Live your future in the present: Snapshots of the 19th MAP International CEO Conference

Perhaps the single most potent weapon that leaders in any organization or government can wield is their vision—the ability to look back, sideways, and ahead in order to achieve set goals, manage crises, predict or even create the future, and to design a legacy that outlives them. This was the crux of the 19th Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) International CEO Web Conference, entitled “Hindsights, Insights, Foresights: The Future in the Present Tense.”

Throughout the pandemic, the demands from the business community have changed drastically; the expectations from business leadership have been elevated to heights that clearly speak of the increasing role the sector plays in society.

We had high hopes that 2021 might be the year to win back everything we’ve lost to the pandemic. But it’s September again—three more months until 2022 and it feels like we still have a mountain to trek.

Alas, living the future in the present tense means taking charge of our lives and winning over this pandemic the best way we can. At this point, COVID-19 is no longer something we can eradicate, so the answer is to live with and around it, and understand what we can do to be safe and productive. In order to live in this new reality, the MAP International CEO Web Conference posits that business leaders need to harness their vision to see beyond the usual and clearly perceive that which was once vague or invisible. Trust

In the first session, Tim Ryan of PwC explained how CEOs are increasingly more concerned with firstly, how they can further drive trust among their customers, employees, investors and other stakeholders, and secondly, how they can drive sustained outcomes. These are two of the most important issues that will drive success in the next 10 years. Balancing the need to do right for their employees and communities with the need for profit is a fundamental challenge that has to be faced by organizations globally. And this is driven by five urgent issues faced by the world today—Asymmetry, Disruption, Age-disparity, Polarization and Trust. These issues have been changing the way millions of people live and work for years, but the pandemic has accelerated the pace. Amid rapid change and uncertainties, businesses then have the responsibility not to leave anyone behind. As business leaders, the bigger part of our job is to provide hope, and enable our companies to be a force for good. That’s how business becomes the bedrock of trust in our society. Intrinsically, a renewed appreciation and application of excellent organizational values fuels trust in businesses, brands and institutions.

This is what Stephen Kehoe of Edelman discussed in our second session, as he stressed that trust has become a most vital currency. When uncertainties are everywhere, people naturally turn to leaders they can trust, and companies that look out for them.

The 2021 Edelman Trust Barometer highlights the need for institutions—in government, business, nongovermental organizations, media—to bridge the trust gap and join hands to address foundational societal problems. Through the power of social media and other transformative technologies, consumers, employees and other stakeholders are more emboldened than ever to demand and effect organizational changes to make society better. This cuts across all manner of institutions and operational aspects —environmental, societal and governance standpoint.

Failure to tell a company’s story and live up to values are major factors for trust erosion. Consumers have shown a readiness to give up brands that don’t earn their trust. The pandemic has magnified the definition of trust as people look for institutions that they can trust.

As leaders, we need to embrace this responsibility, to deepen our role and purpose, and realize the full potential of our brands and services in bettering the lives of everyone whom we touch.

Relationships

In our third session, Virendra Shelar of Omron expounded on trust in employer-employee relationships, as he champions principles-based management. It is a model that gives employees greater autonomy in the workplace, paving the way for the transformation of how work is done, and, in a larger context, how society will become more autonomous through technological advancements.

Principles-based management is indeed a progressive and visionary practice. It is a people-oriented management where employees can unleash and exercise their abilities and passions to the fullest. But concurrently, businesses must be flexible to employees’ needs to proactively develop their skills and maximize their talents.

In this regard, Human Resources must understand what the needs of the business are and support them to ensure that companies reap more benefits in the future. Even more importantly, a company’s values must be brought to the forefront as this helps motivate employees, promote loyalty, improve retention, and thus productivity. All these are essential, especially in this era when COVID-19 is accelerating the pace of change, and we must all grasp the opportunities that were expected in the future but are, in fact, happening now.

An inclusive approach to health care, meanwhile, is being advocated by Dr. Kristana Kraisintu. Her work in Thailand in developing and manufacturing herbal and traditional medicines is far-reaching, as she manages to tap and elevate people from the grassroots level. Through her tireless efforts, we witness how economic and social transformation can be realized by empowering people with means of livelihood and helping them attain equality and human dignity. At a time when people are very much dependent on government and other external institutions for their health- care needs, Dr. Kraisintu’s work is inspiring as she empowers communities and guides them in taking ownership of efforts to solve problems at hand. It is a holistic effort to development that we should all emulate.

Diving even more broadly into health care in our fifth session, Ambassador of the European Union (EU) to the Philippines Luc Veron, emphasized the importance of vaccination as the way to pull through the pandemic. Vaccination

We can all agree that vaccination is the only way we can live with COVID-19 and regain our capacity to pursue our ambitions. Getting inoculated should be considered an investment not only in society’s health but also in the nation’s ongoing economic recovery efforts. In the EU, he noted how the economies are already opening up because of the improving health situation. It is uplifting to hear from him how the EU is committed to ensure that everyone who needs a vaccine gets a vaccine, anywhere in the world. Likewise, it is very much welcome news that the EU is intent on making significant investments in the Philippines, not only to address the unprecedented challenges of the pandemic, but also to strengthen economic ties and help lead us on the path toward a green and resilient future through environmental and digital initiatives. In our sixth and last session, Lord David Howell outlined the geopolitical shifts taking place worldwide, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region. The traditional centers of power and influence associated with the “West” have truly shifted to Asia and other regions. Indeed, even in the early 2000s, we were already getting a sense that the 21st century would be the Asian century.

This geopolitical shift mirrors the interpersonal shifts away from structures of governance and hierarchy being observed among people worldwide. The gigantic revolutions in communication and worldwide transmission starting in the last three decades have resulted in the empowerment of the individuals. This development has amplified everyone’s voices and put leaders into the constant spotlight of accountability like never before. The erosion of long-established institutions of governance calls for new principles in the art of leadership, new structures of trust and authority, reflective of the dynamics of our new era.

From the presentations and discussions, we have these key takeaways:

Health is a global responsibility. In our interconnected world, we’ve seen how a health crisis can quickly overcome our economic, social and even political infrastructure. Every country has a role to play in securing our collective path to recovery.

People empowerment is paramount. This is the key to effective leadership, and to building an effective team. Empowered employees directly correlate with stronger performance, satisfaction and commitment to the organization.

And above all, trust is an invaluable capital resource. Trust strengthens individual and institutional integrity, and is the foundation for growth

The pandemic has precipitated changes in society in unprecedented terms. As business leaders, it is our responsibility to ride the waves and find ways to navigate —head above water—rather than to resist and sink into the depths.

Throughout the conference, we were witness to many conversations that elevated the new expectations from the business sector.

Changing dynamics

Now, more than ever, we need to zoom out and assess our changing dynamics with respect to our employees, environment, our duty to foster equality and dignity, and most importantly, our trust currency.

Gone are the days when our business just revolved around our products and services. It is incumbent upon us to look at the world and see how we can create value outside our coffers. We are expected to work alongside the government, even lead sometimes, in advancing the interests of society and the environment.

Our workforce—the lifeblood of our companies—also demands a renewed sense of purpose and a conscious effort to make working conditions and modalities more flexible.

And most of all, we need to make sure that trust remains at the center of what we do. Our ability to command employee confidence, customer loyalty, industry credibility, and to build legacy—all depend on our trust currency.

This MAP CEO Conference fires on all cylinders—leadership requires us to look back, sideways, and ahead in ensuring that we live in the present under future-proof terms.

We live and will continue to live in interesting times. Make no mistake about it—we are at the precipice of major shifts that will come when humanity least expects it. Armed with wisdom of experience and the power of data-driven insights, we have every opportunity to chart not just our businesses, but society as a whole. INQ

The author is vice chair of MAP CEO Conference Committee, vice chair of MAP Health Committee, and chair and CEO of The EON Group.