This week, the Jesse Robredo Institute for Leadership and Good Governance concluded two sessions of the Course on Adaptive Leadership in Times of COVID-19 Crisis.
Day 2 on Diagnosing Adaptive Issues and Setting the Holding Environment focused on the identification of adaptive and technical challenges that the participants face in their respective organizations and LGUs in light of the pandemic. They were also introduced to the concept of a Holding Environment as a safe space for organizations to cultivate an adaptive culture.
Our guest sharer was the third-term chief executive of Valenzuela City, Mayor Rex Gatchalian. A champion of quality public education, Mayor Rex presented Valenzuela Live Online Streaming School, the City’s new e-learning platform that aims to address the gaps of distance learning. Amidst the COVID-19 crisis, the City was quick to adapt and respond to the challenges in the education sector, particularly in the continuity of students’ learning in new normal. Through this initiative, Mayor Rex demonstrated how they empowered the people through a community-based approach to learning.
Day 3 on Acting Politically and Regulating Distress moved the participants to map their stakeholders and to craft specific messages that would engage them to partake in their crisis response. The course facilitator, Mr. Jess Lorenzo, also discussed how adaptive leaders maintain productive zones of disequilibrium within organizations.
The session featured former Lambunao, Iloilo Mayor and first-term Iloilo Board Member Jason Gonzales. He presented the Champion Farmers Program, a values-formation and technical skills-training for local farmers towards sustainable production. Board Member Jason emphasized that adaptive leadership is people-centered. Beyond establishing well-defined systems and structures, sustainability of programs and organizations is rooted on capacitating people and building strong relationships.
