The hearts, souls, and minds behind success

MANILA, Philippines - Defining success in today’s global environment cannot be limited to financial achievement alone. Rather, it is a company’s ability to bring out the best in its people and move them towards a common objective that makes a real difference in the business world.

For DHL Express, leadership is how we are able to touch the hearts, souls and minds of our people to deliver excellent service to our clients. As such, DHL commits itself to developing members of the DHL family who have the potential to become great leaders themselves. We believe people are at the core of DHL’s successes in the industry.

I must say that I owe a great deal of my understanding of the nuances of leadership and the definition of success to DHL. I have realized that no company will make a life-long impact on the community and the world at large without three important pillars—its relationship with its people, responsibility to society, and excellence in service.

The Heart that creates the passion for work

My discovery of what leadership truly means found new meaning when, after a long stint across Asia, I was assigned to the Philippines.

I knew of the Philippines but it was only when my family came to live here that I discovered the complex Filipino value of barkadahan. It was first explained to me as a very strong sense of “teaming” but I’ve realized since that it means so much more. The Filipino barkada is also about a sense of family nurtured from the Filipinos’ concern for their families and family extensions. This encompasses siblings, cousins or close friends. I have found the Filipino concept of a team so complex and yet so powerful. In fact, it has nurtured my hunger for growth as a person and as a leader. If I were asked by friends and colleagues abroad to explain what this barkadahan is, I would cite examples in the country’s history where their most successful movements were offshoots of the Filipino barkada at its best.

I work with a passionate team in the Philippines. Their warmth and determination to succeed impresses me and other DHL leaders around the world. This passion is not something that just comes naturally to any team. The spirit of barkadahan in my team is DHL Philippines’ advantage over all the other markets. However, that spirit needs to be nurtured in an environment where it will thrive well. As a leader, how do you let such a spirit thrive? You encourage your people, you earn their respect by showing them respect as well, you recognize their small successes and great contributions to the company, you develop them by allowing them to grow into roles with bigger responsibilities and believe in their capacity to handle that role. If you can do this, then you let your people feel that they truly are members of the team. They then develop a sense of ownership for the company. It becomes their own, their barkada, their heart. With people working out of their own passion and sense of ownership for the company, you can be sure that they will get things done. I am very proud to say that DHL, as an organization, knows this principle and believes in it: that a company’s first pillar of success— its heart— is its people.

The compassionate Soul that makes a difference

A steady and passionate heart, however, is not enough. It should be supported by a sense of responsibility to reach out beyond the company, to be of good to society at large.

Corporate social responsibility is something that no company, big or small, can turn their backs on. It is the company’s soul, a way of showing gratitude to the society that contributes to its success.

Having personally benefited from the selflessness of others in helping me achieve my education, CSR has become an even higher priority for me and my DHL team in the Philippines. Our current partnership with Gawad Kalinga Sibol Schools, an education center for pre-schoolers in Baseco, Tondo, Manila and Talanay, Quezon City, and our Volunteer Day program for employees, allow us to become a more relevant contributor to society as a company and as individuals. This partnership and employee program give members of the DHL family a shared experience of saying “thank you” to a society that has supported us. This is very important because it strengthens our bond with people, including those outside our DHL family.

The driven Mind that makes a leader

Finally, when you know that the heart and soul of the company is nourished, service excellence and industry leadership becomes easier to achieve. Profitability and business success become more than just a cold, impersonal objective but rather a means towards a greater and deeper kind of success.

With a passionate team and a better sense of our purpose in society, our operations and market performance continue to expand in ways greater than we imagined. DHL Express Philippines’ market share has grown tremendously in recent months. We attribute this growth to the team’s can-do attitude, speed, and passion. Performance in the Philippines is the best ever and I take pride in that.

We’re always keeping an eye on expansion plans and opportunities and have extended our presence in Subic and Clark. We are more than satisfied with the growth numbers and we plan to continue building up on that. Ultimately, it’s about constantly improving our services to fulfill customers’ changing needs and increasing market share coupled with maintaining a solid team that has a passion for both business and society-building.

The three pillars of success have helped me grow both as a leader and an active member of the society. They have also helped me contribute to solidifying DHL Express’ commitment and success in the Philippines. I am confident that DHL Express Philippines can become the best in the world with the help of the hearts, souls, and minds behind it.