UNIT 8
SELF-AWARENESS, VALUES DEVELOPMENT AND SERVANT LEADERSHIP
Learning Objectives:
At the end of this unit, the students are expected to:
1. identify their strengths and weaknesses
2. provide feedback on their classmates’ strengths and weaknesses
3. map their own self-awareness through the Johari window
MODULE 1
SELF-AWARENESS
From the ancient Greek Aphorism “know thyself” to the western psychology, the topic
of self-awareness has always been an intriguing subject of inquiry of philosophers and
psychologists for the last century. The psychological study of self-awareness can be first
traced back to 1972 when Psychologists Shelley Duval and Robert Wicklund’s
developed the theory of self-awareness. They proposed that:
“when we focus our attention on ourselves, we evaluate and compare our current behavior to our
internal standards and values. We become self-conscious as objective evaluators of ourselves.”
Self-awareness is considered a major mechanism of self-control. Psychologist Daniel
Goleman has proposed a more popular definition of self-awareness in his best-selling
book “Emotional Intelligence”, as “knowing one’s internal states, preference, resources
and intuitions”. This definition places more emphasis on the ability to monitor our
inner world, our thoughts and emotions as they arise. It is important to recognise that
self-awareness is not only about what we notice about ourselves but also how we notice
and monitor our inner world.
The non-judgmental quality is an essential component to self-awareness. As we notice
what’s happening inside us, we acknowledge and accept them as the inevitable part of
being human, rather than giving ourselves a hard time about it (hint: if you have ever
said to yourself “I should/shouldn’t have done it”, then you know what I mean).
Furthermore, self-awareness goes beyond merely accumulating knowledge about
ourselves. It is also about paying attention to our inner state with a beginner’s mind and
an open heart. Our mind is extremely skillful at storing information about how we react
to a certain event to form a blueprint of our emotional life. Such information often ends
up conditioning our mind to react in a certain way as we encounter a similar event in
the future. Self-awareness allows us be conscious of these conditioning and
preconceptions of the mind, which can form the foundation of freeing the mind from it.
Why Does Self-Awareness Matter?
Self-awareness is the key cornerstone to emotional intelligence, according to Daniel
Goleman. The ability to monitor our emotions and thoughts from moment to moment is
key to understanding ourselves better, being at peace with who we are and proactively
managing our thoughts, emotions, and behaviours.
In addition, self-aware people tend to act consciously rather than react passively, to be
in good psychological health and to have a positive outlook on life. They also have
greater depth of life experience and are more likely to be more compassionate to
themselves and others.
A number of researches have shown self-awareness as a crucial trait of successful
business leaders. In a study undertaken by Green Peak Partners and Cornell University
examining 72 executives at public and private companies with revenues from $50
million to $5 billion, it was found that “a high self-awareness score was the strongest
predictor of overall success”.
5 Ways to Cultivate Self-Awareness
1. Create some space for yourself. When you are in a dark room without windows, it is
fairly difficult to see things clearly. The space you create for yourself is that crack on
the wall where you allow light to come through. Leave yourself some time and space
every day – perhaps first thing in the morning or half an hour before sleep when you
stay away from the digital distractions and spend some time with yourself, reading,
writing, meditating, and connecting with yourself.
2. Practice mindfulness. Mindfulness is the key to self-awareness. Jon Kabat-Zinn
defines mindfulness as “paying attention in a particular way, on purpose, in the
present moment, non-judgmentally”. Through mindfulness practice, you will be
more present with yourself so that you can “be there” to observe what’s going on
inside and around you. It is not about sitting cross-legged or suppressing your
thoughts. It is about paying attention to your inner state as they arise. You can
practice mindfulness at any time you want, through mindful listening, mindful
eating or walking.
3. Keep a journal: Writing not only helps us process our thoughts but also makes us
feel connected and at peace with ourselves. Writing can also create more headspace
as you let your thoughts flow out onto paper. Research shows that writing down
things we are grateful for or even things we are struggling with helps increase
happiness and satisfaction. You can also use the journal to record your inner state.
Try this at home –choose a half day on a weekend, pay close attention to your inner
world – what you are feeling, what you are saying to yourself, and make a note of
what you observe every hour. You may be surprised about what you write down!
4. Practice being a good listener. Listening is not the same as hearing. Listening is
about being present and paying attention to other people’s emotions, body
movement and language. It is about showing empathy and understanding without
constantly evaluating or judging. When you become a good listener, you will also be
better at listening to your own inner voice and become the best friend of yourself.
5. Gain different perspectives: Ask for feedback. Sometimes we can be too afraid to
ask what others think of us – yes sometimes the feedback may be biased or even
dishonest but you will be able to differentiate them from real, genuine and balanced
feedback as you learn more about yourself and others. Research has shown
conducting 360 degree feedback in workplace is a useful tool to improve managers’
self-awareness. We all have blind spots, so it is helpful to gain different perspective
to see a fuller picture of ourselves.
LEARNING EXERCISE 1
Name: ____________________________________ Course: ________________
Instructor: _________________________________ Date: _________________
Instructions: 1. List down as many as you can your own strengths and weaknesses.
2. Write them down on the box provided.
STRENGTHS
WEAKNESSES
1. Was it easy or difficult to think of your strengths and weaknesses?
Explain.
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LEARNING EXERCISE 2
Name: ____________________________________ Course: ________________
Instructor: _________________________________ Date: _________________
Instructions:
1. Prepare four ¼ sheets of paper. Write your name on all four sheets.
2. The class may be grouped consisting of two rows (horizontal). Pass the first sheet
of paper clockwise at the count of five. Students who received the papers will
write the strengths and weaknesses of the person who owns the paper. Then
return the papers to the owners.
3. Do the same with the other three sheets of paper. Change the grouping. It may be
horizontal rows - counter clockwise, vertical rows – clockwise, vertical rows –
counter clockwise. Return the papers to the owners.
4. Fill up your Johari window.
a. Look at your table of strengths and weaknesses. Are there strengths and
weaknesses that you have listed that were also listed in your ¼ sheets of
paper? These are the qualities you know you have and qualities that
others see in you. Write these on Quadrant 1: The Open Self.
b. Again, refer to your table of strengths and weaknesses. Are there
strengths and weaknesses that you have not listed but were listed in your
¼ sheets of paper? These are the qualities you don’t know you have but
others see them in you. Write these on Quadrant 2: The Blind Self
c. Once again, refer to your table of strengths and weaknesses. Are there
strengths and weaknesses that you have listed but were not listed in your
¼ sheets of paper? These are the qualities you know you have but others
do not see them in you. Write these on Quadrant 3: The Hidden Self
d. The Unknown Self represents those qualities that neither you nor others
know but these qualities surface in times of crisis moments.
JOHARI WINDOW
Qualities I know I have,
Qualities I don’t know I have
Qualities others know I have
Qualities others know I have
Quadrant 1: THE OPEN SELF
Qualities I know I have
Qualities Others don’t know I have
Quadrant 2: THE BLIND SELF
Qualities I don’t know I have
Qualities Others don’t know I have
THE HIDDEN SELF
THE UNKNOWN SELF
Guide questions on the Johari window:
1. Which quadrant is filled up with the most number? What does this mean?
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2. If the quadrant that has the greatest number of listed qualities is the Blind
Self or the Hidden self, what can you do to reduce them?
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MODULE 2
UNDERSTANDING FILIPINO VALUES
Learning Objectives:
At the end of this unit, the students are expected to:
1. identify the strengths and weaknesses of Filipinos
2. discuss situations or context on how these strengths and weaknesses are
manifested
3. cite ways on how the Filipinos/ strengths can be enhanced and how the
weaknesses can be overcome
Value comes from the Latin word valere which means to be “strong and vigorous.”
According to Edgar Shefield Brightman’s Personalistic Value Theory, Value means
whatever that is actually liked , prized esteemed , desired , approved or enjoyed by
anyone at any time. It is the actual experience of enjoying a desired object or activity.
Hence value is an existing realization of desired.
Values are our ideas of right or wrong, good and bad, to which we are committed and
which influence our everyday behavior and decisions. Values are standards of which
group or society judges the desirability and importance of person, ideas, action and
goals. Values are shared conviction or beliefs in what are considered contributory to the
welfare of the group.
The Filipino Value System
Cultural Values are shared assumption of what is right, good, or important. Values
actually guide man’s behavior and action as they relate with others in most situation in
life.
a. Personally, the Filipinos value more their honor (karangalan) and status than
anything else.
b. Socially, the Filipinos give more emphasis on social relationships. They engage
themselves in mutual cooperation, which is best pictured through the
Bayanihan. Bayanihan is coined from the root word “bayad” which means to
pay, and refers to the asking for payment for service done when there is not
supposed to be any fees; Bayanihan means “tulungan sa isang gawain.”
c. Smooth Interpersonal Relationship (SIR) is the strong cultural force
among Filipino in their effort to achieve social acceptance and maintain
harmonious relationships
Strengths of the Filipino Character
1. Pakikipagkapwa-tao
Filipinos are open to others and feel one with others, regard others with dignity and
respect, and deal with them as fellow human beings. It includes hospitality,
sensitivity to people’s feelings (pakikiramdam), trust (pagtitiwala), sense of
gratitude (utang na loob).
These values are dependent on interpersonal
relationships, gives sense of security, camaraderie and a feeling of closeness to one
another.
Pakikipagkapwa-tao is a foundation for unity as well the sense of social justice.
Pakikipagkapwa-tao shows basic sense of justice and fairness, concern for others,
and ability to empathize with others.
2. Family Orientation
The greatest influence in the formation of cultural value is the family.
Filipinos possess a genuine and deep love for family •source of personal identity,
emotional and material support and •one’s main commitment and responsibility
honor and respect given to parents and elders; care given to the children; the
generosity towards kin in need, and in great sacrifices one endures for the welfare of
the family.
3. Joy and humor
Filipinos have a cheerful and fun-loving approach to life and its ups and downs
They have a pleasant disposition, a sense of humor and a propensity for happiness
that contribute not only to the Filipino charm but also to the indomitability of the
Filipino spirit. As Filipinos, we have the ability to laugh at ourselves and the mess
we are in is an important coping mechanism. We are playful, sometimes,
disrespectful, we laugh at those we love and at those we hate and we make jokes
about our good fortune and bad.
4. Flexibility, Adaptability and Creativity
We can adjust and adapt to circumstances and the surrounding environment, both
physical and social. We adjust to whatever happens even in unplanned or
anticipated events. We possess a tolerance for ambiguity that enables us to remain
unfazed by uncertainly or lack of information. We are creative, resourceful, quick
learners. Also, we can improvise and make use of whatever is at hand in order to
create and produce. Moreover, we accept change, adapt to life in any part of the
world. We also possess the ability to make new things out of old scraps.
5. Hard work and Industry
We have the capacity for hard work given proper conditions; to raise one’s standard
of living and to possess the essentials of a decent life for one’s family. We are willing
to take the risks with jobs abroad and, while there, to work at two or three jobs. The
result is productivity and entrepreneurship for some and survival despite poverty
for others.
6. Faith and Religiosity
Filipinos have deep faith in God. Our innate religiosity enables us to comprehend
and genuinely accept reality in the context of God’s will and plan. Our faith in God
help us to deal and overcome tragedy and misfortunes in our lives. Our faith and
courage was manifested at EDSA and other times in our history. We recognize
forces external to ourselves as contributing to how events in our lives turn out. The
results of the Filipino’s faith are courage, daring optimism, inner peace, as well as
the capacity to genuinely accept tragedy and death.
7. Ability to Survive
Filipinos have an ability to survive. Filipinos make do with what is available in the
environment. We possess resiliency, optimism, flexibility and adaptability, hard
work and a deep faith in God. These are manifested in the millions of Filipinos who
bravely live through the harshest economic and social circumstances.
Weaknesses in the Filipino Character
1. Extreme Personalism
Filipinos view the world in terms of personal relationship. Filipinos view the world
in terms of personal relationships; there is no separation between an objective task
and emotional involvement. We tend to give personal interpretations to actions, i.e.,
“take things personally”. Thus, a sincere question may be viewed as a challenge to
one’s competence or positive feedback may be interpreted as a sign of special
affection.
There is in fact some basis for such interpretations as Filipinos are quite personal in
criticism and praise. Personalism is also manifested in the necessity for the
establishment of personal relationships before any business or work relationships
can be successful. Because of this personalistic world view, Filipinos have difficulty
dealing with all forms of personal stimuli. We tend to be uncomfortable with
bureaucracy, with rules and regulations and with standard procedures, all of which
tend to be impersonal. we tend to ignore them or we ask for exceptions.
Personal contacts are involved in any transaction and these are difficult to turn
down. Preference is usually given to family and friends in hiring, delivery of
services and even in voting. Extreme personalism thus leads to the graft and
corruption evident in Philippine society.
2. Extreme Family Centeredness
Excessive concern for the family creates an in-group to which the Filipino is fiercely
loyal to the detriment of concern for the larger community or for the common good.
Excessive concern for family manifests itself in the use of one’s office and power as a
means of promoting the interest of the family, factionalism, patronage and political
dynasties, and in the protection of erring family members. Family centeredness
results to a lack of concern for the common good and acts as a block to national
consciousness.
3. Lack of Discipline
The Filipino’s lack of discipline is manifests in a casual and relaxed attitude towards
time and space which manifests itself in lack of precision and compulsiveness, in
poor time management and procrastination. an aversion for following strictly a set
of procedures and this results in lack of standardization and quality control. We are
impatient and unable to delay gratification or reward, resulting in the use of shortcuts, in skirting the rules (the palusot syndrome) and in foolhardiness. We are guilty
of ningas cogon, starting out projects with full vigor and interest which abruptly die
down leaving things unfinished. Our lack of discipline often results in efficient and
wasteful work systems violations of rules leading to more serious transgressions
and a casual work ethic leading to carelessness and lack of follow-through.
4. Passivity and Lack of Initiative
Filipinos are generally passive and lacking in initiative. There is strong reliance on
others (e.g., leaders, government) to do things for us related to our need for a strong
authority. There is high tolerance for inefficiency, poor service and even violations
of one’s basic rights. In many ways, it can be said that the Filipino is too patient and
long suffering (matiisin). Filipinos tend to be complacent and there rarely is a sense
of urgency about any problem. Sometimes, Filipinos are too easily resigned to their
fate. Filipinos are thus easily oppressed and exploited.
5. Colonial Mentality
Filipinos have a colonial mentality which is made up of two dimensions: the first is a
lack of patriotism or an active awareness, appreciation and love of the Philippines;
the second is an actual preference for things foreign. Filipino culture is characterized
by an openness to the outside—adapting and incorporating the foreign elements
into our image of ourselves - not built around a deep core of Philippine history and
language.
The result is cultural vagueness or weakness that makes Filipinos extraordinarily
susceptible to the wholesale acceptance of modern mass culture which is often
Western. Thus there is preference for foreign fashion, entertainment, lifestyles,
technology, consumer items, etc. The Filipino colonial mentality is manifested in the
alienation of the elite from their roots and from the masses as well as in the basic
feeling of national inferiority that makes it difficult for Filipinos to relate as equals to
Westerners.
6. Kanya-Kanya Syndrome
Filipinos have a selfish, self-serving attitude that generates a feeling of envy and
competitiveness toward others, particularly one’s peers who seem to have gained
some status or prestige. The kanya-kanya syndrome is also evident in the personal
ambition and the drive for power and status that is completely insensitive to the
common good.
Personal and in- group interests reign supreme. The public is made to feel that
service from these offices and from these civil servants is an extra perk that is to be
paid for. This characteristic is also evident in the lack of a sense of service among
people in the government bureaucracy. The kanya-kanya syndrome results in the
dampening of cooperative and community spirit and in the trampling upon the
rights of others.
7. Lack of Self-analysis and Self- reflection
There is a tendency in the Filipino to be superficial and even somewhat flighty. In
the face of serious problems, both personal and social, there is lack of analysis or
reflection. We joke about the most serious matters and this prevents looking deeply
into the problem. There is no felt need to validate our hypotheses or explanations of
things. Thus, we are satisfied with superficial explanations and superficial solutions
to problems.
We tend to emphasize on form (maporma) rather than on substance; to be satisfied
with rhetoric and to substitute this for reality. Rhetoric and endless words are very
much part of public discourse. As long as the right things are said, as long as the
proper documents and reports exist, as long as the proper committees, task forces or
offices are firmed, Filipinos are deluded into believing that what ought to be,
actually exists. The Filipino lack of self-analysis and our emphasis on norms is
reinforced by an educational system that is often more form than substance and a
legal system that tends to substitute law for reality.
8. “Utang na loob”or debt of gratitude
Filipinos always recognize one’s indebtedness. This means that he owed to a person
who has helped him through the trials he had undergone. He repays that person in
whatever kind, whatever time and situation. It is one way of showing deep
appreciation for lending out a hand. It is a Filipino value that is difficult to translate.
Literally it has several meanings such as shy, timid, sensitive rather than ashamed.
Filipinos believe they must live up to the accepted standards of behaviour and make
it a point not to cause another person’s embarrassment. Each is anticipated to have
hiya in the way they behave to win respect from the community.
This is a value that gives a Filipino a sense of social decency and politeness. It means
getting along with others to preserve a harmonious relationship. It invites the
Filipinos to do good and to be a nice companion. The value of pakikisama results in
camaraderie and a feeling of closeness to one another. Pakikisama is also sharing
one’s wealth, talent, time and self with fellow human beings and working together
for a common good. This value bridges the gap between cultures.
9. Bahala Na
It is an expression which expresses that fatalistic outlook of the Filipino. It happens
when one simply resigns to the consequences of life’s difficulties. It is believing that
life depends on: Swerte or buenas (good luck), Tadhana (decried by fate), Malas (bad
luck).
Expressions which reflect bahala na are: iginuhit ng tadhana (decried by fate); malas
(bad luck); swerte (good luck); gulong ng palad (life’s ups and downs); and tsamba
(undeserved success brought about by luck). In every positive way, bahala na is what
makes people move, take risks and plan for the future (Panopio & Rolda, 2000).
10. Authoritarianism
It is the dependence of Filipinos in a paternalistic rather than in a stern way upon
the elders of the family, upon their boss, if employed, and upon people in authority
as their father figure.
11. Amor-propio
It refers to the individual’s highly emotional reaction to protect his honor and
dignity when they are threatened or questioned and to retaliate. Common forms of
amor-propio are “hele-hele bago quire” or “pakipot” which shows at the outset a
person initially refusing an offer even if he really wants very much to accept it.
LEARNING EXERCISE 1
Name: ____________________________________ Course: ________________
Instructor: _________________________________ Date: _________________
Instructions:
1. Among the many strengths of the Filipino character, identify which is
your greatest strength. Narrate an experiences in which you have lived
out this strength.
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2. Among the many weaknesses of the Filipino character, identify which is
your greatest weakness. Discuss how you can overcome this weakness.
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