A leader is a H.E.R.O. not for himself but for others. This is a fact that Engr. Erick Macariola, former president of FEU Tech Student Coordinating Council, knows by heart and shared with the student leaders of FEU Diliman.
H.E.R.O : H for humanity (self- leadership), E for Evolution (team leadership), R for Reflection (community leadership), and O for Operation (situational leadership); an acronym Engr. Erick came up with to further illustrate the responsibilities and true essence of a leader.
Engr. Erick is an advocate of servant leadership and his trainings are more focused on community and situational leadership. He wants students to realize that to become leaders, they must first think about the good of others. And to know what your community needs, one must be socially aware.
I give them an activity in the form of a quiz bee competition, but the aim is not to measure their intelligence but their awareness on issues that affect everyone. Intelligence alone is meaningless unless you know when and how to use it for the good of others.
The whole-day leadership seminar included lectures and group activities designed to bring out the students passion for leadership.
I believe in the principle Tell me and I will forget. Show me and I will remember. Involve me and I will understand. So when we conduct leadership training programs, we do not just focus on giving talks but on interactive learning. There is always something we could learn from each other.
As a former student leader, Engr. Erick believes programs like this are vital in shaping the minds of the youth. He adds that workshops like this help awaken their moral and social consciousness that unlock the heroes and leaders inside them.
I believe in the idea of igniting the fire. There should be someone who is holding the torch high up so that others will also be inspired.