"I think developing young leaders is so relevant in the world that we live in today," says Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, president and CEO of the Ayala Group at the 8th AYLC held in Tagaytay City recently. "I think that a lot of these young students today think to themselves, ‘What difference can I make?’"
After eight years, Zobel de Ayala continues to be convinced that the AYLC – part of the Ayala Group of Companies’ youth development program called "Shaping Tomorrow’s Leaders" – is one of the best venues where the students can get together and as a group make big plans for the country.
"It is also our way of keeping ourselves in touch with what the young people are thinking," added Zobel de Ayala. "We never really stop learning and these young people show us that there is still so much we can learn."
The Ayala Group, Globe Telecom and Innove Communications see in the AYLC a powerful catalyst for change and renewal. As a group, the young leaders, who are selected from all over the country after a rigorous process, develop bonds which they sustain even as they move on to different positions in their professional lives. The AYLC believes in the spirit of servant leadership, where the best way to lead is to show that one is a good follower first. One of the main thrusts of AYLC is to nurture in the student a desire to become faithful stewards of this country’s future.
This year, 75 (43 male and 32 female) students gathered in Tagaytay City for an intensive three-day conference where they discussed the crucial role of "Harnessing People Power for Development."
Discussions and workshops were led by Senator Manuel Roxas II, Education undersecretary Juan Miguel Luz, Magsaysay Maritime Corporation president Doris Magsaysay Ho, educator Onofre Pagsanghan, columnist Randy David, environmentalist Chin Chin Gutierrez, and fashion designer Patis Tesoro, among others.
Zobel de Ayala speaks proudly of what the AYLC has accomplished and what he envisions it will accomplish in the years to come. "Some of them have gone on to work in industry, government, non-governmental organizations and personal businesses," said Zobel de Ayala. "But, what is important is that some of our graduates have opted to go out of their personal circles and do something for the bigger community, where they find themselves."
While we were at Tagaytay, we asked Zobel de Ayala his thoughts on the young and the role they play in making this country better.
PHILIPPINE STAR: After eight years, what is the biggest achievement of Ayala Young Leaders Congress?
JAIME AUGUSTO ZOBEL DE AYALA: I think first and foremost there has been a network of like-minded individuals who have been hooked up over time. They all have overarching aspirations that are similarly directed and there is a sense of community among them. They desire to help each other and use the network to help promote leadership issues that are important to them. We have created a community of young people – some of them not so young and already in areas of responsibility where they are committed to making a difference. And, I think after eight years, that community has grown and we are now talking of maybe over 500 individuals all committed to making a difference. I think to that extent we have really managed to achieve a lot.
What I admire is that I can still see that the ideals of making a difference are still very much a part of their persona. A lot of that I am sure came from that original session that they had here at Ayala Young Leaders Congress. That spirit is alive, the community is growing and with every passing year we feel that the community keeps growing in the right strength. We are very, very happy with the way it has progressed.
What do you think is the role of the AYLC at this time in our country’s history, 20 years after EDSA 1?
With EDSA 1 the whole concept that we now accept as fact – people empowerment and people making a difference – was such an exciting and new idea at the time.
The big idea here is that people think that they can make a difference and that they together with a community of like-minded individuals can make the change happen. In many ways people power embodied that. A single person harnessing a collective consciousness to make a difference and making substantial change, even when people in many cases felt that change was not possible.
Is that idea still powerful today?
We are happy that this year is the 20th anniversary of the EDSA People Power and it is also a reminder of people power – although some of the young people here may not have the idea in their consciousness yet. It is good to let them know and to remind them of that great moment in Philippine history and to bring that light to them, also to help them find some way to channel it into their own life and see how they might derive strength from that event or the idea of people power.
Is the idea of young people getting together to make a difference still important today?
I absolutely believe that it is relevant. Significant change did occur with EDSA 1. On that particular occasion, momentous change did happen. And it was that event per se that must be seen as the rallying point of the idea. I think that the whole idea of the ability to change and act in unison to create a new spirit is a very powerful one. I think that that idea will always be relevant. I am an optimistic person by nature.
How did you select the AYLC delegates this year?
We selected them the same way we have for the past eight years. We conduct dialogues with schools all over the country once a year. We hold two sessions, one in the south and one in Manila. My brother (Fernando Zobel de Ayala, co-vice chairman and managing director of the Ayala Group) and I divide up the roles. We address the leaders of the schools and we remind them every year of what it is we are looking for.
We take great pains to remind everyone that what we are looking for are more than aptitude and scholastic abilities. We are looking for people who want to make a difference in their specific communities around the country. That is what we are really focused on here. And that is still very much apparent in the people we pick. There are many aspects in the character of a person that are attributes of that. Like an ability to express themselves well, an ability to mobilize people, a history of being engaged in different areas of school activities – all of these things we look for when we have the conversations with the students. This is what I think makes this gathering unique.
Have there been more girl or boy leaders?
The ratio keeps shifting. It is actually very interesting to see how it moves each year because there is no quota. None of us have a coordinated approach during the interviews. We just interview the students on whether they are suited to come or not. And then we just look at the ratios in the end. A couple of years in a row the women outnumbered the men. It just so happened for the last three years the men slightly outnumber the women. There is no basis for it. Maybe it is just the batches of students.
What do you use to measure the success of an Ayala Young Leader?
I would say that they are successful when they are engaged in helping communities one way or another. It could be at the national level or at a really local level. It is their personal engagement in making a difference in their community that is for me a huge success. Many young people go through life and they focus on themselves, earning a living, building a family. It takes a big leap to start thinking beyond one’s personal circle (and I am not saying that it is a right or a wrong) but it is big-minded to say that a person is dedicated to making a difference in the community. And that is a big mental jump – that engagement. And anyone who I see among the graduates of AYLC that is engaged in some way in making a difference, I consider successful.
Some will have a bigger impact than others, but to me that is less important.
It naturally takes leadership skills to make a difference. Whether you are dealing with three or four people, so long as you are engaged in making things in the community and environment better that is what the Ayala Young Leader is all about.
How would you describe leadership?
Leadership is about taking initiative, going against the grain, doing something to change something that is not right. I don’t consider having X number of people under you necessarily leadership. I find having strong ideas and wanting change for the better and wanting to set your benchmark above what is considered normal – that is leadership. That can happen at a school, at a political level, in a professional level and even in a business.
Do you consider the fields of media and the arts when looking for leaders?
We don’t have a closed mind. In fact, since the beginning, I make it a point every year of including the arts and media. We have tremendous creative minds in these fields and they can provide a different kind of idea of leadership. It is important to open up the minds of young people by giving them more people to interact with, including the media and the arts, which I think, are not part of the usual leadership forums.
Do you still see hope in the young people in the Philippines?
Yes, very much so. In fact, part of the reason that I enjoy coming here is because hope is very, very high on the agenda. The spirit of positive thinking that pervades the young people is always part of every AYLC that I have attended. It is also a very uplifting feeling for some of the members of the Ayala Group and some of the speakers that come.
What effect do these young people have on you?
Well, at least from my perspective with the Ayala Group, I feel that what we have created here does take quite a bit of commitment both financially and personally from our group. But we know we are helping and contributing in some way to creating a community of young people who are given a chance and mental space to think about giving back. We are satisfied with that. And it is something very much in keeping with what we in the Ayala Group feel we also represent as a business group in the country.
What is the most important rule of life for you?
I tell people and even my own children that if there is one principle that they should follow they must follow their passion. If you are going to do something in life (although I think that you need some practicality in your thinking) you have to find a path that makes sense to you. In the end, people should follow what their passion is about. And, if we can help instill in the AYLC delegates a belief in themselves, and allow the young people to see that they should follow their dreams, that is also very exciting. You can really only make a difference if you feel strongly about something. And passion is something that sometimes can disappear fast when the realities of earning a living, finding a path in life and many other forces come to crowd you in. That is one thing that this conference rekindles, that desire for the AYLC delegates to realize that they can follow their passions and make a difference. That is a very powerful mental thought and that is a major mental driver for them. Whether that be in the field of sports, arts or politics, I think that if the students come out and are excited about what they want to do – they will follow that path. I think that with that there is as good a chance as any that that person will make a difference.
What is your advice to the young people who are not part of AYLC?
A young person should be disciplined in anything he does and learn to be serious about anything they take on.
They should follow a path that they are passionate about. Life is a marathon, it is not a sprint, and what gets you through life is a deeper sense of commitment. A stronger feeling of engagement in whatever idea or career path they decide to follow. Passion is a major driver in keeping you going.
Engage yourself in helping a broader community. I think that if you give to your community in more significant ways with the opportunities you have, I have seen that it also gives back to you in many more significant ways. You go back home at night and you sleep easier knowing that you have also given back. That is a very uplifting thing and it is also very gratifying. Many people reach a later stage in life and then they wonder what has life all been about? But if you had been engaged and committed when you were younger you will find yourself going through life and feeling good about what you have done. It makes you a much better person.
Never stop listening and learning. I think that none of us have all the answers. Things change so fast, technology shifts, patterns of behavior shift – keep your ears and eyes open, maybe that is another advantage we have coming from AYLC – we keep hearing new ideas, seeing new ways of looking at things. That helps to revitalize life.