As a result of three consecutive rainy days, the streets of these places are no longer streets but water. I have witnessed places that have literally turned into slow-moving waters, with houses adrift. It is not only unfortunate but also unacceptable for places that already know too well the effects of floodwaters.

In these places, it is not a calamity; it is a way of life. Flooding has become the norm in these places, bringing life to a standstill. When it rains and does not stop for a while, life comes to a standstill. The water on the streets is not just a nuisance for the residents; it is a wall for them—a barrier for income, safety, and even dignity.

The first thing that strikes my mind is how quickly life has adjusted to this new reality. It is not a reality heralded by alarms and sirens; it is a reality that comes gradually, ankle-deep and slow-moving. It is a reality that has become a way of life for these places and their residents.

What strikes me is how quickly life has adjusted to this new reality and how easily people have accepted it as the way of life. It is not a reality of heroes and heroism; it is a reality of acceptance and compromise. The problem is that this reality has been accepted and has even become a norm for these places and their residents, so much so that living with water inside one’s house has become a way of life.

These are the places that are hit the hardest because the water has nowhere else to go. The drains clog with garbage, the rivers are narrowed or even closed off, and the land that was once so ready to soak up the rain is now nothing but pavement. The rain is not the enemy; it is the lack of preparation, the lack of regulation over how the land is used, and the lack of urban planning that turn the rain into an enemy. The flooding, in other words, is the man-made suffering that the weather just makes worse.

What troubles me most, however, is how the flooding reveals the inequalities in our society. Those with the high ground sleep through the rain, while those in the low-lying places stay awake through the night, watching the waters rise against their walls. The flooding becomes a reminder of how we are stacked against each other, with levels determined not by how much money we make, but by the height of the land we stand on. The water, being fair and impartial, ends up punishing the same people over and over.

However, there is another problem that is never really addressed. The psychological toll of the flooding on residents is rarely discussed. Living with the flooding every time it rains creates an anxiety that seeps its way into the very bones. The rain becomes something to be dreaded, something to be worried about with every passing cloud. The hope we are left with is that the waters will not rise higher than last time, that the appliances will be spared, and that the children will not get sick. It is not, however, something that can be fixed with an engineering solution. It is determined by the way we choose to live.

Flood areas should not fade into the background as the waters rise. Proper maintenance of the drainage system, honest land use, and respect for waterways are not grand solutions, but basic responsibilities. Until these are taken seriously, the rain will continue to reveal what has been hidden by neglect.

Let’s face it: work can sometimes feel like… well, work. But what if you could create a workplace where people actually wanted to be, where they felt energized, valued, and excited to contribute? That’s the power of an engaged culture, and transformational leadership is the key to unlocking it.

Forget the old-school command-and-control approach. Transformational leadership is about inspiring, motivating, and empowering your team to be their best selves. It’s about creating a shared vision, fostering a sense of purpose, and making every employee feel like they’re making a real difference.

Think of it like this: imagine you’re coaching a sports team. You could yell orders from the sidelines, or you could inspire your players to believe in themselves, work together, and push their limits. Which approach do you think would lead to better results?

What Makes a Transformational Leader? (It’s Not Just a Title)

Transformational leadership isn’t about having a fancy title or a corner office. It’s about embodying certain qualities that inspire and motivate others. Here are the “Four I’s” in plain English:

Idealized Influence (Be the Role Model): Walk the talk. Show your team what you stand for through your actions. Be ethical, honest, and passionate about your work. Think of someone like Elon Musk (love him or hate him), he inspires people because he’s willing to take big risks and work tirelessly towards his vision.

Inspirational Motivation (Paint the Big Picture): Don’t just tell people what to do, tell them why it matters. Share your vision for the future and help them see how their work contributes to the bigger picture. Simon Sinek’s “Start With Why” is a great example of this in action.

Intellectual Stimulation (Spark Curiosity): Encourage your team to think outside the box, challenge assumptions, and come up with new ideas. Create a safe space for experimentation and don’t be afraid to fail. Google’s “20% time” policy (though less prevalent now) allowed employees to pursue passion projects, leading to innovations like Gmail.

Individualized Consideration (Be a Mentor): Get to know your team members as individuals. Understand their strengths, weaknesses, and career goals. Provide them with the support, coaching, and mentoring they need to grow and succeed. Think of a great teacher who took the time to understand your individual learning style and helped you reach your full potential.

Your Playbook for Building an Engaged Culture (No Fluff, Just Action)

Okay, so how do you actually do this? Here’s a practical playbook for building an engaged culture through transformational leadership:

Know Your “Why” (and Share It): What are your company’s core values? What’s your mission? Why do you exist? Get crystal clear on these questions and communicate them constantly. Zappos, for example, is famous for its commitment to customer service and its quirky, fun-loving culture.

Hire People Who Get It: Don’t just look for skills and experience; look for people who align with your values and are passionate about your mission. Ask behavioral interview questions to assess their values and motivations.

Lead From the Front (But Don’t Micromanage): Show your team what you expect by embodying the values you preach. Be a role model, but also empower them to make decisions and take ownership of their work.

Invest in Growth (Not Just Training): Provide opportunities for your team to learn new skills, attend conferences, and pursue professional development. Show them that you’re invested in their long-term success.

Celebrate Wins (Big and Small): Recognize and reward your team’s accomplishments, both big and small. A simple “thank you” can go a long way. Companies like Buffer are known for their transparency and their practice of publicly recognizing employee contributions.
Listen Up (Seriously, Listen): Create channels for open communication and feedback. Encourage your team to share their ideas, concerns, and suggestions. Actively listen to their input and respond thoughtfully.

Foster Connection (We’re All in This Together): Create opportunities for your team to connect with each other on a personal level. Organize team-building activities, social events, or even just casual coffee breaks.

Make It Meaningful (Beyond the Paycheck): Help your team see how their work contributes to something bigger than themselves. Connect their tasks to the company’s mission and to the positive impact you’re making in the world.

Don’t Be Afraid to Adapt (Culture Evolves): Your culture will evolve over time, so be prepared to adapt and adjust your approach as needed. Regularly assess employee engagement and solicit feedback to identify areas for improvement.

Take Care of Yourself (You Can’t Pour From an Empty Cup): Leadership is demanding, so prioritize your own well-being. Take breaks, exercise, and spend time with loved ones.

The Payoff: A Culture That Thrives

Building an engaged culture isn’t easy, but the payoff is huge. You’ll see increased productivity, improved innovation, reduced turnover, and a stronger bottom line. But more importantly, you’ll create a workplace where people are happy, fulfilled, and excited to come to work every day.

So, are you ready to become a transformational leader and build an engaged culture? It’s time to ditch the old playbook and embrace a new approach that puts people first. Your team – and your bottom line – will thank you for it.
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If you have any questions or would like to share your thoughts on the column, feel free to send an email to jca.bblueprint@gmail.com. Looking forward to connecting with you!

Ano dawla an sunod? ( What will be the next move? )

Secretary Vince Dizon’s recent visit to Eastern Visayas was more than a routine inspection—it was a test of government credibility. For decades, our region has been promised roads and bridges that would connect communities, spur commerce, and ease disaster response. Yet too often, these promises have been delayed, derailed, or tainted by corruption.

By walking the Maharlika Highway and inspecting projects firsthand, Dizon sends a clear message: accountability cannot be outsourced. His words—lamenting the plight of “kawawa” citizens left waiting for basic infrastructure—resonate deeply in a region where progress is often measured by whether a bridge finally opens, or a road becomes passable during typhoon season.

After walking that embattled, moon walk of a road in the Daang Maharlika Secertary Vince Dizon had a personal journey of batsi and lubak, buho and lapok! I certainly wish that he also had his share of untog, rang-ol and bagok for his head! Just to emphasize and empathically recall that like the rest of the country our own battlefield of corruption is also alive and bumping here in the Sta. Rita, Pinabacdao and Calbiga. That it is a pity politicians sleep over that area when they pass by , cushioned by the foams on their seats and the bulk on some areas off their attire.

Still, visits alone are not enough. Transparency must translate into completed projects, fair bidding, and strict oversight. Eastern Visayas deserves more than sympathy; it deserves results. If Dizon’s reforms succeed, his trip will be remembered not just as a tour, but as the turning point when Eastern Visayas finally saw roads paved with integrity. We need infrastructure reforms from procurement to monitoring of projects and road maintenance, we need reforms not sympathy, not occasional visits but deliberate changes for the better!

IF we want to be like Christ, we need to be the world’s salt and light. This, in fact, Christ said so very clearly in the gospel of St. Matthew (5,13-16). We have to seriously figure out how we can conform ourselves to what Christ wants us to be. We know that salt somehow gives a certain flavor to our food as well as helps in preserving highly perishable fool items. Light, of course, enables us to see things clearly.

We can readily conclude that what Christ wants is for us to provide Christian flavor in a world that is fast evolving as well as help in preserving the true Christian spirit in a world that is so exposed to a lot of confusing changes, many of them with their luggage of dangers even as they also offer a lot of benefits.

We also are meant to give light to the others by giving good example and by actively doing apostolate, leading people to God along the right if prudent, tortuous and treacherous paths of this world. With rectitude of intention, we have to inspire others to follow us so that with us they can come to Christ.

Let’s be like St. Paul who, with rectitude of intention, said: “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.” (1 Cor 11,1) These words are a corollary to what Christ said about us being light of the world: “Your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.” (Mt 5,16)

Let’s try our best that we too can echo another of St. Paul’s words: “I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.” (Gal 2,20) This is the ideal to aim at, because Christ himself said, “I am the light of the world…the man who follows me will have the light of life.” (Jn 8,12)
Let’s remember that since we are not only individual persons but also social beings, always having some relation with others, we cannot avoid having this duty. We are not meant to be alone, indifferent and detached from others, and especially from God. We are meant to live in communion with others and pumping goodness always to the system, so to speak.
We therefore should not be afraid to be in the limelight. In fact, we have to foster a holy desire to be there. Our understanding of humility and that delicadeza of passing unnoticed should not exclude this need for us to give good example and be models of virtues for everyone to see and to hopefully be edified, especially in a world that is increasingly sinking in darkness and confusion.

Obviously, we have to do it properly and with the right intention. And that’s because we also know very well of our warped desire to be in the limelight for the wrong reasons. We have the tendency to show off our vanity and frivolity, and to act out our pride, greed, envy, etc. Instead of sowing good things, we can be spreading our unfortunate motives to others.

Perhaps what can be helpful here is for us to regularly bring this topic to our prayer so we can come up with relevant daily strategies in the presence of God and with the right intention. We can also make a regular review of how we are faring in this aspect by considering it in our daily examination of conscience. That way we can hopefully keep the right intention as we give ourselves as an example to the others.