2024 CBILLS Middle Managers from the Philippine Congress in one of their course activities at the DAP Conference Center in Tagaytay City

Tagaytay City, Philippines – The Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP) conducted the Legislative Training Course on High-Performance Leadership for Middle Managers (MM) under the Capability Building on Innovative Leadership for Legislative Staff (CBILLS) Program on June 18-21 at the DAP Conference Center. This course aims to help scholars explore their leadership roots and connect authentically with the people they lead, fostering resilient and high-performance teams in the workplace.

Before the course began, scholars participated in a sensing journey, where they observed team meetings, shadowed colleagues, and interviewed stakeholders to understand their leadership styles. The four-day course started by contextualizing Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity (VUCA), and Brittle, Anxious, Nonlinear, and Incomprehensible (BANI) worlds, differentiating leadership from management, and assessing the impact of one’s leadership style on colleagues and stakeholders.

Scholars then took a personality test to gauge their leadership styles, team-building characteristics, problem-solving abilities, and stress-management skills. The final session focused on the five dysfunctions of a team and analyzed the stages of group development. The  course was led by Czarina B. Teves, a certified action learning coach, and an organization development consultant, facilitator, and trainer. It culminated with an activity called “Reading the Room,” designed to enhance communication in group settings. Scholars shared their insights and emphasized the importance of effective communication for achieving high-performance teams. For their final output, scholars submitted personal leadership development plans, outlining the specific areas of leadership they aim to improve over the next three months and the actions they will take to achieve their goals.

The 23 middle managers enrolled in this year’s CBILLS program provide assistance to various technical and support offices in both chambers of the Philippine Congress.

(Dannieliza Sambrano)