Brave new steps

TODAY is Chinese New Year (Year of the Tiger) in 2022 and every new year celebration reminds us of hope for a better life.

The world shares its abundance and vigor, we see round fruits, red envelopes (ang pao), sticky cakes (tikoy) and performances of lion and dragon dances.

It is yet another special occasion to sit down and eat dinner with our families. For the more adventurous, we set our own fireworks and face the new year with a loud roar.

However, for two years now, the Covid-19 pandemic continues to force our celebrations to be more subdued. A warm family gathering would suffice to remind us of hope and good fortune.

Whether we celebrate with a boisterous crowd, or within the confines of our own homes, it serves as a social restart where we let traditions pull us toward forgiveness, gratitude and positivity.

In every new beginning, we consume the bittersweet leftover lessons of the past and churn out our most intricate plans. This insatiable pursuit for a better life is a double-edged sword explained by the known and unpredictable consequences of change.

Despite our highest hopes, the illusion of control can only take us to a certain extent of possibilities. We are constantly tormented by surprises of new elements at play.

Sometimes, uncertainties catch us by disbelief, but we do not give up. We adapt.I have been studying business for about 10 years now and in the process of realizing my most recent findings, I needed to unlearn many things.

Even our ideologies needed to adapt to the changing world, driven by the invincible force of time. Businesses were notorious for profiteering.

However, the multitude of disruptors within a span of a decade radically changed philosophical and operational paradigms. Our global society has learned the greater value of life over materialistic wealth.

As every person is different from the other, the same can be said for organizations as entities. Each one requires a unique treatment. To promote right solutions for today's organizations, one must not only ask "what must be done?" but also "how do I decide on things?" Continuous learning is a commitment to a lifestyle of constantly reflecting on one's way of doing things.

Graduate school education equips us with the humility to recreate personal and theoretical frameworks to acknowledge and incorporate varying perspectives.

The skill of listening and the ability to shift shoes allow us to feel the degrees of push-and-pulls across colors. This way, we paint a more truthful model of the current reality.

However, there is an inherent danger in generalization, especially when unquantifiable lives of real people are at stake.

Every person lives a difficult story and every person deserves respect. Despite the most challenging years of the decade, the irony of sickness and death is that it reminds us of life's meaning and of our strength.

As individuals with influence among our own groups of peoples, we must actively continue to stimulate our global conscience and ignite love and respect for human lives.

It takes an honest resolve to commit to a lifestyle of selflessness to genuinely exemplify to others this noble trait. As we gather for this year's Chinese New Year, let us celebrate life. We move forward by bravely taking new steps along with the certain ticking of time.

Charisse Jollins Z. Ang is a faculty member of De La Salle University-Manila, Ramon V. Rosario-College of Business, Department of Management and Organization. She is taking her PhD in Business and researches on family businesses, creative industries and digital business innovations. The views expressed above are the author's and do not necessarily reflect the official position of De La Salle University and its faculty and administrators.

Source: TheManila Times