Life and Legacy of an Internationally Trained Leader amidst Adversities: A Qualitative Study

ABSTRACT

Many studies on leadership have been conducted, and most literatures focus on traditional theories and approaches to leadership, while a leadership-focused study in the context of a person who studied abroad, and experienced political and socio-economic challenges are found scarce. In this regard, a study on the life of an individual who studied abroad, obtained a degree abroad, experienced working abroad, and became an institutional leader in an organization in the Philippines can add to the body of knowledge on leadership in the context surrounding this study. Moreover, it is rare to find a first-hand account of an individual who comprehensively documented his life. With that kind of documentation, the researchers were able to see, experience, and understand not only the predisposition of the study subject but also human experiences, choices, and decisions influences by internal and external factors. Using the narrative inquiry approach, the researchers looked into the contexts in his lifetime. The contents in the memories demonstrates a detailed narrative of the productive and meaningful life of the study subject that culminated in making a difference in the lives of people in his hometown. He showed leadership skills to overcome difficulties and eventually succeeded in achieving his goals. He set aside political conflicts and personal biases or prejudice, in order to get the needed endorsements from top public-school administrators to politicians, such as the Mayor, Governor, and a Senator to pass a law that would soon become Leon Junior High School, and now called Leon National Comprehensive High School. In this study, it was clear that leadership skills are acquired from a life-long experience of a person. The experiences of living in a different culture, dealing with people from different nations, and interacting with people, high or low, will essentially lead to the development of skills and awareness that may not be acquired when one stays in his own homeland.