our hands the hearts and minds of our shareholders, nurturing them as our own, in our journey together to success.