MAP Insights

When I joined the Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) in 2009, I was 33 and president of Pacific Sun Solutions. I wondered what MAP could do for me as a young female CEO.

 

Thirteen years later, it’s 2022, and I am happy to say I am glad that I joined MAP! Here’s why:

 

MAP worked very hard to increase diversity among its members. The new MAP Governors for 2023-2024 have four women and five men of various backgrounds and ages, with a mix of younger (NextGen) CEOs. This diversity reflects MAP’s advocacy for diversity in the workplace—a driver of team performance.

 

I also met MAP female CEOs who inspired me. These women were relatable. I was amazed at what they built, which gave me the confidence to work towards creating a similarly sustainable and productive organization.

 

Through MAP, I connect to accomplished CEOs who are just a meeting, email, or Viber message away. Attending MAP meetings allows me and others to share our experiences, knowledge, opinions, and concerns about the business environment. During the challenging COVID-19 lockdown, MAP members united to provide reliable support and information, which allowed me to navigate the pandemic wilderness.

 

Three years ago, MAP launched the NextGen Committee to focus on a younger demographic, much to my delight. It advocates ideas relevant to this group of CEOs, resulting in the MAP NextGen CEO Conference. We will have our first in-person conference this November 11 at the Sheraton Manila Hotel, a step up from our last two virtual events.

 

Last year, SyCip Gorres Velayo and Co. (SGV) and MAP initiated the SGV-MAP NextGen CEO Transformative Leadership Program with participants from the MAP NextGen. International and local resource speakers introduced the key themes of the program:

–        Leading with Purpose,

–        Humans@Center,

–        Technology@Speed, and

–        Innovation@Scale.

 

Each participant has an Innovation Challenge. The Innovation Challenge is a challenge or opportunity in their company that brings the four key themes together to address the challenge or opportunity with the help of a MAP mentor.

 

SGV-MAP will award the 2022 winner of the SGV-MAP Transformation Challenge (known last year as Innovation Challenge) at the NextGen conference. Although I was not last year’s winner, I participated in this program and was thrilled with the results. These results include sharpening my leadership skills, starting a new company project via the Innovation Challenge, and building new networks and friendships.

 

With the NextGen committee and the SGV-MAP Leadership Program, I met those who understand the challenges that I go through. They make it easier to talk about things I can’t talk about within my organization. They have become unbiased friends who understand my business problems and give me objective opinions. As one of my MAP NextGen friends pointed out, “We try to focus on the mental health of our employees, but what about the mental health of the CEO?”. We CEOs are human, too, and need to take care of our mental health by talking with others.

 

At the NextGen conference, we will have Speed Networking for participants to speak with each other and swap calling cards or virtual cards via QR codes. After, MAP will sponsor a two-hour cocktail to further these conversations.

 

There will be a Reciprocity Wall at the NextGen conference: you post what you need help with on the assigned wall, and maybe someone will help you. May your request be granted!

 

Now that I am forty-secret, I have my ear to the ground and can relate to baby boomers, Gen X, and Gen Y (millennials). As for Gen Z, they make me feel OLD. As digital natives, they adapt fast. They can make a marketing poster in minutes with apps like Canva and share real-time spreadsheets with Google Sheets. A few years ago, none of my employees wanted to use any other spreadsheet besides Microsoft Excel. Today, about 30 percent of spreadsheet users in my office use Google Sheets. Having exposure to Gen Z makes me want to compare notes with my fellow CEOs about this new generation entering the workforce.

 

We need to make the Philippines better because we lag behind our Southeast Asian neighbors in many metrics. Fortunately, our Filipino sports champions inspire us to be better and to manage better. Hidilyn Diaz—our first Filipino to ever win an Olympic gold medal—spoke at last year’s NextGen CEO Conference. This year, we are excited to have Gen Z Alex Eala. She is making exciting headlines as a rising star in the international tennis scene. Alex won the 2022 US Open Girls Juniors Championship. Understanding what drives her to excellence can help us better manage our Gen Z workers.

 

Flying to Manila from Australia for the conference is Nadia Woodhouse. Nadia, the conference keynote speaker, is passionate about creating positive change in business at the board level. Her focus on sustainability, purpose, board governance and oversight helps the EY Global Center for Board Matters engage company boards through provocative insights on disruptive global trends and governance matters.

 

Expect to hear panel discussions about diversity, creativity, innovation, and technological change from NextGen speakers and CEOs, such as Er Rollan (Growsari), Steve Sy (Great Deals Ecommerce), Micah Del Carmen (NOAHSys), Zahra Zanjani (CUBO), Georgina Romero (Connected Women), and David Leechiu (Leechiu Property), Chito Maniago (Zuellig), and Raoul Villegas (PwC). Other CEOs participating in the event are Georgina Carlos (Fetch! Naturals), Donna May Lina (Ube Media), Dr. Karen Remo (New Perspective Media), RJ Ledesma (Mercanto Centrale Philippines), Cliff Eala (Synerbyte), Wilson Tan (SGV), Babes Singson (Metro Pacific Water), and more.

 

See you there!

 

Register via https://map.org.ph/events/3rd-map-nextgen-conference-2022/ for the MAP NextGen CEO Hybrid Conference on November 11, 2022 (Friday) at the Sheraton Manila from 2 pm to 8 pm. In-person activities include the conference, Reciprocity Wall, Speed Networking, cocktails, and an open bar.

 

(The author is Vice Chair of the MAP NextGen Committee, and President of Pacific Sun Solutions, Inc. Feedback at <map@map.org.ph> and <ridoloso@pacificsun.ph>.)