A good captain is great only if he has a great team." – S. Sreesanth
When the word "leadership" is brought into a conversation, perhaps the philosophical mind would consider the well-known allegory "Ship of State" from Plato's "The Republic." But one doesn't have to possess a philosophical perspective on life or even study a Philosophy course to understand why this allegory is relevant to the concept of leadership. It is easy to understand because it applies to this day.
In layman's terms, "Ship of State" compares a leader to the captain of a ship. The metaphorical ship contains a group of sailors who compete with each other for the ship's captaincy, all pursuing their interests but lacking knowledge in seafaring and navigation. However, one person on the vessel possesses the skills required to guide the ship, thanks to his mastery of nautical astronomy. The sailors call him a "useless stargazer," but Plato uses this as an image of the philosopher-ruler. Without this philosopher's talent to look up at the sky and read the stars, the crew would be lost.
Nowadays, people tend to become too idealistic to only see what they want instead of seeing what there is. Today's current leadership requires leaders to do the opposite: Similar to Plato's analogy, leaders have to see what others refuse to look at or cannot see because one never knows that ideas or solutions could root from simply taking a deep, close look at things.
The three leaders of L3 Global Ventures Inc. (Joseph Lee, Kevin Lee, and A.J. Legaspi) are three different captains running the same ship. But rather than attempting to prove who could do the job better, they ask each other, "How can we do the job together?" Through separate short interviews, this article explores their contrasting leadership styles, their primary influences behind them, and the skills that help them excel and evolve as leaders and individuals.
 Joseph Lee | How would you describe your leadership style? In a statement, my leadership style is to become a person and a leader of consequence. Frequently, this means making difficult and rather unpopular decisions that move things forward. I expect the best from myself, our people, and our organization What is/are your main influences? Tony Robbins (personal clarity and understanding), Zig Ziglar and Brain Tracy (sales), Jim Rhon (leadership and life), Joko Willink (overcoming obstacles and ownership), Simon Sinek and Tony Hsieh (leadership and culture), Bill McDermott (leadership skills), Darren Hardy (modern leadership skills). What leadership skills do you find the most essential? ·Leaders Must Take 100% Responsibility – In personal terms, it is a matter of realizing you are the captain of your ship and you chart your course in life. No matter the wind, currents, or weather, and no matter the economy, the government, or who is ruling the country, it's 100% up to you if you end up in the promised land. Likewise, if you steer your ship into the rocks, it is your fault. Nobody likes a leader who blames his players for a loss. ·Lead from the Front and Be the Best Example Possible – Did you think for a moment that you wouldn't need to put in the hard work yourself? As a leader, you are always the first one to do what you want to have done or become what you want others to be. You must understand your company's "ripple effect" and be mindful of your actions. You are, after all, the emotional thermostat of whatever group you lead. ·Leaders Collaborate, and THEN Make Decisions – the genius of good ideas can be brought to the table from several excellent sources. But then, someone needs to enter and take command. A single ultimate decider. An artist. A leader with a crystal-clear picture of the plan and a strong compass. ·Leaders Continue Learning – those who achieve mastery are obsessed with learning, growing, and improving. In the book "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell, the writer repeatedly refers to the 10,000-hour rule as to what separates those who end up with great "talent" from everyone else – essentially, they just "out practice" everyone. With a growth mindset, specialized training, and a lot of practice, you can learn the skills, attributes, and strategies that will give you massive advantages over all the intelligent, experienced, good-looking, and well-connected folks. You can learn how to dominate any industry you choose. ·Leaders Cast a Huge Vision for Their Team – if you want insane production from your team, you need to pitch an enormous vision for them and believe they can hit it. In the words of Brian Tracy: "Leadership is the ability to get extraordinary achievement from ordinary people." · No Excuses. Get it done. |
How would you describe your leadership style? My leadership style is more relaxed. However, I do or say something when I see someone not doing their job. At the same time, though, people think of me as the type of person who is kind. But sometimes, they can confuse kindness with weakness. What is/are your main influences?
Early in my adulthood, when I was working for a company, I experienced supervisors yelling at me, and I was not too fond of it. It just didn't feel right because I didn't think of it being effective. Growing up with two older sisters, I was never yelled at. And now that I'm married and have two daughters, it's just a matter of being patient. I try to analyze my situations, where if I see my daughters doing something incorrect or wrong, I will not embarrass them in front of people. Instead, I would pull them aside afterward and talk to them about the situation while giving them my point of view. I'm not saying that my point of view is always correct, but as a father, I still need to tell them. And so, I use that same approach at work. I know I shouldn't embarrass people at work, so I'd pull them aside and talk to them. What leadership skills do you find the most essential? · Common Sense – whether it's selling, project management, accounting, marketing, or research, I think when you're working with people, you need to have a lot of common sense. It is fundamental in the ability to communicate with others. And if you say something a little bit out-of-line, especially for selfish reasons, I may not be the only one who notices it, but also a handful of other people. · Communication (Listening and Speaking) – especially when it comes to selling, listening is just as critical as speaking. The goal is not just to drive whatever goal you're attempting to accomplish. It would help if you listened to what your customer or prospect said. Additionally, you need to pay attention to how you say something, which is another fundamental element I'd like to consider.
|  Kevin Lee |
 AJ Legaspi | How would you describe yourleadership style? I always try my best to lead by example. Visualize, plan with the team and execute as team. Always honor your word. Do what you say you're going to do. What is/are your main influences? I have always looked up to my dad and my mom. What leadership skills do you find the most essential?
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These three captains run the ship individually. But if one looks at how L3 Global Ventures Inc. is today, there will never be evidence of an intense power struggle but rather the coming together of three highly brilliant and innovative minds. This admirable image of collaboration and teamwork is the leadership model that Plato's timeless analogy of "Ship of State" aims to develop.
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