Leadership and Command Philosophy

What is my leadership philosophy? It is a commander’s most important duty to his

men. Apart of being responsible for you in the thick of battle is also the responsibility
of molding you to be professional and productive soldiers in the AFP. This would be
our guiding principle in achieving more for ourselves in whatever scenario we may
encounter in the future. Yes, this could mean for some that I am establishing a high
standard, but having high standard leads to professionalism. Thus, I will share to you
my basic thinking on how an effective leader/commander should be on the areas of
leading, training, maintaining, and caring.

I, as a leader, know how to listen but listening should go hand in hand with good
communication or feedback. For us to accomplish more our mission, it is important
that you can freely speak your mind to me, and keep me abreast with the things that
prevent you from accomplishing what I ask of you. I will treat you with respect. I will
not dress you down publicly or insult you in front of your peers. I am aware that no
soldier wants to disappoint his commander intentionally. However, there will be times
when you will not be able to comply with my directions, but that will not be taken
against you because it will be my fault for not giving clear instructions to ensure the
accomplishment of the task or mission. We, as a team, should work and appreciate
our success and also our failure. We will learn from our mistakes and we will become
even better soldiers because we keep track of our good habits and veer away from
the bad practices.

In training, we must always have fresh ideas but keep our focus on the basic skills
already in every one of us. I would be personally-involved with your training. I will not
hinder any one of you from getting your skills honed and ready for the responsibilities
you may gain as your career progresses. However, I would be critical to those kinds
of training that are not mission critical or those that have nothing to do with our
mission. I expect that this unit will have a training plan with clear objectives and
mission essential standards. Thus, I would require all of my officers to submit after-
activity reviews and analysis of training benefits. Of course, ensuring that this unit is
mission capable entails that I should look after physical and mental health of all of
you. Physical and mental wellness will be routinely checked and all must participate.
Physical fitness is a capability multiplier in all respects. Having physical and mental
fitness generates confidence. A soldier that is confident is also a proficient soldier. A
unit that is mission-ready can execute any mission under any condition.

Men, we do not have all the resources that we want but what we have right now
should be used wisely. The AFP contends with limited equipment and money, but I
cannot tolerate misuse or neglect of resources because it reflects instantly in our
unit’s efficiency, effectiveness, and readiness. We must be conscientious in using the
resources available to us. I believe in the three (3) cornerstones of good
management, they are: maintenance, property accountability, and resource
management. For me, it is important to always prep our resources in extreme
conditions. As such, I would need to have a routine maintenance schedule of all
equipment and account those who are due for turn-in. Vehicles must have assigned
and trained operators who shows interest in the equipment he/she operates.

I am a caring commander. Caring for me is defined as ensuring that you know your
duties and perform them conscientiously. And with good followership, I will reward
and recognize you accordingly. But, I will not abuse your dedication. You will have a
good life—work balance because I know that a soldier with family and personal
problems is not an effective one. I will reward your commitment to your work with a
strong commitment to you and your families. To our new members of our unit, you
will be mentored by a seasoned non-commissioned officer. The faster they are
welcomed and included in our unit, the sooner they can contribute to the fulfillment of
our mission.

Finally, integrity is my only guide. I will not allow nor encourage others to be
dishonest. I will punish dishonesty in my unit. I want everyone to be loyal to the
Chain of Command, just as I will be loyal to my commander. Separate your personal
feelings from the position of the unit, even if you totally dislike the position of the
Command.