The Phuket Collegiate Magazine Issue #3 November 2021
Editorial Team
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Milla Budiarto
International Affairs Centre, PSU Phuket
EDITOR
Sam Wilko
GUEST EDITOR
Mariano Carrera
LAYOUT DESIGNER
Kobsin Jinwiset
College of Computing student, PSU Phuket;
Milla Budiarto
U-LIFE COLUMNIST
Ruangrat Jiratthiwarutkun
Student Development and Alumni Relations, PSU Phuket
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Dr. Mariano Carrera, Vasilii Dementev, Dieter Dratwa, Sita K, Bhavna Khemlani, Lee Yan Yee, Tanya Perdikou, Na-Siam Sa-Nguannam, Shaun Stenning, Aj. Pisit.t, and Kristen Young
INTERVIEWEE
Matcha Phorn-in, Sangsan Anakot Yawachon Development Project
COVER
Model: Chandra Intan Hakim, IG: @cintanhakim
Photographer: Kaybee Photography, IG: kaybeephotography
Editor's Note
Published on November 23, 2021
“Leadership is action, not position.”
― Donald H. McGannon
Moments of trials and tribulations bring out the best and worst in people. We won’t know about our true potential until we are challenged. Only when we step out of our comfort zone will we be able to grow and gain new perspectives.
The unprecedented COVID-19 crisis reveals a great deal about one’s leadership skills (or the lack thereof), particularly those who are in a leadership position. Unsurprisingly, not all “leaders” in the leadership position possess the qualities or the capacity of an effective leader. Their actions and/or inactions in response to this defining moment separated the authentic leaders―who rose to the occasion, from the rest―who sank to the bottom. Leadership is an endless journey of self-discovery and self-reflection, and just like any other skill, leadership skills must be continuously honed. The legendary coach Vince Lombardi said it best, “Leaders are made, they are not born.”
So, what makes a leader a good leader? This issue will explore what leadership means to different people from different walks of life.
I want to thank all article contributors for this issue and special thanks to all featured article writers. The diverse insights on this topic are indeed fascinating. I appreciate it, you are all rockstars!
Have something to share for our next issue? We’d love to hear from you, drop us a line and consider becoming a contributor to the magazine. Get in touch with me: [email protected]. Stay safe and stay classy.
Milla Budiarto
Editor-in-Chief
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this magazine are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of PSU Phuket and its employees or the official policies of PSU Phuket. Any content provided by our contributors is of their opinions and is not intended to malign any individuals or entities.
Contents
Featured Articles
By Shaun Stenning
Steps: Leading the Way to Inclusive Employment in Thailand
By Tanya Perdikou
Exploring My Own Definition of Leadership
By Kristen Young
By Dieter Dratwa
Interview
The Courage to Lead: Speaking and Living Your Truth
By Milla Budiarto
The Faculty Lounge
Leadership Capacity Challenges During the COVID-19 Crisis
By Aj. Pisit.t
Off Campus
Characteristics of a Smart Leader
By Maroot Reangvaranont
The Need for Active PTAs in Thailand
By Dr. Mariano Carrera
Heart-Growth Mindset Leadership
By Bhavna Khemlani
Student Voice
By Sita K
By Lee Yan Yee
By Na-Siam Sa-Nguannam
Student Spotlight
Meet PSU Phuket Student Leaders
U-Life: Just Simply be Cozy
Person Behind the Success of PSU Student Leaders
By Ruangrat Jiratthiwarutkun
FEATURED ARTICLE 
Evolving Leadership
By Shaun Stenning
Lately, I’ve taken some time for introspection. About my beliefs, my values, and my strengths and weaknesses in order to try and understand what leadership really means to me. I soon realised that the concept had morphed quite dramatically recently and what leadership used to mean has adapted and grown over the last 18 months. What leadership means to me now, during these unprecedented times is so much more complex and profound than it used to be, and this is because of the necessity for me to survive as a small, local business.
Making myself vulnerable to learn from my surroundings allowed my business and my leadership style an element of flexibility. My business had been turned upside down by Covid-19, there were no more tourists coming into Phuket and no international travellers booking boat tours to Phi Phi and James Bond Islands up to a year in advance—the future of my business looked so fragile.
I realised it was no longer enough to just run my business. I had to change, grow, and be flexible with what my business could potentially be; this was the time to reassess my objectives and strategies for now and for the post-pandemic world. I began focusing on the domestic market, especially those who are unable to leave Phuket and are ultimately stuck, and found the response extremely positive. The day and multi-night tours around Phuket and Krabi gave them a sense of escapism. I realised that everyone craves the romance of hidden coves, caves, deserted beaches, and breathtaking viewpoints.
Yes, my company was hit hard and faced multiple provincial restrictions and Covid-19 safety regulations. My business had to flip on its head and I considered taking all the boats out of the water and shutting up when Covid-19 first hit. I forced myself and my business to change and be flexible. In the last year, we have managed to double the size of our speedboat fleet and introduced new day and overnight tours and transfer options to meet the different needs of the domestic market. We also received a SHA (Amazing Thailand Safety and Health Administration) Plus Certificate awarded by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) for having Covid-19 health and preventative protocols in place and more than 70% of our employees fully vaccinated.
During this entire time, it was heartbreaking to see the devastation of people losing their livelihoods and the enormous gap that the island faced as one of the most travel-dependent economies in the world. No tourists, no work, no income. So, what does leadership mean to me? Resilience, adaptability, and flexibility—without a doubt. But for me, empathy is absolutely essential and this includes looking after the people around you, the people who work with you, and the people who are part of your community.
This laid the foundation for our ‘Life Bag’ programme. We made the conscious decision to lead by example—by actually doing and taking positive action. Almost 18 months later we continue our efforts supporting vulnerable communities in and around Phuket. Over 200,000 life bags have been paid for, packed, and delivered. Each contains staple food and hygiene items to support a family of four people for up to five days. We worked long and hard to build trusted relationships with a network of local subdistrict administrative organisations or OrBorTor, which enabled us to get insights into the real needs of these communities. Packing and distribution efforts have taken place each and every week, and we utilise our speedboat fleet to enable us to reach the more remote islands. We have managed to continue these indispensable efforts throughout the multiple pandemic waves and restrictions in Phuket.
We discovered that many people wanted to get involved and were willing to lend a helping hand for this lifesaving initiative. So we set up the system, processes, and infrastructure to get the life bags to the communities in need. From this initiative, One Phuket was set up in February 2021 to try to help more where the needs were greatest. 5 Star Marine fully supports One Phuket’s operational efforts and works collectively on several elements of this crucial charity drive. One Phuket is working continuously on much-welcomed fundraising efforts to reduce the financial burden of these life bags that 5 Star Marine has carried for eighteen months.
As Phuket now attempts to re-emerge from a forced hibernation with the introduction of the Sandbox initiative and the arrival of the first international travellers, we recognise that this is a positive step in the right direction to rebuilding our devastated economy. However, as a company, I know we have to keep growing, learning, and being flexible and compassionate because as it stands, Covid-19 is not going away any time soon; we must evolve in order to overcome further challenges and support our community that needs us now more than ever.
About the author:
Shaun Stenning is the Founder of 5 Star Marine and has spent the last 18 months helping to support the community through Food Assistance.
Facebook: @5StarMarinePhuket
Website: https://5starmarinephuket.com/
Email: [email protected]
FEATURED ARTICLE 
Steps: Leading the Way to Inclusive Employment in Thailand
By Tanya Perdikou
“I always thought there were too many barriers to finding work. Training with Steps showed me I can do it,” says Chanon.
Chanon is one of two million people with disabilities living in Thailand. Less than 2% of these people have access to vocational training and less than 25% are employed. In 2016, inclusion specialist Max Simpson, pastry chef Theeta Hokratikya, and psychologist Yim Mainchainant decided it was time to change all this.
In a small side street of Ekkamai, Bangkok, they founded Steps—a social enterprise cafe and vocational training centre for neurodiverse young people. The Steps model focuses on individual talent and learning needs. Every trainee has the chance to get work experience in the cafe, helping them to develop transferable skills such as confidence and social skills, and enabling possible future employers to see their capabilities.
Today, the Steps model has expanded into two vocational training centres, five coffee shops, two zero waste shops, two business service centres, and two franchise coffee shops across Bangkok and Phuket.
But the biggest news is that 100% of Steps’ graduates are now in employment, including some right here in Phuket.
So, how important is leadership to Steps’ success? As you might expect, it is pretty essential! Here’s a look at how leading through collaboration and innovation is helping Steps achieve its vision of a truly inclusive society for young people with neurodiversity.
Letting trainees lead by example
It was thanks to Steps graduate, Nakita, and her family that Steps made it to Phuket. They founded Steps with Nakita, which has cafes at Blue Tree and HeadStart International School. Nakita has Down’s Syndrome and there were limited work opportunities for her on the island, but rather than settle for that, they made opportunities.
Nakita is the epitome of Steps’ approach to leadership. She pushes for change, leads by example and, now that she’s been given the chance, her talent and capability as an individual shine through. She greets customers with a smile, makes coffee, rings up the bills, and works hard at keeping the coffee shop looking its best.
Like any skill, leadership is best learned by doing. So we also offer a peer mentoring scheme at Steps, where trainees can support their friends in the kitchen, in the office and running fitness sessions. Pete, 20, describes how mentoring helped him become a better leader:
“I supported my friends in the fitness session with the goals to improve their muscular and cardiovascular endurance, agility, flexibility and balance. I designed the sessions, prepared resources and led the sessions. I learn to be more patient, understanding, to stay active and be a good problem solver. I also learned to improve my communication skills. I really enjoy being a peer mentor. I think it’s the right pathway for me because I am calm and I like to teach others and it makes me happy.”
A positive mission
Aiming high is a crucial element of Steps becoming a leading voice for employment equality in Thailand. Its mission goes beyond offering pathways to training. It’s about creating an equal society which welcomes neurodiverse people into work. This mission includes everybody, both within and outside of the organisation, meaning it’s something we can all buy into.
It also drives everyone involved with Steps to focus on transformation day in, day out.
“One coffee shop and training centre was never going to be enough,” says Steps co-founder Max. “We have to shift the perceptions of neurodiverse people across the board and we believe partnerships are the key to doing that.”
Partnerships
“Imagination shared creates collaboration, and collaboration creates community, and community inspires social change,” says American writer Terry Tempest Williams.
This sums up why Steps has never tried to act alone. It partners with scores of businesses from groceries to hotels to logistics companies. Some work with Steps to hire graduates, others outsource data entry to Steps trainees via their business service centre.
It also partners with organisations which support neurodiverse people and their families, schools, arts organisations, and anyone who shares its values around equality and sustainability.
“When we’re in conversation with organisations and individuals we admire and respect, it gives us ideas and inspiration for where we’d like to be,” Max says.
Those businesses which have taken on Steps graduates often become advocates for inclusive hiring. The graduates learn a lot, but they also teach a lot, and improve morale in their new workplaces.
They help employers understand that an inclusive employment environment does not require large, structural changes, just a willingness to understand, accept, and adapt to differences.
Nipaporn Noichan (Nano), a Front Desk Manager at The Rembrandt Hotel, Bangkok, gives a great example of this two-way learning process: “One of Steps graduates has been employed to work at the office. The way he works is unique and sometimes better than us. I have learned how to apply and utilise his unique abilities for our organisation. I have learned how to use different ways to communicate with him such as using a checklist and using clear and concise language. We need to acknowledge our differences and find ways to support him.”
Listening and adapting
Like many organisations, we’ve had to transform quickly during the pandemic. We shifted to online learning very early to protect our trainees. This threw up all kinds of challenges such as accessibility of technological devices and lack of normal social interactions. As always, we place our trainees and families at the centre of any changes we make, asking for feedback, exploring and adjusting until we find whatever works best for all of us.
Get involved
There is space for every single one of us to be a leader in the mission to create a more inclusive society for neurodiverse people.
Even simple actions like shopping at our Steps with Nakita Cafe or Zero Waste Shop help to make a change: you’re supporting inclusive businesses and helping our trainees get work experience.
If you’re already in the world of work, you could talk to your employer about taking up more inclusive practices, and connect them with Steps.
There are lots of other ways to get involved with Steps, so please sign up for our newsletter, ‘like’ us on Facebook, and come and say hi to our trainees!
Facebook: @stepsphuket
Website: www.stepswiththeera.com
Emails: [email protected] and [email protected]
About the author: 
Tanya Perdikou is a freelance writer. She specializes in telling stories of how the human experience intersects with society, nature, and travel. Among others, her work has been published by the BBC, the Huffington Post, the Guardian, and the Bangkok Post.
FEATURED ARTICLE 
Exploring My Own Definition of Leadership
By Kristen Young
When trying to define leadership, the first place many will go is to Google. In writing this article, I did that, and I found 1,520,000,000 results for the definition of leadership. I had to do a double take! But it is true, there are millions of ways to define leadership. And what I have come to realize as a leadership educator is that for each person’s definition of leadership, it is most important that it is based on our values and is repeatedly acted upon in order to improve the communities we are a part of.
I currently serve as the Executive Director of LeaderShape, a U.S. based not-for-profit organization whose mission is to transform the world by helping more people lead with integrity and practice a healthy disregard for the impossible. LeaderShape has been partnering with colleges, universities, and for-profit organizations in the United States and internationally for the last 35 years to help participants explore their own definition of leadership and then put that into action.
The work of defining what leadership means to each of us is not simple nor do I believe it is ever complete. I think that as we grow, as we experience life, as we learn, our understanding of leadership evolves and changes.
For example, as a young child I was involved in the Girl Scouts. Girl Scouts is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to build girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place. So as a young child, I saw leadership through the lens of service and working to make the community I was a part of a better place. My experience with leadership as a Girl Scout was communal; it did not require someone to have a formal leadership role but asked that each person contribute their best.
As I got older, I began to see leadership as positional. As a high school student, I got involved in the National Honor Society. For me, it was the first time I was interacting with people as positional leaders. The organization has an executive board and policies in place that govern our activities and interactions. I realized that this form of leadership provided more structure than the leadership I experienced as a Girl Scout.
While these are just two of my experiences with leadership, there are many more that have gone into my own definition of leadership. Some of the experiences have been very positive like the two I mentioned above. Other experiences are ones that have given me great lessons, but I would not like to experience again.
The process of taking those experiences, learning from them, finding meaning in them, and then taking action is what leadership is all about!
Leadership to me means knowing and acting in alignment with your values. The process of determining your values is essential as a leader. Values provide a foundation from which you then base your actions and make decisions. At many of our LeaderShape programs, we spend time with participants engaging in activities that clarify their values. This process can be difficult because we can often hold values that may conflict with each other when making decisions. However, I have found that when I know my values and understand their importance in my life, I am better able to make those decisions and understand why, at times, values can conflict. The best example I can think of is my value for authenticity and loyalty. In some situations I have experienced, those values conflict. As a supervisor, my loyalty to an employee can sometimes come in conflict with my authenticity when I need to evaluate their performance. It is through the process of clarifying those values, that I have come to learn for myself that authenticity is more important than loyalty.
Now I say all of this to recognize that for each person the priorities of values–even if they seem the same as yours–will be different. Which leads me to the next part of what I believe leadership to be.
I believe leadership means deciding to take action even if those decisions are difficult. I have found that as a leader, if the organization I am a part of is facing a problem, I want to figure out the solution that will fix the problem and allow us to move forward. I also want the solution to be perfect; I fear the possibility of failing so if that answer is not 100% correct, I will be paralyzed to the point of inaction. Letting fear determine my actions as a leader does not serve the organization. I have come to understand that taking actions that are in alignment with my values and those of the organization, even if the problem isn’t totally solved, will help us move forward.
The final piece that describes leadership for me is doing work with others to help the organizations, communities, and world we are a part of thrive. This work cannot be done alone. Leadership means viewing each person as an expert in their own experience and then coming together with their expertise and yours to make a difference. This is often the most difficult but rewarding part of leadership. When we see each other as experts of their own experiences, we are able to see each person as valuable. We break down the barriers of oppression that tell us some people are more worthy or valuable than others. We see people for who they are and we appreciate that. We recognize that without the expertise and contributions of everyone, our communities will not thrive. We work diligently together to ensure that solutions are created for this thriving to occur.
Leadership is a process that, when we allow it, will help each of us grow and become the best version of ourselves.
Facebook: @LeaderShapeOrg
Website: https://www.leadershape.org/
Email: [email protected]
About the author:
Kristen Young serves as the Executive Director at LeaderShape. She is responsible for guiding the organization to meet its mission of transforming the world by increasing the number of people who lead with integrity and practice a healthy disregard for the impossible. She oversees the curriculum, facilitation, and implementation of all of the LeaderShape programs to ensure that they continue to advance LeaderShape’s mission and vision.
FEATURED ARTICLE 
Leading with Confidence
By Dieter Dratwa
“The whole is greater than the sum of its parts,” is a phrase attributed to Aristotle that still applies to the impact of good leadership today. This amplified impact is the result of a group of individuals united by a common goal.
Each person of that group contributes his/her qualities and through the magic of diversity and different perspectives, it all sums up to something larger than anyone could have imagined in the beginning.
Effort is required to think ahead and formulate a common goal. Not everyone is willing to invest time and brainpower upfront when all is up in the air. Uncertainty can be scary and a good excuse not to even start.
My advice: Just start. Do think ahead and see where this leads you. Accept the risk that nothing may come out of it and your ideas and thoughts lead to nowhere. But how to increase the chances of finding the right common goal?
Proper research. No magic required.
First, you don’t want to reinvent the wheel, so it’s always better to check beforehand if a solution that can be applied to your current situation already exists.
Second, the research will inspire you to think of a broader and better common goal. Your message must make sense to many people with diverse perspectives. Find a goal that touches the feelings of many, one that ignites a spark, one that motivates for action. If the goal speaks for itself, then you don’t need to convince anybody. Use your energy to lobby for your goal, talk to the key people, and integrate their comments. If the inputs point towards the same direction, you know that a movement is formed. Don’t lose this head start and stay ahead of the herd thinking. Take action, don’t just talk about it. Take the first step towards the goal and set a good example, making it easy for others to follow.
Now that the thinking is aligned and the first steps are taken, some early adopters may already have the feeling of being left behind and are jumping into action. While most are still in observation mode: observing and waiting for others to make their first move as it doesn’t feel right (yet). They are technically “in,” but uncertainty is holding them back. How do we reach this faraway goal? What are the obstacles along the way?
Ideally, before any action is taken, a detailed plan should be formulated to minimize any uncertainties. The problem is, a plan without uncertainty can be formulated only after the fact, as the path towards a common goal will be somewhat unclear until we have walked through it. So what can a leader utilize to encourage action and accelerate movement?
TRUST. Trust in the leader to do the right thing. Trust that the next step is worth doing…even if uncertainty lingers. Does the leader need to have all the answers? NO! It’s enough to know the next steps toward the goal and communicate with confidence. Which force is behind this confidence that makes the uncertainty irrelevant?
BELIEVE. Believe in the leader’s abilities to solve whatever problems that may arise. Believe that joint contributions from the group can tackle any obstacles along the way. When dealing with uncertainty, communication with confidence is a crucial quality of any leader.
Once people trust the leader and get the ball rolling, everyone else will also be in motion. Each one will contribute in any way they can and the entire group is moving at accelerating speed. It’s time to celebrate the joint achievements and feel proud of what the group has accomplished. As a whole, everybody is now a part of the success no matter how big or small the contribution was given. The very next day, the leader already walks ahead again, with full confidence, doing the right thing. Alone.
It’s not easy being a leader and doing the right thing, but it’s worth it. Become a leader today! Be a leader tomorrow! Which noble cause would YOU like to join? Which movement would YOU like to start?
Rotary is a group of extraordinary people. Our motto is “Serve to change lives,” which motivates us to contribute our best and drives our efforts to support the communities we live in.
Join a noble cause, lead a movement, and serve to change lives.
Facebook @RCoPB
Website: https://www.rotarypatong.org/
Email: [email protected]
About the author: 
Dieter Dratwa is the current President of the Rotary Club of Patong Beach.
FEATURED ARTICLE
The Courage to Lead: Speaking and Living Your Truth
By Milla Budiarto
“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, you are a leader.”
― John Quincy Adams
Lead by example. Yes, it’s cliché, but that’s exactly how Matcha Phorn-in became a leader in her rainbow family and the indigenous communities in Chiang Mai and nearby provinces. Matcha is a Lao-Isaan ethnic minority lesbian feminist human rights defender. Because of her race, gender identity, and sexual orientation, she experienced various systemic discrimination from a very young age. I spoke with her for over an hour via video call to learn more about her leadership journey.
Matcha is the Director and Founder of Sangsan Anakot Yawachon Development Project (Building the Future of Youth), Coordinator of V-Day Thailand, and Co-President of International Family Equality Day (IFED). 15 years ago she founded Sangsan, an organization working with marginalized ethnic minority and indigenous women, girls, and young LGBTIQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and queer)—many of whom are stateless. Sangsan is committed to advancing women’s rights, working towards a SOGIESC (sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and sex characteristics) inclusive community, and advocating for social equality and equity through education, capacity building, and life skills training.
“Intersectionality” has been at the very heart of Sangsan since its inception. It’s a term that was first coined in 1989 by Kimberlé Crenshaw, a civil rights activist and law professor in the U.S. Intersectionality takes into account multiple interwoven identities such as gender, sex, race, class, sexuality, religion, nationality, physical ability, and so on, to understand the complexity and compounded effects of discrimination or disadvantages experienced by marginalized people. For instance, an indigenous woman may experience sexism and racism, but she will experience sexism differently from a Thai woman and racism differently from an indigenous man.
Matcha started her activism in 2000 when she was attending university. She experienced yet another form of discrimination so she wanted to challenge the oppressive system and fight for a structural change. She established Sangsan to create a welcoming and supportive environment for this marginalized group of people who are often overlooked and suffer institutional oppression in a form of limited access to opportunities and resources such as education, employment, healthcare, safety, nationality, and land rights. Sangsan provides a safe space where they are acknowledged and accepted with respect and dignity, where they can openly talk about who they are and what they want without fearing rejection or reprisal. She wanted to give voice to the voiceless.
During its first 10 years, Sangsan has provided scholarships to more than 1,000 stateless children—60 of whom have successfully completed a degree higher than high school. These students returned home and in turn became change-makers in their communities. Sadly, the scholarship program was discontinued five years ago due to lack of financial support.
Curiously, intersectionality seems to be a double-edged sword for Sangsan. Funding opportunities have been difficult to come by because the organization doesn’t quite fit into one specific category to receive any funding from either the government, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), or the United Nations (UN). COVID-19 exacerbated Sangsan’s financial difficulties, forcing Matcha to dip into her life savings to keep Sangsan afloat, all the while trying to provide food for indigenous people who had lost their livelihood because of the pandemic. Through rigorous fundraising campaigns, Sangsan received donation monies from various civil society organizations (CSOs) and individual donors, and was able to hand out emergency relief packages 13 times in two years.
For Matcha, leadership is a process. Her mother was a single mother who was rejected and often harassed in her community because she didn’t want to re-marry. Her mother’s strength and courage inspired her. Feminism also influenced Matcha’s leadership. The feminist movement gave her space to grow as a person; she felt empowered, nurtured, and supported. “The most important people who inspired me are those who are fighting for human rights,” reflects Matcha. One of these people is Nong Air, one of the scholarship recipients. Sangsan has worked with her for more than 11 years; she was stateless, but eventually got her Thai citizenship two years ago and has been helping hundreds of stateless people in her community to apply for citizenship ever since. “She never gave up the fight for her rights, so I could not give up either,” comments Matcha. Nong Air is currently working as one of the three staff at Sangsan, alongside Matcha and her partner.
Her daughter Siriwan also suffered discrimination and bullying while growing up because she is raised in a rainbow family. As a mother, Matcha was very careful not to involve her daughter in any of her work with Sangsan. By her own volition, at the age of 14, Siriwan wanted to participate in the Family Equality Day and wrote a story about her experience as a child growing up in a rainbow family. In 2020, the 18-year-old Siriwan was selected as the Asian Girls Ambassador Human Rights award winner by The Garden of Hope Foundation for her advocacy on the rights of children of LGBTIQ families. This year, she collaborated with the Thai Health Promotion Foundation in publishing “This House has Gender Diversity,” a manual for parents with LGBTIQ children.
Now Nong Air, Siriwan, and another Sangsan youth volunteer are spearheading the Indigenous Youth for Sustainable Development (IY4SD). Last year, their Karen Rainbow Textile Social Enterprise Project won a prize money of 100,000 baht by Youth Co:Lab/UNDP Thailand. The traditional rainbow-colored woven clothes were handmade by indigenous Karen women of Ban Mae Sam Laep, Mae Hong Son Province. This economic empowerment project aims to enhance the quality of life of the women, reduce poverty in that community, and revitalize local wisdom and preserve the traditional weaving culture.
From the first five minutes of the interview, it was obvious that Matcha is extremely dedicated to what she does with Sangsan. Her unwavering voice was filled with conviction, compassion, and positivity. Despite all the challenges she faces, she remains persistent and optimistic—the epitome of leading by example. As we ended the interview, I left feeling tremendously inspired. She is a fearless fighter, a trailblazer. She is true to form.
Facebook: @saydpthailand
Website: http://sangsanngo.blogspot.com/
Email: [email protected]
About the author:
Milla Budiarto is an international affairs officer at PSU Phuket. She earned both her bachelor and master’s degrees from Louisiana State University, USA. She’s been living in Phuket since 2012 and she’s always on the lookout for the perfect raincoat.
THE FACULTY LOUNGE
Leadership Capacity Challenges During the COVID-19 Crisis
By Aj. Pisit.t
The COVID-19 pandemic so far has proven to be the ultimate test for leaders of governments and organizations around the globe. The crisis is an unprecedented event and no experiences with previous epidemics/pandemics has prepared any current leader for this type of situation. Unlike past crises during which governments and organizations could make relatively minor adjustments to address the problems being faced, the COVID-19 crisis has presented an entirely different set of challenges and risks. It has presented governments and organizations all over the world with much uncertainty, and at times has required numerous and substantial changes on a daily basis.
Perhaps more than ever, the success or failure of government policies and organizational management during this unprecedented time is crucially dependent on quality leadership. The knowledge and theories gained from textbooks or self-help books in leadership may not be adequate to address this unique situation. The key concepts and strategies needing to be addressed by leaders in government and large organizations during the COVID-19 crisis include risk management, prioritization, agility, adaptability, empathy, and resilience. While these keywords and strategies may not be anything new for people in leadership roles, the serious and sometimes fatal nature of impacts associated with COVID-19 require decisions that must be done now at an urgency level rather than being put off and handled at some point.
Many world leaders explain the COVID-19 pandemic crisis to the public using the war analogy to underline the urgency of the situation. These include scenario-based thinking (worst case, moderate case, best case), early warning systems, decisiveness, strict safety standards, and more. Moreover, it is worth highlighting the fact that when the COVID-19 war is over and people reflect on the actions taken by their leaders, what they have done, and what they left in their wake will be remembered for a long time, regardless of the outcome.
About the author:
Pisit Tuntipisitkul is a lecturer at the Faculty of Hospitality and Tourism, Prince of Songkla University, Phuket Campus. His teaching and research interests are in the subject of environmental management, sustainable tourism, marine tourism, and water safety. He is a certified sea search and rescue by the Red Cross Society, as well as a certified lifeguard by the International Surf Lifesaving Association (ISLA) and Life Saving Thailand School.
OFF CAMPUS
Characteristics of a Smart Leader
By Maroot Reangvaranont
Leader. There are many definitions of the word in the dictionaries and online. However, based on my experience as the CEO of my company, leading a diverse group of people in the industry and in the workplace, I would define the word leader as:
Long-term oriented. A good leader must be able to foresee what is coming.
Effective. A good leader is a good planner: no plan, no go.
Alliance. A good leader loves forming positive connections and making friends, not enemies.
Deference. A good leader knows when to thank the team members and show appreciation for their contributions.
Embrace teamwork. A good leader loves the dynamic of working together as a team to achieve their common goals.
Rules. A good leader must establish a set of rules to standardize the performance across the board.
There are three significant elements that can transform a normal leader into a smart one:
1. Good at work. A brilliant leader knows his/her role and responsibilities like the back of his/her hand. S/he is energetic, passionate, adaptable, innovative, and able to inspire others. A smart leader must be courageous, optimistic, and open-minded. Though sometimes s/he may not have had direct experience in certain areas, s/he must be capable of taking decisive actions.
2. Good with people. A smart leader is easy to talk to, pleasant, and knows his/her team’s capabilities and how to use them best; putting the right person in the right job. A smart leader wins people’s hearts not by force but with kindness. S/he is able to drive the team spirit onwards even in desperate situations, living by the motto such as, “We can do it” and “Let’s make the impossible possible.”
3. Good at planning. An outstanding leader follows a carefully mapped plan, not merely following his/her instincts. Without time-bound action plans, nothing will happen. A bird’s eye view skill is needed to see things from different perspectives. A smart leader makes informed decisions based on the result data from research.
No one is simply born a leader. But one can be trained and transformed into a leader.
About the author:
Maroot Reangvaranont used to be a business lecturer at the Faculty of International Studies, PSU Phuket. Now he is the CEO of Nilsuwan Food, a leading frozen food manufacturer and wholesaler in Phuket.
OFF CAMPUS
The Need for Active PTAs in Thailand
By Dr. Mariano Carrera
As a parent and teacher, I must say that active Parent Teacher Associations (PTAs) are needed in Thai schools. Having experienced an active PTA in my home country Trinidad and Tobago, and seen them in action while working in countries such as Oman, the UAE, and Kuwait, I am surprised by the limited use of this essential educational tool in Thailand. My two sons are in primary school, and over the past four years, there has only been one meeting with the parents, as a group, to discuss matters at the school—its expansion! Perhaps one of the problems with Thai education is that we are not using all the available tools.
In Thailand, social media appears to be the means of communication used by the schools for reaching out. While in some ways practical, this form of communication is limited and not at all conducive for any meaningful discussions among the stakeholders. This is where active PTAs can fill the gaps.
PTAs help improve education outcomes by bringing the stakeholders together, as parents are an essential part of the education system. Learning should not happen only in the classroom, parents’ support at home is also needed. A teacher’s role should not be as both a teacher and a parent to the students, as teachers must constantly focus on ensuring the quality of their teaching materials and curriculum delivery. Fewer distractions improve retention. However, teachers often play the role of substitute parents to students when active involvement of the adults in the household is lacking.
Parents need to be aware that times are changing in terms of education pedagogy and technology, and that they also need to learn how to respond to these changes. What was taught in schools pre-2000 is, in many ways, different from 2021. Both parents and teachers need to keep up with the current education trend and work together to complement the children’s learning experience and address the deficits that may exist. The adoption of blended learning during the COVID-19 restrictions in 2020 has thrusted these issues into the spotlight, albeit fundamental tools have already existed.
Society also benefits from active PTAs as social ills can be quicker and better addressed. Students learn from their peers, sometimes more than from their parents or teachers. Through active PTAs, parents can exchange ideas among each other and better understand their children’s environment by knowing and meeting their friends’ parents. Active PTAs build a sense of community, provide counseling, and act as a safeguard before something serious happens. We learn to be responsible adults by copying and interacting with other responsible adults—PTAs facilitate this exposure.
Parents need to be involved in their children’s school via PTA to ensure that their children can succeed in the society. Schools need to take the initiative and call for active PTAs to foster positive interactions that could benefit the stakeholders in education directly and indirectly. Thailand needs these initiatives if it wants to succeed as a country.
About the author:
Mariano has been teaching at Thai universities since September 2016. Prior to that, he was in the international petroleum industry for 20 years. With his kids attending school in Thailand, he wants to have a positive influence on the education system by presenting education-related research material to a wider audience.
OFF CAMPUS
Heart-Growth Mindset Leadership
By Bhavna Khemlani
Sometimes we think that in order to display our leadership skills, we should exert authority by yelling, screaming, or putting someone down. To some extent, this view of leadership has changed in many ways in recent years. Over the last decades, leadership insights offered by progressive leadership experts and practitioners have shifted our perception of how leadership should look like. Nowadays, the inclusion of empathy, compassion, and being mindful has redefined the term leadership into what I called “heart-growth mindset leadership.”
Heart-growth mindset leaders are leaders who are able to apply emotional intelligence and mindfulness to grow themselves and others, and share these dynamics with everyone in their surroundings. In other words, one needs to equip oneself with more than just one trait, learn to work together, and empower each other. Heart-growth mindset leaders need to be able to empower, guide, set examples, and encourage (through mental and emotional support) the youths as they are our next generation leaders.
In one’s personal and work life, things such as fabrication, manipulation, sugar-coating, or avoidance of issues prevent oneself from solving any problems and learning how to become a better leader. Oftentimes, transformative situations in one’s life can illuminate the solutions to a problem. This is why one needs to be authentic, optimistic, and adaptable in every situation.
Various research that studied the links between mindfulness, emotional intelligence, and leadership qualities development showed that by shedding the “old skin” to make room for the new and by allowing others to do the same, we are able to grow, co-create, and collaborate with others in order to move forward with a healthy mindset.
In my opinion, traditional leadership style does more harm than good because this authoritative approach causes mental, emotional, and spirit-based stresses that eventually block the growth mindset. Empowerment is the missing component that can transform this old-fashioned leadership into a heart-growth mindset leadership. A good example of corporations cultivating and adopting the heart-growth mindset is Netflix. Netflix changed its work culture over the years by focusing more on the “people over process.” The company incorporated mindfulness sessions in local languages globally as part of its health initiative to empower its employees.
Our perception of leadership has shifted over time, moving away from the traditional authoritative style to heart-growth mindset that incorporates empathy, compassion, and mindfulness. The most important component of developing heart-growth leadership is through empowerment of oneself and others.
Lead with empowerment
Here to Hear
Change or Hang
Discuss not get Disgust
Let go of old to Welcome New 
Flow with priorities
Bringing clarity
Thrive – Heart-Growth Mindset
Bhavna Khemlani is a university lecturer, poet, author, academic and creative writing coach, Reiki Master teacher, researcher, and mindfulness practitioner. She is the co-leader of Bangkok Women Writers Group (BWWG) and co-founder of 360 Degrees Mind.Body.Spirit workshops. Visit her website: www.bhavkhemlani.com or keep in touch with her at: [email protected].
STUDENT VOICE
How to Lead the Gen Z’ers
By Sita K
We live in a fast-changing world; in this digital age, technology has become a part of our lives and changed how we live. We have to adapt to the advancement of digital innovation in order to survive and thrive. At the same time, people development is considered to be even more necessary. The upcoming Generation Z or Gen Z for short—born between 1997 and 2012—will have a major impact on the world. According to social analyst Mark McCrindle, Gen Z is the largest generation ever. By 2025, Gen Z will make up 27% of the workforce. Therefore, to be a good leader it’s necessary to focus more on successful people management.
As the Gen Z population continues to grow, the Gen Z’ers will inevitably affect the future workforce. Gen Z’ers consider themselves as “digital natives” because they have no idea about the world before technology. This generational gap often leads to miscommunication and conflict. Therefore, in order to lead the Gen Z’ers successfully, leaders need to understand the nature of the people in this generation.
Gen Z is quite unique compared to other generations. While the traditional leadership style focused on command and control because it “worked” for people in prior generations, this leadership style may not work for Gen Z’ers as they value their independence perhaps more than their predecessors. As a Gen Z’er myself, I can confirm that this is absolutely true!
In the past, people worked to pay their bills, doing whatever work they could do. In contrast, Gen Z’ers are pickier; they want to work in a job that holds meaning beyond just getting paid and waiting to retire. They mostly prefer to have their own standpoint, and they want to be heard! So, as a leader, you’d better not try to control them but learn to work with them smartly. Inspire them and let them learn from their strengths and weaknesses. Coaching leadership style would be a good choice because it unlocks the hidden skills in people without fundamentally changing who they are. This leadership style will make Gen Z’ers feel happier in the workspace. The role of a leader in this style is similar to a coach in the sporting world, a coach who directs the team to success.
Here are the keys to successful coaching leadership:
Start with trust
The first step to developing people is trust. You need to build trust by forging a relationship with your team. A good leader will not tell the team what to do, a two-way conversation is needed. Ask questions and listen more to better understand the team member’s work motivation.
Let them engage more
Coaching is definitely different from commanding; it is more focused on developing the people. Collaborating and working together with your team will unlock their potential. This will enable them to have their own standpoint or style of working and help elevate team performance in the long run. In return, your team will be able to coach others in the future, just like you did!
Provide feedback. Don’t complain
Complaining is useless, it never makes things better. If you want your team members to fix a problem, instead of complaining, give constructive feedback to help them learn and understand what they need to improve. By doing so, you will boost your team’s performance, while at the same time not destroying their confidence.
Support your team
Support your team members’ ideas and provide the necessary resources and tools they need. Being supportive of your team will help them perform better and increase their creativity.
To sum up, the coaching leadership style is much more than just telling your team members what needs to be done. If you want to make Gen Z’ers work for you, don’t be a boss, but be a leader like a coach. Listen to us first and try to understand who we truly are. Trust-building is a good start. Ask questions. Collaborate and show support. Providing feedback instead of complaining will lead to true people development. Coaching leadership style can be hard and time-consuming, but it is the leadership style that works best when leading the Gen Z’ers.
About the author:
Sita Kajaikiatgamjorn is a fourth-year student majoring in International Business: China at the Faculty of International Studies, PSU Phuket. She enjoys participating in on-campus activities and believes that university life provides plenty of great life experiences that will prove useful for her future career.
STUDENT VOICE
My Own Journey to the West
By Lee Yan Yee
When it comes to the word “leadership,” most individuals are probably more familiar with it within the context of the workplace: a leader is a person who is able to motivate and influence the team members in achieving their goals. However, you must be a leader in your own life first before you can be a competent leader who inspires others. Our parents and teachers are leaders—they provide guidance, support, motivation, explanations, and much more. As we grow up and enter the society, we have to take on our own responsibilities in self-leadership to influence our thoughts, emotions, and actions to accomplish our objectives in life.
Journey to the West is a well-known Chinese literary work that has also been adapted to drama series and films. It is classified as one of the Four Great Classical Novels in Chinese literature. Perhaps you are familiar with the story’s intriguing plot, which involves a journey from China to the West in order to obtain Buddhist sacred scriptures. It features five interesting characters: a monk named Tang Sanzang and his four disciples: a monkey named Sun Wu Kong, a pig named Zhu Ba Jie, an ogre named Sha Wu Jing, and a steed ridden by Tang Sanzang. As a child, I never considered the deep hidden meaning of this story, but as I grew older and after re-reading the book multiple times, I realized that the story actually reflects our inner world; this is the reason why I associate the literature with self-leadership.
The monk refers to our human nature, which is our fundamental character and traits. We understand that the only way to improve ourselves is to put forth effort in self-improvement so that we will be able to make more informed decisions. The monk also refers to emptiness, the true nature of everything, such as being aware of changes. Change is the only constant thing in life and once you understand the inner meaning, you will always be prepared without experiencing extreme emotions such as agitation, frustration, and disappointment when being confronted with change. While the faithful steed that never leaves the monk refers to our human bodies because our thoughts and deeds are interrelated.
The monkey represents our actual intention, which is our goal to accomplish something worthwhile. The gold hoop worn by the monkey represents the obstacles that hinder us in real life, such as morality, practices, and customs. The monkey’s special abilities represent our awareness through sight, smell, hearing, taste, touch, consciousness, and uncertainties. The transformation of the monkey into other objects or subjects can be referred to as human characteristics changing with time, environment, and experiences. You can lead yourself down different paths if you keep an open mind and allow changes to happen in order to improve.
The pig symbolizes our instinct, the human desire to gain something. When you have desire, you are driven to achieve it and are willing to go to any length to achieve it. However, the pig’s appearance is ugly because when people have extreme desire, they can appear to be ugly and not just in appearance, but also in behavior. This serves as a reminder for us to maintain control over our desires when trying to accomplish something in our lives.
The ogre is a metaphor for purity of heart, peace, and logic. In the story, the monk always consults with him and engages in in-depth discussions. When you encounter problems in real life, you need to identify the root cause of the problems first in order to find the solutions.
Meanwhile, the evil spirits, demons, and monsters in the story reflect the allurement of life; they appear fascinating and appealing, but we should not give in to their temptations. In many occasions in the storyline, God intervenes in the plot, just as you will receive guidance from your friends, family, and others around you in real life.
Though you may not be a team leader right now, you can start your journey by cultivating self-leadership in your daily life. Just like the story in Journey to the West, once you are aware of yourself and your path, you will be ready to empower others.
About the author:
Lee Yan Yee just graduated from PSU Phuket with a major in Thai Studies at the Faculty of International Studies. She loves asking questions and learning new things.
STUDENT VOICE
School for Life
By Na-Siam Sa-Nguannam
One of the three core elements of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme at the British International School Phuket (BISP) is creativity, activity, and service, also known as CAS. The service component of CAS involves each student committing to a voluntary activity that will positively impact their community. I think it’s very important for students to carry out service projects for their communities as it’s a way of showing gratitude and helping those who are less fortunate. For me, a leader should understand that everyone’s path is different, that it is his/her duty to spread love and kindness. Unlike most things in the world, the more happiness one shares, the happier one becomes.
I knew that I wanted to do my service project focusing on children in need. My friend Anders suggested a school for orphans that is located in Phang Nga Province called School for Life. On my first visit to the school, I brought along my close friend Minha. Later on, my other friends Tiffany, Youn, Oak, Bank, Stamp and Mind also joined in.
I had mixed emotions upon entering School for Life; I was overwhelmed by how much land the school has and how friendly the children were. The school principal along with a group of children gave us a tour of the campus. This was when I learned about the history of this orphanage. The school used to be sponsored by a German organisation. But since its sponsorship withdrawal in 2015, the school has been struggling to survive ever since with little to no source of income. The teachers are not fully paid, and the school lacks sufficient food and other resources to support and sustain the orphans.
A group of nine teachers has been caring for upwards of 70 children who ended up at the school due to complex family issues or trauma—some lost their parents to drugs and crime, while others were victims of physical and sexual abuse. As volunteers, we knew that we were dealing with fragile individuals who grew up in harsh environments before ending up at School for Life.
I was determined to invest my time to help improve the children’s quality of life there. We wanted to assist the school to become more self-sufficient as they mainly rely on small donations on a day-to-day basis from the people around the area. This could be done through farming and raising chickens, at which they already have some experience. Another goal I wanted to achieve was to improve the mindset of the kids by encouraging creative thinking in solving problems so that they can excel in life.
Over the past two months, I have started teaching English to the kids. Every weekend, with the help of my brother Pokpong and occasionally Mind, we can see the children’s steady progress. We laughed and played together, it’s truly remarkable to be able to spread happiness to the kids. On several different occasions, we also brought in some donations from our team such as foods, toiletries, and clothes.
We will continue to support the school however we can, especially during these hard times. My goal is to help heal these kids as much as possible by guiding them to become great adults in the future. Through this experience, I have learned tremendously from everyone involved as well as from the children. It is clear that some bonds forged here could last a lifetime.
Being the leader of a group is challenging. Throughout this project, I underwent various challenges along the way. I made sure that I put in as much effort as I can to set a good example for my teammates because I believe that a good leader should lead by example. The novelist Ken Kesey said it best, “You don’t lead by pointing and telling people where to go. You lead by going to that place and making a case.
About the author:
Na-Siam Sa-nguannam is a Year 13 International Baccalaureate student at the British International School Phuket (BISP). At school, he excels in playing the piano and the clarinet. He is also one of the longest-serving members of the school’s concert band and orchestra. Because of his passion for maths, computers, and technology, he plans to study computer science at a top university.
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
Meet PSU Phuket Student Leaders
Name: Jakkapol Saingam
Classification: 3rd year student
Major: Computing
Faculty: College of Computing
Student leadership position: PSU Phuket Student Union President
For me, a good leader is someone who is a problem solver. A good leader must be punctual, honest, responsible, open-minded, and a good role model.
Being a student leader is more than just a position. I am learning how to effectively manage my peers and delegate responsibilities to other team members for the best result. As the newly elected president of the Student Union for the Academic Year 2021, I want to highlight gender equality and encourage LGBTQ+ students to become PSU ambassadors.
Name: Khwanchanok Thirakupt
Classification: 3rd year student
Major: International Business: China
Faculty: International Studies
Student leadership position: Student Council Vice President
As the vice president of the Student Council, I am in charge of the internal and external coordination of the organization. I also oversee the Student Protection Committee that is created to protect the students’ rights. I joined the Student Council because I wanted to improve the quality of the student activities on campus and to gain a wider perspective outside of my academic life.
I have taken on several student leadership roles since I was in secondary school and was recognized as an outstanding youth leader in my Catholic Church. I have learned that patience and sacrifice are needed for the common good. From my experience, I think a good leader must possess the following 5 skills: self-awareness, emotional intelligence, communication, problem-solving, and decision-making.
Name: Phutphisit Thungklang
Classification: 3rd year student
Major: Computing
Faculty: College of Computing
Student leadership position: College of Computing Student Union President
My main duties as the Student Union president are designing, planning, organizing, and overseeing the activities for the students within the faculty. I am also responsible for providing assistance to the students who are facing some problems.
Being in the leadership position will enable me to develop myself further, especially when working together with a big group of students. It can be challenging, but I think it’s a worthwhile experience for my lifelong learning. In my opinion, a good leader must be dependable, flexible, patient, self-aware, and have a learning agility.
My main goal as the Student Union president is to promote more inclusivity so our freshman students would feel more welcomed and less intimidated by their seniors. Moreover, for this academic year I want to organize activities that are appropriate and fun for the students to help reduce the stress of online learning.
Name: Supapan Wongsupachat
Classification: 3rd year student
Major: Hospitality Management
Faculty: Hospitality and Tourism
Student leadership position: Faculty of Hospitality and Tourism Student Union President
The roles of the Student Union president are to manage and look after the students within the faculty, and also be responsible for making certain decisions for the benefit of the students.
I wanted to take on this role to gain more leadership experience and be more involved in university life. In the previous year, I was the finance officer for the faculty Student Union. I think a good leader must be responsible, patient, sociable, work-oriented, and organized.
My main goal this year is to create good teamwork within the student body by communicating effectively with my peers and team members, and assign work equally. I hope to be able to make some changes so more students would participate more in the faculty and university activities.
Name: Suppanida Srisuwan
Classification: 2nd year student
Major: International Business: China
Faculty: International Studies
Student leadership position: Faculty of International Studies Student Union President
As the president of the faculty Student Union, I plan and manage the student work/activities within the faculty, liaise and coordinate activities, and ensure the success of all activities.
My parents inspired me to be a leader and when I was studying at Deebuk Phang-nga Wittayon School, I was active in the Student Council. Now, I want to learn and practice my leadership skills in higher education.
In my opinion, a good leader must be able to unite the team so they can work well together, able to recognize or see errors and can correct them in a timely manner, confident and responsible, flexible, and open-minded.
For this academic year, I want to provide more opportunities for the students to voice their opinions and concerns to promote equality and solve problems more efficiently. I would also want to change some of the traditions in the freshman orientation.
Name: Panuphong Rodsawas
Classification: 3rd year student
Major: Environmental Technology and Management
Faculty: Technology and Environment
Student leadership position: Faculty of Technology and Environment Student Union President
My previous experience as part of the Student Council inspired me to become a reliable and responsible leader. I aspire to lead the students at my faculty to the best of my ability and serve them with integrity.
To be a good leader, one must be fully committed to lead, have effective communication skills, be systematic and organized, engaged with the team, and be responsible.
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
PSU Phuket Student Profile
Name: Wilanda Sariya 
Classification: 4th year student
Major: Tourism Management
Faculty: Hospitality and Tourism
Phuket is my hometown, so naturally, my dad wants me to study here at PSU Phuket to be closer to the family. My family is my source of inspiration because they’re always supportive of me in everything that I do. Although I’m a shy person and I don’t talk that much, I enjoy participating in many campus activities, especially the ones organized by the faculty, because they are fun and I get the chance to meet many new friends.
U-LIFE: JUST SIMPLY BE COZY
Person Behind the Success of PSU Student Leaders
By Ruangrat Jiratthiwarutkun
Can we improve our own leadership skills? Of course we can! But sometimes we can’t do it on our own and we need other people to help us improve. I call this person “a supporter” or “a person behind the success.”
One of the “supporters” in the Student Affairs Administrator Team is Asst. Prof. Dr. Nattapong Tongtep, or commonly known as Aj. Nat. Aj. Nat is the go-to person when students need some help, support, or advice. He was recently appointed as the Associate Dean for Special Affairs and International Relations at the College of Computing (CoC), where he is a full time faculty member. Aj. Nat wears many hats and he is very involved in student activities; he serves as an advisor for the CoC Student Union, To Be Number One PSU Phuket Club, CoC Student Volunteer Group, and the National Software Contest Teams. He also supervises several student projects and other student activities.
According to Aj. Nat, the leadership skills needed especially in a time of crisis are empathy, prioritization, and agility. To be a good leader, you need to put yourself in someone else’s shoes to better learn and understand a situation. When there are many problems to solve and actions to take, you must know how to prioritize the tasks at hand in the decision making process. Every problem that we face makes us stronger. We have to try to do our best in overcoming our obstacles in life. If things fail, we must recover fast and move on. There is always a lesson to be learned in every situation.
