Filipina leader says leadership is developing a successor

Dubai - Josie is also a social media influencer, youth mentor, community organiser and advocate of Filipino small and medium enterprise (SME) in the UAE.

For Filipino community leader Josie Conlu, "leadership is not about oneself."
"The moment you become so engrossed about 'you', then you falter as a leader. When your term (of office) is over, you should have already developed your successor who will continue the projects," she told Khaleej Times.
Josie was speaking from her own experience as the chairperson of the recent Philippine Independence Day in Dubai. The preparation for the week-long event in June took more than six months. "We crafted an extraordinary vision to put together the most spectacular Philippine Independence Day celebration the community has ever seen.
This included the lighting up of the Burj Khalifa in Philippine colours, the laser show at Dubai Festival City and celebration programme at Dubai World Trade.
For Josie, organising all those events would have not been possible without the collective efforts of the leaders, including the officials from the Philippine Consualte, and the entire community. 
"Day and night, from one end of Dubai to another, we gave whatever time and talent we had, without any thought of reward or recognition, just to see our shared vision come true," she told Khaleej Times.
"As always, the key to any community success is the ability to set aside differences and individual desires for the sake of a greater good. And our precious freedom bought by blood and courage 121 years ago was never about one person. It takes heroes from all of us to achieve common goals," she added.
Thinking forward, Josie said the Filipino community should always have continuity in its projects. "That is why I'm already building up my successor," she noted.
Josie is also a social media influencer, youth mentor, community organiser and advocate of Filipino small and medium enterprise (SME) in the UAE.
She hosts Tatak Pinoy, an online social media platform promoting Filipino businesses. She is also Area 36 director of Toastmasters International - World Leader in Communication and Leadership Development, and is the founder of Oryx Gavel club, a club that promotes the Toastmasters experience to aspiring individuals.
angel@khaleejtimes.com

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