There is always a need for Plan B

Even the best laid plans can go awry, whether due to unforeseen circumstances, faulty assumptions, or simple bad luck. Having a backup plan provides a safety net when Plan A falls through. It’s wise to prepare alternatives to mitigate risks and adapt when conditions change.

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Matthew 25:1-13. The foolish ones, when taking their lamps, brought no oil with them, but the wise brought flasks of oil with their lamps.

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 2023-244: SEPTEMBER 1, 2023]

“Hugot” and authenticity

Flourishing as human beings requires that we be open and honest with ourselves and others. Often we keep our true feelings bottled up inside, afraid to let our vulnerabilities show. However, it is precisely when we can bring our innermost thoughts to the surface that we begin to flourish.

This is why hypocrisy is a trap we must avoid. Kung hindi, paano tayo huhugot?

The Filipino idea of “hugot” captures this well. “Hugot” means to articulate one’s deepest longings, pains, and emotions. Rather than bury our hugot, we need to let it out. This takes courage and involves risk, as we do not know how others may respond. But it is only by taking this risk that we can experience the freedom and flourishing that comes from living authentically.

When we hide our true selves, we remain stuck in our heads and disconnected from others. But when we share our hugot, we forge genuine connections. Though we may tremble at our own audacity, we often find that others relate to our struggles more than we ever imagined. Our humanity is affirmed.

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Matthew 23:27-32. Even so, on the outside you appear righteous, but inside you are filled with hypocrisy and evildoing.

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 2023-242: AUGUST 30, 2023]

Illusions and veering away from authenticity

We went to the Minor Basilica of Our Lady of Manaoag today. We were able to attend the Holy Mass scheduled on 10:30am.

The homily (I am sorry I cannot recall the name of the priest) was about illusions – how we tend to use tricks and appearances to mask things we don’t want, like being fat, being “ugly” (by normative standards) or other “undesirable” traits.

While listening to this homily, my mind tended towards how a person can gain skills and expertise such that they can manipulate appearances at will. Comedians and artists use this for the sake of artistic expression; however, there have been times in business and politics where illusions and appearances are used to cover vicious cycles or mechanisms of injustices.

My insight is that an ethical professional will encounter a fork in the road the moment they acquire the skill to potentially disentangle appearances with what is actually happening.

And the person who refuses to disentangle what seems to be and what really is can make all the difference.

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Matthew 23:13-22. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You lock the Kingdom of heaven before men. You do not enter yourselves, nor do you allow entrance to those trying to enter.

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 2023-240: AUGUST 28, 2023]

On the burden that teachers carry and the responsibility of students

Teachers, especially those who take it very seriously, are pressured to be role models. I have read my students grapple with “impostor syndrome” – and I think that teachers grapple with this so much more. We are always trying to convince ourselves that we deserve our platforms and that it is worth hearing us out.

However, we are never perfect. Worst, we can turn out to be hypocrites. Hopefully, we catch ourselves first so we can be better. So that we can trust ourselves and earn the trust of our students and peers.

Within this context I have shared, I think that the responsibility of students is not to put teachers on pedestals and expect teachers to be perfect role models. The responsibility of students is to co-create insights with teachers that are worth acting on. If some of the words we say (hopefully not all!) turn out to be bullshit, then students can respectfully call us out or at least have the guts to take charge of one’s own learning.

In good faith, when both teachers and students embrace vulnerability and commitment to be better, learning becomes co-created and authentic. We learn from each other.

—
Matthew 23:1-12. The scribes and the Pharisees have taken their seat on the chair of Moses. Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example. For they preach but they do not practice.

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 2023-238: AUGUST 26, 2023]

Avoiding duplicity and pursuing authenticity

It is indeed a great challenge in life to avoid duplicity and find authenticity that is integrated and consistent across all aspects of our lives. On one hand, it is easy to compartmentalize our various roles – as a parent, spouse, employee, friend – and act differently in each context. The pull towards behaving duplicitously is strong; we want to please people and fit in.

However, this comes at a cost to our sense of integrity.

The key is to know oneself deeply and live according to internal values rather than external pressures. This requires courage, self-awareness, and commitment to personal growth. When we are grounded in our true essence, the various aspects of life align into an integrated whole.

We build trust through reliability and act with compassion. Our relationships flourish when others sense we are showing up authentically. Though the path is challenging, living with integrity across all of life’s domains brings deep fulfillment.

Authenticity breeds a surplus of meaning through a virtuous cycle of rediscovering who we are and who we are meant to be. This is beautiful.

—
John 1:45-51. There is no duplicity in him.

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 2023-236: AUGUST 24, 2023]