Authentic leadership

MANILA, Philippines - Elly Puyat’s power comes from her authenticity. Ever since she assumed the position of chief executive officer at Ogilvy & Mather Philippines, she has taken a clearer perspective that her brand of leadership comes from knowing her own core, direction and vision. Since she works for a company that puts at its center the business of communication, she knows how to recognize and empower people’s ideas.

“I understand the point of view of the people I work with,” she shares. For Elly, it is always important to consider the stories of those who matter. It is in the truthful narrative that she can visualize strategies and optimize plans of action. She is also receptive to both facts and ideas.

Adherence to the truth is her personal mantra. She decides based on data and not on gut feel. Having earned a degree in Business Economics from the University of the Philippines, she knows that for certain claims to stand, they must be empirical and evidenced-based. “Everyone trusts you with what he or she has — money, time, ideas — so it is important to know how to reciprocate trust with sincerity,” she explains.

Add to Elly’s empirical mind is her experience. She knows the ins and outs of her company. Having been trained at various departments at work, she knows how to get things done. She rose from the ranks. “I came in as the most junior in the group so I knew how to deal with any department,” she says. When she was starting, she was not afraid to step beyond her lines to solve problems. She also dislikes the practice of department segregation. “Collaboration leads to better outputs and better outputs have allowed us to win international awards,” she explains.

To attain maximum success, this executive believes that genuine character must be related to quality of work. “I believe in a nurturing but exacting work space,” she says. She adds that when there is a strong demand for excellence, people are motivated to be better. She notes that because Ogilvy & Mather Philippines believes in “divine discontent,” individuals strive for better successes. But she does not believe in all work and no play. To ease the stress of aiming for brilliance, she encourages her team to surround themselves with positivity. “If people see the brighter side of life, then they see the value of their work.”

Balancing excellence and positivity is an advocacy for Elly. She supports a visually pleasing environment. “I am the kind of person who is affected by my environment so if it is clean, I can think better.” 

This is the kind of environment she gets from Rockwell. Elly finds herself being nurtured in her community that provides her with the aesthetics to view life positively. She sees Rockwell, too, as a safe space. “It is compact but relaxing so I see it as a great environment to foster friendships.”

“I celebrate trustworthiness because it is a foundation of human relationships,” she says. This, too, is the source of the various programs that her leadership has initiated at Ogilvy & Mather Philippines. Programs like #forceforgood are funded in order to let employees work not only for themselves but for certain communities that the company supports. “For the millennials in our company, for example, we have cultivated the act of giving back.”

 Elly knows that her kind of leadership will continue to flourish because she has learned from the best. “I have been trained well by my former bosses and my dad,” she remembers. She leads her team with integrity because she knows how this will ground her and the people she works with. “I know that truthful values would be my best strategy to win my colleagues and clients.” Coupled with a brand of leadership that is straightforward yet nurturing, this top executive knows that her strength comes from the people around her. She commands power because she knows the proper way to exercise it in various situations. “I am not apologetic for being demanding because it attracts high-performing individuals,” she asserts. This makes Elly’s management style a force in the leadership game.

Photography by RITA MARIE • Creative direction and overall styling by Luis Espiritu Jr. • Makeup by BABA PARMA • Hairstyling by RONNIE TUMAMAK

• Associate styling by TARA SUBALDO • Shot on location at ONE ROCKWELL