Name: Ryan R. Subong

Title: Principal

Organisation: Acelina School, Inc.

Ryan is a resource speaker, online academic writer, math book author, school principal, and family man. He has spent about two decades of his life as a teacher, more than half of which has been spent teaching Mathematics. He has held the administrative post of school principal for about a decade.

Presently, he is the Principal of Acelina School in Quezon City, Philippines.

Thank you to the 2,000 leaders who’ve generously done the 7 Questions on Leadership!

We’ve gone through the interviews and asked the best of the best to come back and answer 7 MORE Questions on Leadership.

I hope Ryan's answers will encourage you in your leadership journey. Enjoy!

Cheers,

Jonno White

1. As a leader, how do you build trust with employees, customers and other stakeholders?

As a school leader, the trust of internal and external stakeholders is gained through quality service, quality education, and a good reputation. At the core of every school is the inherent attribute to serve, and this must be manifested in all aspects of the school's operation. Service, as the core value of our school, must be articulated in the school's activities, programs, and practices. In essence, this is our way of ensuring quality and excellence.

Meanwhile, quality education serves as the cornerstone on which stakeholders' trust in schools thrives. As a school leader, it has to be ensured. Our graduates reflect the kind of education the school offers, and the teachers play a pivotal role, so they have to be trained and embody what quality is.

Finally, reputation is tantamount to trust. Establishing and maintaining a good reputation strengthens the engagement and trust of stakeholders.

2. What do 'VISION' and 'MISSION' mean to you? And what does it actually look like to use them in real-world business?

"Vision" is an aspiration of where the organization is heading. It is aligned with institutional goals. Mission, on the other hand, is the force that propels the organization to move forward in achieving the organization's goals in the form of assurance and commitment.

In a school, "VISION" and "MISSION" make up the school culture and are articulated in the various practices, programs, and activities of the school.

3. How can a leader empower the people they're leading?

The ability of a leader to empower is largely influenced by being an "empowered leader". In an organization, the leader has to experience how empowerment is accorded to them. The evolution of that empowerment beyond self-aggrandization is a propulsive force in embracing the role of empowering people.

Leaders owe it to the people they lead to believe that they can be great leaders in the future. The delegation of responsibilities and cultivation of a culture of trust and autonomy in the organization pave the way for empowering the people that you lead.

4. Who are some of the coaches or mentors in your life who have had a positive influence on your leadership? Can you please tell a meaningful story about one of them?

Mother Marciana Zambiasi and Mrs. Acelina Castillo mentored me as an educational leader. A big part of me as a school leader is attributed to them.

Mother Marciana was the head of the religious congregation that managed the private school where I taught. I was then a mathematics teacher who struggled to improve my craft while pursuing my master's in mathematics education. I never imagined that their congregation would eventually appoint me as the first lay school principal.

She emphasized passion and humility in leadership during those instances when she'd talk to me during casual conversations. I didn't have an inkling that she would have a significant role in my appointment. She was the appointing authority.

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5. Leadership is often more about what you DON'T do. How do you maintain focus in your role?

Maintaining focus in my leadership role entails prioritizing what matters. Day in and day out, I seem to live in a kaleidoscopic world, with complexities wearing various colors and taking myriad forms. My failure to recognize and act on what matters poses a threat to my leadership and the organization I belong to. I am expected not to dwell on and waste my time, energy, and resources on something trivial.

6. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Everyone plans differently. How do you plan for the week, month and years ahead in your role?

My planning goes beyond specific details and has always been goal-directed, improvement-oriented, or data-driven. Democratizing my plans has always proven to create a positive impact on the people I work with. I also inject flexibility as I plan whether operationally or strategically.

7. What advice would you give to a young leader who is struggling to delegate effectively?

It is good that you struggle to delegate effectively, since it is suggestive of an effort to lead better. The delegation of responsibilities is both an art and a science. Learn more about it, then embrace and engage in its practice. Keep practicing until it seamlessly becomes part of your system.