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When Servant Becomes Leader: The Corazon C. Aquino Success Story as a Beacon for Business Leaders

Zenon Arthur S. Udani • Caterina F. Lorenzo-Molo

Received: 13 October 2011 / Accepted: 8 August 2012 / Published online: 5 September 2012

� Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2012

Abstract This article makes the case for servant leadership

as a model for business in its analysis of the leadership style of

former Philippine president, Corazon C. Aquino. Premised on

the idea that self-management requires deep spirituality lived

integrally (and sustained by an interior or inner life), we

identify specific traits and virtues of Aquino and their impli-

cations on her leadership and effect on people. The article

begins with an introduction to establish the contribution of

servant leadership on business. It continues with a summary of

key points in servant leadership literature. Then, we analyze

Aquino as a person and leader and find that the former spilled

over to the latter. We conclude by providing a model based on

Aquino’s journey into the role of servant leader; thus, pre-

senting a framework that charts the path toward servant lead-

ership to help businesses address the leadership crisis brought

on by an Enron-WorldCom-Tyco dominated business culture.

Keywords Servant leader � Virtue � Philippines � Corazon Aquino

Introduction

An icon is an enduring symbol. It is one who becomes

the object of great attention and devotion and thus, also

becomes an idol. But how does one receive such a

superlative and herculean status? If rock stars and movie

and TV personalities were to become our benchmark,

then erratic, odd, and uncontrollable behavior either do

not matter or possibly even catapult one to the level of

icon. But this is only because the term ‘‘icon’’ has been

used loosely. The difference between such ‘‘icons’’ and

the kind of ‘‘icon’’ we wish to tackle in this article is

like the difference between popular culture or any cul-

tural product and the classics. It is also similar to the

difference between a celebrity and an artist, a salesman

and an entrepreneur, a manager and a leader, or a

charismatic leader and a servant leader. Management

books cite Mother Teresa as a servant leader par excel-

lence who selflessly sought the well-being of others

(Howell and Costley 2006). Way above all human

exemplars of servant leaders is Jesus Christ who founded

Christianity and lived his life serving mankind and

offering his life for them (Sendjaya and Sarros 2002).

Like the classics, these icons of leadership have stood

the test of time.

In this article, we offer one such icon, who serves a

unique utility to the current state and image of business

leadership today—hounded by scandals, which has frus-

trated its audiences, market, and clients. Business has been

viewed as an Enron-WorldCom-Tyco world suffering from

crises of leadership and ethics (Arjoon 2000). With the

world financial crisis and high profile cases of wrongdoing

fresh in people’s minds, a view that directly connects

ethical leadership to greatness will certainly be appealing

to an Enron-WorldCom-Tyco business world desperate for

a change—but a practical one that will appease business’s

natural hunger for greatness. Business needs a real success

story with a rationale and framework to explain how one

can emulate real success.

Z. A. S. Udani

Faculty of Business Administration, University of Macau,

Avenida Padre Tomas Pereira, Taipa, Macau SAR, China

e-mail: [email protected]

C. F. Lorenzo-Molo (&) School of Communication, University of Asia and the Pacific

(UA&P), Pearl Drive, Ortigas Center, 1605 Pasig City,

Philippines

e-mail: [email protected]

123

J Bus Ethics (2013) 116:373–391

DOI 10.1007/s10551-012-1449-5

Former Philippine president, Corazon (‘‘Cory’’) Co-

juangco Aquino is a unique and atypical example; business

leaders can truly learn from her as she (a plain housewife)

was able to successfully rally people in quite a revolu-

tionary way (through people power) to put an end to a

20-year dictatorship. This called the world’s attention to a

tiny country and its atypical and unusual leader who gave

the world an idea that would normally sound like a

romanticized concept; but it is a real piece of history that

has (as other nations came out with their own versions of

people power) and can serve as a model for generations to

come well beyond the realm of government and politics.

Like the Aquino phenomenon, servant leadership is

unique and useful; and we have chosen it as the rationale

and framework to better understand Aquino’s success.

Klamon (2007, p. 109) declared, ‘‘What renders servant-

leadership distinct from other leadership models yet akin to

social entrepreneurship is the ethical motivation that

inspires individuals to act.’’ Through the idea of servant

leadership and Aquino, we believe business leaders will

have both an ideal and realistic model to encourage them in

the struggle to develop an ethical and successful business

enterprise. Aristotle believed that ‘‘ethics is the art of living

well’’ (Hartman 2007, p. 314) and we think Aquino lived

well enough as a servant leader to be a real model of good

and ethical leadership. Our case is especially relevant to the

area of self management, as Aquino illustrates the crucial

significance of a deep personal spirituality lived integrally

(and sustained by an interior or inner life), which is man-

ifested in virtues such as simplicity, sincerity, and a gen-

uine concern for people. Aquino’s character kept her from

corruption, which has tainted the reputation of politicians

and businessmen in recent years. Lee and Oh (2007)

defined corruption as ‘‘the abuse or misuse of positions or

resources of public officials for private gains usually in the

form of bribery’’ (p. 99). Asian governments have been

known to be corrupt and the Philippine government is no

exception (Lee and Oh 2007). In this study, however, it was

a consensus that Aquino certainly was not. It is a view that

is also popularly held based on anecdotal evidence and

comments of everyday and ordinary people within and

beyond the Philippine archipelago. One of the contentions

of this paper is that Aquino’s character helped her ward off

one of the trappings of power, which in this case is cor-

ruption. Moore and Beadle (2006) opined that courage (one

of Aquino’s virtues) is required to resist the corrupting

power of institutions and its environment. Thus, people

trusted her. Truthfulness (which flows from Aquino’s

integrity and thus, authenticity) enabled trust—a quality,

which Solomon (2004) believed to be that ‘‘‘glue’, the

basic ‘medium’ of a successful business enterprise’’ (p.

1035). Through Aquino, business leaders will be able to

see specific qualities they need and at the same time be

given a rationale to illustrate just how important ethical

leadership is via something very tangible and real—Aqui-

no’s success and elevation to icon.

We are offering something fresh because it presents an

atypical model for business leaders both in terms of theory

(through the concept of servant leadership) and application

(through, once again, another atypical example in the

person of Aquino). An article directly tackling the issue of

ethics premised on a view of leadership that is contrary to

the popular norm and based on an equally unique model,

should spark an interesting discussion that can give birth to

further theories and inspire even more potential case

studies and leadership icons that can give justice to the

concept.

Aquino and Servant Leadership: The Success Story

The success of servant leadership (SL) (as a concept) and

Aquino lies in their testability through time and across

audiences and contexts. A servant leader exists to serve and

lead others through his selfless service (Sendjaya and

Sarros 2002; Hunter 2004; Sipe and Frick 2009). It is a

concept that is thousands of years old, as it has been a

major theme in the Judeo-Christian tradition from the

weeping Joseph embracing his brothers to Jesus washing

the feet of His disciples (Finch 2007); as well as in Islam,

Zen and Taoism (Vanourek in Finch 2007). In the Gospel

of John (Chapter 13), Jesus demonstrated what servant

leadership is by washing the feet of His disciples (Sendjaya

and Sarros 2002)—an act regarded as one of the most

demeaning tasks (Ford in Sendjaya and Sarros 2002),

performed by a host’s servant or the lowest-ranking guest

in ancient Palestine. Sendjaya and Sarros (2002) also traced

SL’s presence in history well outside the realm of reli-

gion—from ancient monarchs, to inaugurations of heads of

state to politicians, who define their role in terms of public

service. Even business, through its marketing arm and the

concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and cus-

tomer-centricity, all forward a kind of leader as servant

concept. Rennaker and Novak (2007, p. 314) opined, ‘‘The

follower orientation of servant-leadership might reflect a

cultural pattern consistent with consumer orientation.’’ But

as Patterson (in Rennaker and Novak 2007, p. 316) indi-

cated, ‘‘social responsibility does not necessarily require a

leader to put the interests of the follower above his or her

own.’’ Certainly, more than any leadership concept, SL has

best stood the test of time, crossed cultures (Judeo-Chris-

tian—Islam-Zen-Taoism), and even disciplines, systems,

and fields (monarchy—modern politics—business).

The same can be said of Aquino. The Revolution she

inspired also became an inspiration for the 1989 revolu-

tions in Eastern Europe, which ended communist

374 Z. A. S. Udani, C. F. Lorenzo-Molo

123

dictatorships. She has stood the test of time as people

continued to call upon her and listen to her whenever

policies and leaders seemed wayward and problematic; and

she too has crossed cultures, disciplines, and ideologies as

she was: (1) a political (as opposed to business) leader; (2)

female; and (3) Asian but Western-educated and known to

have successfully married her Catholic-Christian faith into

a US-inspired democratic form of government, where the

separation of Church and State is vital. In other words, she

did it! She successfully achieved what various scholars,

leaders, and businesses have still been talking, theorizing,

and wondering about; and she did this on three fronts: (1)

on the east meets west (how do you communicate with and

successfully deal with Asia) discussion; (2) on the male

versus female (how do females fit in a male dominated

world) debate; and perhaps, the most significant one of all,

(3) on the utility of ethics in a largely logical empiricist

(quantitative and utilitarian) and secular humanist (less

than spiritual) business world. On all three fronts, man-

agement literature, and business practitioners are all grap-

pling for ideas. Well, here is a very unique and interesting

one.

But there is another piece to complete the rationale for

the Aquino and servant leadership success story, which

makes this tandem especially relevant to the current state

of business and its leaders. Howell and Costley (2006,

p. 392) opined, ‘‘Servant leadership is probably most

effective when followers are discouraged or face a long and

difficult task.’’ Like the plight of business and leadership

today (as a consequence of the 2008 financial crisis and

various corporate scandals), the Philippines and Cory

Aquino faced a long and arduous task in the years prior to

1986, when the country suffered under the reigns of a

dictator. The country was headed by Ferdinand Marcos,

who plunged the nation into a system governed by ‘‘guns,

goons, and gold.’’ But people saw hope in a young senator,

who boldly questioned and critiqued the country’s seem-

ingly unstoppable strongman. At the start of his career,

Benigno (‘‘Ninoy’’) S. Aquino, Jr., wanted nothing more

but to become president. But experiences with the dicta-

torship opened his eyes to the plight of the people, who

were being stripped off their freedom and further plunged

into poverty. Ninoy Aquino rallied and championed the

opposition as a staunch freedom fighter. Eventually, Mar-

cos arrested him and exiled him to the U.S. Upon his return

in 1983, he was assassinated at the airport. Millions mar-

ched at his funeral to grieve and show their disgust for the

dictatorship. From thereon, Cory Aquino was thrust to the

consciousness of the public as the grieving wife of a

murdered political leader, and symbolically perceived as

the rallying symbol for Philippine freedom and democracy.

Cory Aquino became the most viable candidate against

Marcos who was forced to call a snap election in February,

1986 in hopes of reaffirming his questionable legitimacy.

Garbed in her ubiquitous yellow attire, Cory Aquino

became the central figure that changed the course of Phil-

ippine history and gave the world its first symbol of a

revolutionary kind of female leadership in Asia. She was

also only the third woman to be hailed Time magazine’s

‘‘Woman of the Year’’; and in August 1999, she was again

recognized as one of the 20 Most Influential Asians of the

Century.

Similarly, if business leaders get it right, they can be

catapulted to true greatness; and the rationale and example

is right here. In order to understand and learn from this

success story, we have to understand Aquino’s path to

greatness under the lens of key concepts in SL literature. In

order to better understand Aquino, we adopted the quali-

tative research method (Salkind 2006), drawing primary

data from in-depth interviews of 14 persons (see Table 1)

who worked with Corazon (‘‘Cory’’) Aquino. Some

remained close to her well up to the end of her life while

others fell in and out of maintaining close relations with her,

thus, enabling a more realistic and less biased view of her

leadership. Secondary data were also drawn from published

testimonies and tributes to Aquino, both from friends and

‘‘hostile’’ acquaintances, to strengthen the validity of the

research. Semi-structured interview questions were devel-

oped with the aid of general leadership (Yukl 2010), servant

leadership (Greenleaf 2005; Sendjaya and Sarros 2002;

Whetstone 2005; Hamilton and Knoche 2007; Hunter 2004;

Russell and Stone 2002; Sendjaya et al. 2008; Sipe and

Frick 2009), and virtue ethics literature (Havard 2007;

Arjoon 2000; Grint 2007; Hadreas 2002; Hartman 2007;

Dawson and Batholomew 2003; Moore and Beadle 2006).

As validity refers to the extent to which an empirical

measure (in this case, the questionnaire) adequately reflects

the real meaning of a concept under consideration (in this

case, Aquino as a servant leader), the authors married

leadership concepts from literature with manifestations of

such culled from writings on Aquino (Aportadera 2009;

Calica and Macairan 2009; Inquirer 2009; Osorio 2009;

Padua and Macarian 2009; Pamintuan 2009; Philippine Star

2009; Sicam 2009; Time 1987). Questions were designed to

elicit the interviewees’ impressions and opinions about

Aquino’s person and character, leadership style and

behavior, work relationships, and her influence on others.

The respondents were also afforded the opportunity to

discuss issues not addressed by the questions, but relevant

to the research topic. Verbatim interview transcripts were

analyzed, applying both manual and software-aided tech-

niques (NVivo 7) for topic and analytical coding to enhance

the reliability of the study. Coding served to organize the

data according to categories following the pre-set questions.

The categories were further analyzed, compared, regrouped,

and refined to define the core themes and conceptual

When Servant Becomes Leader 375

123

relationships. The findings were then analyzed in light of

theoretical considerations on servant leadership, and con-

clusions and theoretical formulations were drawn.

Virtue: The Quality Needed for Success

In the article, Segmenting the Base of the Pyramid, Rangan

et al. (2011) illustrated the pitfalls of companies’ failure to

link their own financial success with that of their constit-

uencies. They opined, ‘‘If a company embarks on an ini-

tiative that focuses solely on commercial gain, civil society

and governments are likely to oppose it intensely’’ (p. 173).

Similarly, ‘‘projects that fail to make money will eventu-

ally be relegated to companies’ corporate social responsi-

bility departments, as Microsoft discovered.’’ This is a

result of leadership’s lack of good judgment and foresight

as to what the common good really is. A good leader is

relatively more developed in the virtues and has a clear

vision of the common good (Arjoon 2000). Dawson and

Bartholomew (2003, p. 127) stressed that virtues promote

human flourishing and enable people to direct their

behavior toward a goal (Arjoon 2000). Based on Solo-

mon’s (2004) idea that there should be ‘‘no ultimate split or

antagonism between individual self-interest and the greater

public good’’ (p. 1021), one has to think of oneself as a

member of the larger community and strive to excel, to

bring out what is best in oneself and the community; and

from a more pragmatic perspective, business owners and

stakeholders should think, if a leader is not others-centered,

then he must be individualistic and thus, self-serving.

Certainly, business owners would not want their companies

to be steered and led by self-serving individuals. What is

best in people are virtues, which are in turn, defined by the

community. Interestingly, Kodish (2006) discovered, a

renewed interest in virtues happened during the Renais-

sance—the age that saw the blossoming of the human

potential, leading to the soaring of science and technology.

Thus, a pragmatic understanding of the virtues can truly

help create a sound leadership model that can more spe-

cifically illustrate the true value of the servant leader.

Servant-first leaders ‘‘make sure that other people’s highest

priority needs are being served’’ (Greenleaf 2002, p. 27);

and virtues can be those fundamental core competencies,

which Arjoon (2000, p. 169) defined as ‘‘the organizational

strength of the firm that allows it to perform more effi-

ciently and effectively.’’ In a world driven by selfish

interests and desires, the formation of an ethical practice

Table 1 List of Interviewees

Name Position

Dr. Bernardo M. Villegas (‘‘Bernie

Villegas’’)

Appointed by President Cory Aquino as a member of the Constitutional Commission that drafted the

Philippine Constitution in 1986; economic adviser to the government

Mrs. Maria Elena Aquino Cruz

(‘‘Ballsy Cruz’’)

The eldest child of President Cory Aquino; personal secretary of the President

Mr. Rafael Lopa (‘‘Rapa Lopa’’) Nephew of President Cory Aquino; executive assistant of Cory since 1993; Executive Director of the

Benigno S. Aquino, Jr. Foundation

Mrs. Margie Penson Juicio

(‘‘Margie Juico’’)

Appointments Secretary of President Cory Aquino

Mr. Philip Ella Juico (‘‘Philip

Juico’’)

Secretary of Agrarian Reform (DAR) during the term of Philippine President Cory Aquino

Atty. Franklin M. Drilon (‘‘Frank

Drilon’’)

Served President Cory Aquino as Secretary of the Department of Justice, as Executive Secretary, and

lastly as Secretary of the Department of Labor and Employment

Mrs. Teresita Ang See Founding president of Kaisa Para Sa Kaunlaran Inc., an NGO of Chinese Filipinos advocating the

integration ethnic Chinese into Philippine society; crime fighter and journalist

Fr. Catalino Arevalo, SJ Chaplain and friend of President Cory Aquino’s family

Mrs. Deedee Siytangco Spokesperson of President Cory Aquino

Mr. Jose L. Cuisia, Jr. (‘‘Joey

Cuisia’’)

Head of the Social Security System and eventually Head of the Central Bank of the Philippines during the

term of President Cory Aquino

Mr. Teodoro Locsin Jr. (‘‘Teddyboy

Locsin’’)

Presidential spokesperson and speechwriter of President Cory Aquino

Mr. Oscar M. Orbos (‘‘Oca Orbos’’) Appointed by President Cory Aquino as Secretary of the Department of Transportation and

Communications, and then as Executive Secretary

Mr. Vitaliano N. Nanagas II

(‘‘Lanny Nanagas’’)

President of Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation (PDIC) from1988 to 1993

Atty. Fulgencio S. Factoran Jr.

(‘‘Jun Factoran’’)

Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources during the term of Philippine President Cory Aquino

376 Z. A. S. Udani, C. F. Lorenzo-Molo

123

can be less challenging with a servant leader at the helm;

and Aquino is a prime example.

Challenges for Servant Leadership in the Business

World

Greenleaf (2005, p. 27) opined, ‘‘To the worldly, servant

leaders may seem naive.’’ The concept of the narcissistic

leader, one with a larger-than-life-ego (Kodish 2006), has

for so long, dominated human thinking (Maccoby in Ko-

dish 2006). Sendjaya and Sarros (2002) recognized the

tendency among leadership scholars to present leaders as

larger-than-life and Herculean. What captures the public’s

attention is a charismatic leader’s propensity for high

drama (Hamilton and Knoche 2007). In a world that is

increasingly becoming more image-oriented (Kodish 2006)

it is understandable how the quiet leader (plow horse)

passes unnoticed, while the charismatic leader (show

horse) can easily attract a cult-like following.

But the narcissistic leader ‘‘cannot stand the tests of

reality and sound business practices’’ (Kodish 2006,

p. 451). Moreover, in Jim Collins’ best-selling book enti-

tled, Good to Great (2001), this seeming oxymoron is part

of the essential characteristic of great leaders, who were

found to possess what Kodish (2006, p. 451) identified as

‘‘a paradoxical combination of traits’’—‘‘ferocious resolve

and fearlessness and stoicism on one hand and unpreten-

tiousness, modesty, shyness, and humility’’ (p. 453). Col-

lins (in Hamilton and Knoche 2007) found CEOs in the

study to be quiet, of dogged nature, awkward, modest, and

shy. Thus, there is value in considering that just maybe,

‘‘the heroic leader is a singularly inappropriate role model

in many circumstances’’ (Grint 2007, p. 233). This is where

we might consider the simple yet novel insight provided by

the dictum of ‘‘doing ordinary things, extraordinarily

well.’’ Greenleaf (1977), the founder of the concept

‘‘constructed the notion of servant leadership not by

studying some top-notch corporate leaders or other high

profile individuals, but through his reading of Herman

Hesse’s story about a pilgrimage, Journey to the East’’

(Sendjaya and Sarros 2002, p. 58), where the character of

servant, was essential to all other characters, needing his

guidance and leadership throughout.

Similar to SL is the concept of the transformational

leader (see Burns 1978). While both are said to be people-

oriented (Patterson et al. 2003), transformational leaders

are concerned with getting followers to support organiza-

tional objectives for the sake of the organization. This is

similar to the US marine code of ‘‘Mission first, then team,

then self’’ (in Useem 2010, p, 89), which Wharton has

incorporated into their MBA and executive MBA pro-

grams. Useem (2010, p. 88) opined, ‘‘The organization

should be put first in business, whatever the individual

calculus, and it is important for leaders to repeatedly affirm

that.’’ Thus, students are taught, ‘‘The ability to make fast

and effective decisions that draw quickly upon the insights

of all those on the front lines is among the defining qual-

ities of combat-ready leadership’’ (p. 89). While the stu-

dent’s ingenuity is given primacy, it is only honed in order

for him to learn how to convey strategic intent to align

people across an organization to reach a common goal. But

the fact that leadership is viewed as something that has to

be ‘‘combat-ready’’ might explain why ‘‘leaders find it

tough to ensure that their people adhere to values and

ethics’’ (Nonaka and Takeuchi 2011, p. 59). Given the

often scandalous behavior of leaders and business, there is

reason to believe ‘‘There’s something wrong with the way

B-schools, companies, and leaders are developing manag-

ers.’’ Thus, Nonaka and Takeuchi declared, ‘‘The ability to

lead wisely has nearly vanished.’’

Servant leaders focus on the people who constitute the

organization. One might, however, ask to what extent does

the servant leader’s impetus to serve others (while feeling

no affinity for an organization) impede an organization’s

economic flourishing? Rennaker and Novak (2007, p. 305)

echoed the ‘‘concern regarding the utility of servant-lead-

ership for influencing organizational level measures such

as productivity or efficiency.’’ Stone, et al. (in Rennaker

and Novak 2007) ‘‘further complicated the issue of utility

by claiming that servant-leaders focus more on follower

needs than organizational objectives.’’ This is thus viewed

as problematic because Useem (2010, p. 89) wrote, ‘‘What

is good for the individual manager is not necessarily good

for the company.’’

The expert in Aristotelian business ethics, however, will

disagree. Solomon (2004) wrote, there should be ‘‘no

ultimate split or antagonism between individual self-

interest and the greater public good’’ (p. 1021). Similarly,

there should be no split between what is good for the

individual manager and the company. For Vinnet Nayar,

CEO of an IT services giant in India, employees come first

and customers second (Cappelli et al. 2010). From an

interview of senior executives at 98 of the largest India-

based companies, Cappelli et al. found that none of them

suggested that their company’s success was due to their

cleverness at strategy or skill in financial markets, mergers,

or acquisitions. Their success was in their people—through

their investment in people development and engagement

with employees. In Japan, managers and business leaders

recognize the unity between business and society as Japa-

nese companies ‘‘live in harmony with society, have a

social purpose in earning profits, pursue the common good

as a way of life, have a moral purpose in running a busi-

ness’’ (Nonaka and Takeuchi 2011, p. 61). Thus, the

authors proposed a new communitarian approach to

When Servant Becomes Leader 377

123

capitalism with leaders imbuing a social purpose in their

activities. We believe, however, that leaders should also

take caution when imbuing business activities with a social

purpose and higher meaning—that it not border on nar-

cissism or a missionary zeal in the tradition of the occult,

that might just, once again, frame business and its leaders

as gigantic juggernauts fulfilling a mission along similar

lines as the White Man’s Burden (a poem that alludes to

Western hegemony of ‘‘less developed’’ people).

The narcissistic and charismatic leader can perhaps be

traced to the idea of man-centeredness and secularism,

which flourished during the Enlightenment (Kodish 2006).

The occupation with the absence of empirical studies in SL

can also be attributed to the intellectual framework intro-

duced by the age, which framed itself as a revolution in

thinking and paved the way for human progress. Kodish

(2006, p. 458) referred to this as the ‘‘dogmatic adherence

to Newtonian and Cartesian principles and an insistence on

cold and lifeless objectivity without taking humanity into

consideration.’’ Trepidation and unease with the servant

leader’s impetus to serve others (while feeling no affinity

for an organization) and impeding an organization’s eco-

nomic flourishing, is part of the consequence of the bottom

line being money, as opposed to loftier human pursuits.

Hadreas (2002, p. 372) wrote, ‘‘The quasi-political activi-

ties of the modern corporation are not sufficient to

engender ‘living well,’ in the sense of human flourishing.’’

Another issue hounding the SL concept is the call for

substantial empirical research (Bass in Sendjaya and Sarros

2002) and the attribution of the slow movement of SL

scholarship to the absence of such studies. It is, however,

ironic how a concept with a ‘‘profound philosophical

foundation’’ (Bass in Sendjaya and Sarros 2002, p. 57),

which ‘‘provides avenues for its theoretical development,’’

failed to immediately capture scholarship and practice.

Nonaka and Takeuchi (2011, p. 60) provided an

explanation:

Managers tend to rely on explicit knowledge, because

it can be codified, measured, and generalized…The scientific, deductive, theory-first approach assumes a

world independent of context and seeks answers that

are universal and predictive. However, all social

phenomena—including business—are context

dependent.

Rennaker and Novak (2007, p. 306) opined, ‘‘There is

cause for research exploring the contextual factors related

to servant-leadership’s existence and effectiveness for

organizations’’; because ‘‘leadership in an organization

might focus on individualistic wants in a manner that is not

consistent with the altruism and empowerment associated

with servant-leadership’’ (Rennaker and Novak 2007,

p. 318). Perhaps studies on the context ripe for a servant

leader can be one of the answers to the void left by the

absence of empirical studies to prove SL effective and real.

But for servant leadership to continue to demonstrate

‘‘staying power’’ a database of success stories must be built

(Rennaker and Novak 2007); and Aquino is one such

success story.

Manifestations of Aquino’s Good Leadership

Greenleaf (2003, p.33) declared, the servant leader ‘‘is more

likely to emerge in practice in those segments of society

where the concern is most intensely felt for justice (rather

than order), for the performance (rather than the form) of

our institutions, and for the appropriateness (rather than the

result) of power and authority.’’ Cory Aquino’s rise to

power was a product of disgust for a dictatorship mired in

dirty politics and abuses to human dignity and freedom. She

was forced to assume the challenge of the presidency out of

her genuine desire to effect meaningful change. Thus,

people rallied toward her and an unimaginable miracle

happened. In Aquino, the vision of the narcissistic and

charismatic leader and the traditional context for choosing a

leader based on order, form, and result all broke down. Her

success and rise to power was a combination of context and

virtue—the context that the dictatorship had inflicted ter-

rible abuses to human freedom and dignity; and the essence

of true leadership laden with virtue.

The philosophical foundation for Aquino’s success as a

servant leader is anchored on SL literature, which identifies

the following core virtues—integrity, spirituality, exem-

plary character, humility and simplicity, authenticity,

courage, people-centeredness, and being genteel or ‘‘grace

under pressure.’’ Our study confirms that Aquino lived

these virtues and thus, qualifies her as a model of SL. At

the same time, the study invokes Aristotle who believed

that ‘‘societies are practically best managed by adopting

ameliorative measures that fit the prevailing regime’’

(Bragues 2007, p. 380); and in the Philippine experience

with a servant leader, these virtues were crucial.

Integrity

Across cultures, industries, and leadership theories, integ-

rity is high on the list. Morrison (in Knights and O’Leary

2006) argued that it is the foundation of character and

without it, leaders will never generate trust. Bass and

Steidlmeier (1999) declared that to be truly transforma-

tional, leadership must be morally grounded; thus, authen-

ticity flows and a real transformation of the other begins.

Sendjaya et al. (2008) stressed, ‘‘the authenticity of servant

leaders significantly shapes and affects their relationships to

others’’ (p. 407). Aquino’s authenticity flows from her

378 Z. A. S. Udani, C. F. Lorenzo-Molo

123

integrity. She was often true to her word and led by

example; thus, it was not difficult for people to believe that

she was in fact, authentic in the real sense of the word.

The authors, however, would like to explain that the use

of the word ‘‘authentic’’ is not exclusive. Authenticity is

found in other leadership styles; but it is not portrayed as

the core focus. For instance, transformational leadership is

authentic (see Bass and Steidlmeier 1999) and needs to be

authentic (Evers-Williams 2007); while it is not labeled as

such, it is implied. Whether other views of self and lead-

ership are authentic or not, is of course a matter for debate

and more research; but in our universe, which places eth-

ical integrity and moral culture right at the center (Thoms

2008), then at the very least, other modes that exclude these

indicators should bring to question the authenticity of other

leadership views and models. In fact, Kodish (2006)

revealed the paradox of leadership steeped in narcissism,

which also implies the significance of ethical integrity and

moral culture for leadership to be authentic. But certainly,

this can be a matter for debate especially for those coming

from a very different leadership mode.

With Aquino, serving government became a distinct

honor because she set as the standard in public service the

virtues of honesty and moral integrity (Aportadera 2009).

After stepping down from office, Aquino did not have any

corruption case filed against her. Teddyboy Locsin

explained, ‘‘she was very particular about separating her

personal money with the office’’ and that ‘‘in her drawer

she had two stacks—food eaten by children, she’d get from

her personal money; food eaten by her, that’s charged to

Malacañang’’ (the office of the President). Quezon City

Mayor Feliciano Belmonte Jr. confirmed this: ‘‘She never

asked for favors for herself or her family’’ (Calica and

Macairan 2009) and that ‘‘she made a difference between

the people’s money and her own.’’ Father Arevalo added

that according to the head of Philippine Airlines’ (PAL)

security, Aquino ‘‘was absolutely scrupulous about gaso-

line.’’ He added, ‘‘Whenever it was for her own personal

trips, not as president, she would pay for that, she would go

by ordinary PAL.’’ Neither did she seek reelection. Margie

Juico opined, ‘‘she preserved the integrity of the Presi-

dency’’ and never once asked Juico ‘‘to call or check with

the Supreme Court justices, the Bureau of Internal Revenue

(BIR) or any other agency’’ to try to influence policy for

the sake of personal interests. Oscar Orbos confessed that

when he was Executive Secretary, she never gave special

instructions to favor anyone or to bend the rules to

accommodate certain business interests. Teresita Ang See

affirmed, ‘‘She did not exempt herself from the rules.’’ For

instance, Philip Juico revealed that the Comprehensive

Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) did not exempt Haci-

enda Luisita, a big parcel of land that belonged to the

Cojuangco family. In fact, Aquino forbade any of her

relatives from retaking any family business lost during the

Marcos years or from starting any new businesses during

her term as president. Juico stressed how Aquino disliked

the display of power, arrogance, and being special. Former

finance secretary and businessman Ramon del Rosario

declared, Cory Aquino ‘‘made many Filipinos proud

because of her honesty, integrity, and transparency’’

(Calica and Macairan 2009). As proof of the value of

ethical leadership, according to the Makati Business Club

(MBC), the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry

(PCCI) and the Federation of Philippine Industries (FPI),

business confidence improved when Aquino became pres-

ident in 1986 (Osorio 2009). Havard (2007, p. 7) added,

‘‘Long after she ceased to be President, Filipinos still

looked up to her.’’

Spirituality

Sendjaya and Sarros (2002) discovered several SL authors’

arguments for spirituality and humility as the motivational

base for servant leaders. Spirituality has become an area of

interest and focus for business and organizations in general.

As ‘‘work has taken an ever more prominent and time-

consuming place’’ (Kolodinsky et al. 2007, p. 465) in our

lives the human and more personal aspect of workers has

taken a more conspicuous dimension in the workplace.

Aquino’s spirituality is uniquely significant to a virtue

ethics based study on leadership since ‘‘a spirituality that

enables a person to develop good moral habits (or virtue) is

appropriate for the workplace’’ (Cavanagh and Bandsuch

2002, p. 109). Moreover, it is significant to point out that

human beings are most authentically human when

stretching toward fostering a relationship with God and

others (Finch, 2007). Stemming from common sense and

practice, this paper defines spirituality as a state of being

inclined to going beyond the obvious physical reality as a

consequence of being drawn toward the divine, which,

itself, is a consequence of virtue. This is consistent with

workplace spirituality scholars Gotsis and Kortezi (2007),

who defined their field as ‘‘an experience of transcendence,

interconnectedness, personal completeness and joy’’ (p.

579). Aquino saw her faith and the presidency as com-

patible dimensions of life. Her faith in the divine is well

known. Margie Juico recalled that she often used to say, ‘‘I

pray with all my heart, I work with all my might.’’

According to Deedee Siytangco, she was guided with her

personal dictum, ‘‘I’ll do my best and God will do the

rest.’’ Rapa Lopa recalled, ‘‘She kept on telling us, you’ll

have to make people realize that if you begin to trust God

and center your life in God, nothing else matters.’’ Her

conviction in the divine is apparent in the fact that

according to her daughter, Ballsy, she felt sorry for those

who did not believe. Perhaps, this is what enabled her to

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123

become, what Jun Factoran referred to as, ‘‘physically and

morally brave.’’ Like all other virtues, her supernatural

outlook remained with her throughout her presidency and

well beyond; and like all other virtues it took time and

effort to acquire. Her daughter Ballsy narrated how her

parents came to build such a deep relationship with God:

‘‘It was during martial law when she and Dad became

spiritual…Before that he was just so one-track minded on becoming President.’’ It was then when he realized that his

suffering during martial law was but a small test. Ninoy’s

daughter shared, ‘‘He became so dependent on God’’ and

that ‘‘those times were difficult for Mom, but that was what

gave her strength.’’ Her unflinching faith in God tremen-

dously helped her in carrying the burdens of public office

and put the welfare of her countrymen before her own.

Exemplary Character

An exemplary character is central to SL as well as virtue

ethics. Bragues (2007) argued ‘‘that social groupings, such

as corporations, work best when led by individuals of good

character’’ (p. 373). An illustration of Aquino’s exemplary

character can certainly provide a model for this type of

leadership.

Nonaka and Takeuchi (2011, p. 63) opined, ‘‘Wise

leaders quickly sense what lies behind a situation, project a

vision of the future or the consequences, and decide on the

action needed to realize that vision…intuitively fathom the nature and meaning of people, things, and events.’’ Aqui-

no’s spiritual director, Father Arevalo declared, Aquino

‘‘was a woman of great personal character’’ with a ‘‘gen-

uine love for the Filipino people,’’ which he believes, is

what won the honor and affection of the people. She had

what many Christian Catholics refer to as unity of life—

living with Christ and in Christ, at each and every moment

of one’s existence with family, friends, co-workers, and

acquaintances. Cory Aquino was a God-fearing individual

with a strict Catholic formation, which had a lasting

influence on her personal beliefs and presidency; and this

enabled her to be prudent. This is an important quality for

all individuals but most especially for leaders. Nonaka and

Takeuchi (2011) wrote about the significance of phronesis

or practical wisdom, which they opined, ‘‘enables manag-

ers to determine what is good in specific times and situa-

tions and to undertake the best actions at those times to

serve the common good’’ (p. 61) because ‘‘Practical wis-

dom is tacit knowledge acquired from experience that

enables people to make prudent judgments and take actions

based on the actual situation, guided by values and morals’’

(p. 60). When leaders are able to cultivate such knowledge,

they are able to make enlightened decisions. Aquino’s

prudence might have just saved the country from further

chaos. Teddyboy Locsin recounted, during the 1989 coup,

when the Americans came to assist and Fidel Ramos gave

them the targets to hit, Cory refused to hit any target

because she was afraid that it could start a civil war.

Aquino was prudent enough not to act rashly and consid-

ered the consequence of choosing the more violent alter-

native. Had she opted to hit those targets, a civil war might

have ensured and the peaceful revolution that the country

had popularized might have lost its appeal.

Humility and Simplicity

This paper illustrates the connection between Aquino’s

spirituality and her virtues—particularly the combination of

humility and simplicity, for which she was widely known.

These are qualities that have been explicated in bestselling

author, Jim Collins’ (2001) the ‘‘Level Five Leader’’ as well

as leadership scholar Joseph Badaracco (2003) in his con-

cept of the ‘‘quiet leader.’’ While Herculean concepts of

leadership are the opposite of the very essence of the servant

leader, ironically, Aquino provides a Herculean case to

serve as a model. Her case might perhaps, prove attractive

to a corporate world that is enthralled by revolutionary and

over-the-top cases and concepts. But Aquino’s humility and

simplicity were authentic, which, once again, ironically led

her to become a larger-than-life figure.

Aquino was both intelligent and humble. Joey Cuisia

recalled how she was transparent and honest about not

understanding complex issues such as fiscal and monetary

policy. Philip Juico explained ‘‘when she talks to me, she

refers to me as ho’’ (a term used to refer to someone with

great respect in the local dialect). Margie Juico confessed

that sometimes she ‘‘thinks lowly of herself.’’ For instance,

while crossing the street, Aquino would say ‘‘Let’s be

careful and go slowly…we might be run over.’’ Juico would say to herself, ‘‘People would surely not try to run you

over.’’ Juico added: ‘‘Or one time, she says, ‘How good they

are because they still remember me.’’’ Juico would reply, ‘‘I

suppose so; you’re a former President.’’ Teddyboy Locsin

confessed that as a young lawyer-journalist and son of the

owner of what was then, a very powerful newspaper, he was

quite arrogant. He revealed that Aquino helped him realize

that one’s position did not matter as much as what one really

did. He recalled having to write the president’s speech about

firing certain members of her cabinet, including himself. It

was with Aquino that he learned to set aside his pride; and

he remained loyal even if she did fire him thrice. Aquino’s

daughter, Ballsy also shared a story that reveals the depth of

her mother’s humility—in a wedding they attended during

martial law, nobody wanted to sit with them at the reception

and were thus seated with the nannies of the flower girls.

But they sat there and endured it. Moreover, also during

martial law, they were humiliated with all those body

searches, when visiting Ninoy in prison.

380 Z. A. S. Udani, C. F. Lorenzo-Molo

123

While she was confident, she exhibited humility not akin

to those in power; it was clear to many that her role as

leader was simply a task and responsibility that she had to

do; and being in power was not something she necessarily

enjoyed. Rapa Lopa recalled how his aunt even scolded

him for asking people to prepare messages for her, which

he would place in a binder for her 75th birthday. Ballsy

Aquino-Cruz declared, she did not like to call attention to

herself. Margie Juico recalled a trip to a province for a

function as president, when people offered her a fancy

chair; but she refused and opted to sit on a sack of rice like

everybody else. She was not power-hungry. She did not

even run for reelection, in spite of the various voices

egging her to do so. She was definitely not a ‘‘primadonna’’

as Margie Juico admitted. She recalled, while in

Malacañang, ‘‘she never ordered me to do anything’’ and

‘‘what she will do is she will get up and do it herself.’’

Another aspect of her great humility was, according to

Bernie Villegas, the fact that she ‘‘accepted her limita-

tions.’’ Teresita Ang See concurred, ‘‘when there is

something she doesn’t understand, she is humble to admit.’’

Oscar Orbos added that there are the so-called experts who

like to carry their weight around; but she was president,

and he could disagree with her and discuss things honestly

and intelligently. A less obvious example of her humility is

the fact that she mustered the courage to act as com-

mander-in-chief of an armed forces that may have also

murdered her husband and took part in the humiliating

body searches and procedures she and her children had to

undergo when visiting Ninoy Aquino in jail during the

Marcos years. She could be counted on to set aside her

emotions to make difficult and painful decisions. One

should consider why she allowed the Marcoses to return to

the country. Frank Drilon confessed that he advised her to

allow them to return based on the rationale that they have

the right of abode as citizens of the Philippines; and on that

basis she made her decision.

In consonance with this was her unprecedented level of

simplicity. She truly led an ordinary life. Philip Juico

recalled that some months after the death of her husband,

he saw her at the supermarket doing the groceries for the

family. Her virtues were real even when the cameras were

off and the public stopped looking. Teresita Ang-See

pointed out to the fact that she opted to live in Arlegui, a

fairly middle to upper middle-class residence, as opposed

to Malacañang (the presidential palace). In fact, her very

choice of home (Times Street) even before the presidency

is another indicator of her humble and simple leanings.

Given her family background and social status, she could

have opted to live in one of the city’s more extravagant

residential areas. The same goes for her manner of dress-

ing, which both Locsin and Orbos recognized as simple—

sometimes too simple, even for someone not of her stature.

She often had to attend events where she was the focus of

attention (i.e., when she addressed the US Joint Houses of

Congress) and yet she chose to wear what many might

consider plain (a decision she made to the detriment of her

public relations advisers).

Authenticity

Cory Aquino’s numerous international awards recognize

her as an icon of democracy. But the effect of this could not

have been sustained had the leader been but an empty

source of inspiration. Aquino’s public and private face

were one and the same. Her sincerity and integrity were not

products of public relations or propaganda. Aquino’s image

was not just an image but a real reflection of the person

within. Father Arevalo explained that this is the rationale

for the so-called ‘‘Cory Magic’’ and why ‘‘people stood by

her and she was able to remain.’’ Oca Orbos recalled that

when he was Executive Secretary, as long as an order came

from Aquino, he never doubted the integrity of a task.

Bernie Villegas agreed that in spite some of her other

limitations (i.e., her economics, failure to sometimes

choose the right members to join her team), Aquino was

sincere. Roxas (2010) opined, ‘‘She wasn’t just this larger-

than-life symbol on a poster.’’ Her strength of character

helped her to ward off what Orbos referred to as an office,

which is ‘‘a landmine for royal treatment and corruption.’’

Courage

At an international conference on servant leadership,

Evers-Williams (2007) described courage as ‘‘believing in

something strongly enough where you will not turn back

regardless of the circumstances’’ (p. 101). Moreover, she

differentiated the servant leader by identifying a crucial

characteristic, which SL literature already confirms—that

the SL is a reluctant leader as he does not set out to do or to

become a leader. Like Aquino, potential servant leaders are

thrust into trying circumstances that require much courage

to face and take on; and when they do, it rocks their world

and that of others (but almost entirely for the benefit of the

latter). In the case of Aquino, her world was truly rocked.

She took on a feared dictator who exiled and imprisoned

her husband; and yet, she mustered the courage to take him

on. She survived numerous coup attempts and as Locsin

declared, did not seem to exhibit any fear even if at times,

it seemed that they were on the losing end. In spite of the

separation of Church and State the country inherited from

its American colonizers, Aquino was not afraid to allow her

faith to play a big role in her leadership style.

But she of course, had her critics. Many will view

decisions such as allowing the Marcoses to return a sign of

When Servant Becomes Leader 381

123

weakness and perhaps wavering principles. But based on

her track record of solid integrity, this is hardly the case.

While the value of the decision may be questioned, the

principle by which she made the decision was a result of

courage and humility. A president who survives seven coup

attempts and manages to keep democracy alive despite

repeated armed challenges can hardly be described as weak

(Pamintuan 2009). Margie Juico explained, ‘‘She acts that

way because she has been through a lot—she’s seen her

husband suffer and die, they were ostracized, vilified and

her husband pilloried by media.’’ Juico added: ‘‘She’s seen

the other side of the political spectrum—that of being in

the opposition as opposed the Administration.’’ While

strong leaders may often be misunderstood, there is a kind

of strength that is appreciated and even revered. Perhaps, it

helped that she exuded other qualities and characteristics

that earned the love and respect of people.

People-Centeredness

People-centeredness is one of the hallmarks of SL, par-

ticularly focused on the transformation of followers. But it

is a unique and truly selfless brand of transformation, since

the goal is to help the follower grow freer and wiser and

eventually become servant leaders themselves. There is a

real impetus to help other human beings become better

human beings. It is a concept similar to Jacques Maritain’s

personalism, which emphasizes the uniqueness of the per-

son in tandem with the relational and communitarian

dimension of the human being (Whetstone in Acevedo

2012). Acevedo (2012) recognized this connection as he

confirmed the similarity between personalism and the ser-

vant leader’s transforming vision, guided by the commit-

ment to honoring the dignity and freedom of followers in

their effort to participate in a community. In addition,

Aquino’s brand of ‘‘people-centeredness’’ was drenched in

love, ‘‘which is the virtue that promotes the other virtues

and puts order and unity among them’’ (Argadoña 2011,

p. 80).

Cappelli (2010, p. 95) found that in India, ‘‘leaders go to

considerable lengths to empower employees’’ and that ‘‘the

best Indian companies have a social mission and a sense of

national purpose because that helps employees find

meaning in their work’’ (p. 94). Aquino’s management

strategy recognized the value of people; and this was

manifested in her strategy of consultation and people-

centered approach to running the country and dealing with

challenges and issues. Philip Juico opined that while

‘‘inefficient at times,’’ she truly believed that democracy

was the best system ‘‘because it respects the dignity of the

human person’’ and helps to empower people. Consistent

with her goal of bringing back democracy, she believed in

allowing the people whom she chose and trusted to give

sound advice. Joey Cuisia and Margie Juico admitted that

she did not interfere in their decision-making and simply

expected them to do their job. In fact, Orbos declared that

he could critique her opinions and decisions openly. A

more formal version of this is practiced in Japan where

companies create opportunities for senior executives and

employees to learn from each other (see Nonaka and

Takeuchi 2011). A ba (place, space, or field) is created

where employees (which includes upper management) can

share information and build relationships. In one particular

company, employees are even asked to review their pres-

ident’s business practices in a kurumaza (sitting in a circle).

Aquino’s people-centeredness was apparent in both her

role as president and friend. As a leader, Aquino attempted

to bring opposing groups together and surrounded herself

with what people referred to as a ‘‘rainbow coalition.’’ She

tried to find a place for everyone in her government,

whether Marxist, communist, rightist, or centrist. Bernie

Villegas, however, explained that as a result, ‘‘there were

members of her team who could not get along and some of

her decisions were flawed.’’ Joey Cuisia recalled Aquino

saying you can never please everyone and that she was not

a politician. Cuisia suspected that this may also have

worked against her because some of those politicians made

it difficult for her bills to get passed in Congress because

she was not willing to compromise. But Drilon revealed

that while she trusted and allowed her people to discuss and

settle disputes that involved policy, ‘‘if it involved the

integrity of the official,’’ she would not tolerate it. When a

compromise between conflicting parties could not be set-

tled, she would make the tough decision to let them go, as

the case was with her first Executive Secretary (Joker

Arroyo) and Finance Minister (Jimmy Ongpin), who could

not get along. Margie Juico explained that Aquino was very

much in control, following one of her personal dictums,

‘‘You do your consulting but in the end you make your

decision and you’ll be accountable and responsible for the

decision you make.’’

On a more personal note, some married couples men-

tioned how Cory’s advice helped save their marriage.

Lanny Nanagas revealed her thoughtfulness, recalling how

Aquino would regularly call him on his birthday. Margie

Juico specifically remembered how the late president was

present at her father’s wake daily. Deedee Siytangco

recalled how attentive she was to people’s problems. Joey

Cuisia opined, ‘‘She would even think of the welfare of her

driver, her security people.’’ Locsin recalled, ‘‘She made

sure that all her guards ate.’’ In the words of her daughter

Ballsy, because she was ‘‘loved and not feared,’’ people

followed her. Even in death, Ballsy recalled that her self-

lessness and others-centeredness came pouring out. After

the doctor had told her chemotherapy was no longer

working, she mustered the courage to tell her mother who

382 Z. A. S. Udani, C. F. Lorenzo-Molo

123

responded, ‘‘I was ready to go the first time I found out…I was only thinking of you; you might not be ready yet.’’ In

fact, just before she passed away, Margie Juico recalled

how Aquino’s main concern was how one of her grandsons

would get a job, his girlfriend, and what he would give her

for Valentine’s. It was selflessness coupled with simplicity.

Aquino knew how to take good care of people and

remained very loyal to them. She was able to play the part

of mother to those who were not even her children. This

was particularly evident among the male interviewees. She

was also able to accomplish what most parents struggle

hard to attain—that of being a friend and mother to your

children. To most of the female interviewees, she was

revered as a dear and exceptional friend, who took good

care of them. Jun Factoran opined her relationship with

God is probably what enabled her to become others-cen-

tered; and Aquino’s commitment to the common good,

others-centeredness, and selflessness inspired people to do

the same because they saw it in her.

Genteel Leader: Grace Under Pressure

Cameron (2011) opined that responsible leadership or the

ability and inclination to act in an appropriate fashion is an

attribute that makes certain types of leadership rare. This

concept is consistent with Aristotle who believed that

people of good character perceive a situation rightly

(Hartman 2007) and that Aquino was genteel or grace

under pressure adds to her appeal as a model for SL or any

type of good leadership; because she successfully put into

practice the inclination to act in an appropriate fashion—to

act virtuously. This did not only help her succeed as a

leader but it also helped endear her to her countrymen and

to the world at large.

Aquino was not the kind of person who would lose her

temper or blow her top (Lanny Nanagas). Cuisia admitted,

‘‘if she was angry, she would keep it to herself.’’ She was

always poised and polite, even when faced with adversity

and personal criticism. She was secure and confident that

even when she addressed the Joint Houses of Congress in

the US, she was not concerned with her appearance,

knowing that the entire globe would be watching. Perhaps,

Cory Aquino had this great confidence because she was

honest and maintained her integrity. But while she was

polite, she found it difficult to forget betrayal. After Fidel

Ramos assumed the presidency, negative rumors attempt-

ing to taint Aquino’s integrity began to spread, which many

believed to have been propagated by Ramos. Locsin nar-

rated that during her late husband’s death anniversary, she

made it a point to invite the president (Ramos) and in her

speech, she said, ‘‘Some people think that I’m asking

favors from this man.’’ Locsin recalled how uncomfortable

Ramos looked; but what surprised Locsin more was how

Aquino was able to remain calm and polite for many

months before she spoke about her misgivings against

Ramos. Like most people, she too had certain limits on

what she would be silent about. For instance, she filed a

libel case against a popular journalist, Louie Beltran, who

alleged that she hid under her bed during one of the coups

mounted by rebel troops. Margie Juico explained that she

felt that it undermined her leadership. Her daughter Ballsy

added that she was worried what the military would think,

putting their lives on the line, while their leader hides out

of fear.

Cory Aquino’s genteel character blended with her

firmness and determination to pursue the common good.

She needed this to rein in the diverse characters and talents

in her cabinet. Frank Drilon declared, ‘‘she got conflicting

advice’’; but Aquino trusted people enough to uphold her

strategy of consultation. Deedee Siytangco explained,

‘‘They all thought she was a housewife…She fired people close to her.’’

After one of the numerous coups that plagued her

administration, she fired Juan Ponce-Enrile, one of the

famed leaders of the 1986 Revolution, who was also sus-

pected of supporting rebel troops that mounted the coup.

While she was indeed, initially a housewife, the image that

a housewife brings may have masked that part of her

character that exhibited strength, firmness, and courage.

Locsin revealed that she did not think power made her

great or that the office gave her dignity. The office gave her

responsibility but she was giving dignity to an office that

needed it. Thus, Locsin declared, she was ‘‘grace under

pressure.’’

Democracy was the Aquino cause and symbol, which

she successfully forwarded through her integrity, spiritu-

ality, exemplary character, humility, simplicity, and cour-

age. As a result, she was authentic, people-centered, and

genteel (with ‘‘grace under pressure’’)—characteristics of a

true servant leader. This enabled her to stand out from

other leaders (without intending to do so, as in the case of

the narcissistic leader) and touched the lives of many,

ironically catapulting her to iconic and larger-than-life

leadership that the narcissistic leader consciously strives to

achieve.

The Path Toward Servant Leadership

Thus, one should ask, how did Aquino do it? How did an

inexperienced politician, Western-educated woman suc-

ceed in becoming such a larger-than-life symbol not just to

the Philippines but to the world? She was a simple woman

(with no ambition) who ended her law studies to get

married, have children, and raise a family. While she was

Asian, she was Western in many ways, having studied in

When Servant Becomes Leader 383

123

the Ravenhill Academy in Philadelphia, the Notre Dame

Convent School in New York, and the College of Mount

Saint Vincent in New York, where she obtained her degree

in Bachelor of Arts major in French Language and minor in

Mathematics. As evidenced by her major, her exposure to

Western culture and thought was immense. Moreover, she

lived in the US for many years even after her studies,

raising a family, and experiencing the Western life. As

president, she was known to often deliver speeches in

English; and unlike the former dictator’s wife, the only

other visible symbol of female leadership in the country at

that time, who was also known to celebrate traditional

Filipino style, Aquino wore suits and sported a hairstyle in

Western fashion. Her Press Secretary, Locsin, declared, ‘‘I

wrapped her in the American flag.’’ Thus, in many ways,

she was an honorary Westerner. So how did this honorary

Westerner (and a woman, at that) successfully connect with

the people—and not just in a superficial way but in a way

almost equal to the effects of literature becoming a classic?

While Aquino did not prepare for the presidency, she

did not have to and merely had to trust those virtues, which

she already had to call and move people to action. Moore

and Beadle (2006, p. 372) opined that virtues ‘‘are enduring

character traits (as, of course, are vices), not practice-spe-

cific.’’ Gino and Pisano (2011) recognized that theories are

often rooted in science or decades of practical experience

but that in many cases, they are informal. Aquino had

practical wisdom (phronesis), which she acquired through

experience; but experience in the way of virtue (through

her life as wife of an ambitious, popular and later slain

leader and mother of five), which enabled her to become a

virtuous leader and thus, a servant leader. Her success also

illustrates how these enduring character traits, which are

not practice-specific are also not culture-specific. Her

practical wisdom is similar to two other Asian concepts

discussed by Nonaka and Takeuchi (2011): (1) the Japa-

nese concept of toku—‘‘a virtue that leads a person to

pursue the common good and moral excellence as a way of

life’’ (p. 60); and (2) yukta—‘‘just right’’ or ‘‘appropriate,’’

where executives believe that the purpose of a business is

to serve people and enhance society’s well-being, shying

away from excess and greed. Excess and greed have been

traditional Western qualities (from the Age of Discovery

and Imperialism to the Darwinian struggle for survival

incorporated into capitalism). They too have come to

characterize much of current business. Through Aquino,

we can better see the universality of virtue, because this is

what enabled people to see beyond the suit, Western

haircut, English language, and American background of the

former leader. Beyond the characteristics of Aquino’s

leadership dimension, was her very person and character,

which allowed her to naturally subordinate herself to oth-

ers, as evidenced by her numerous acts of humility and

supernatural outlook. Her power and influence emanated

not from any position in government, but from her con-

victions (Philippine Star 2009). Corazon Aquino is proof of

the fruits of being good. Her brand of goodness served as

the catalyst that charted her path toward wanting to serve

and at the same time, her spirit of service was a result of

her goodness of character. The phenomenon of her success

and effects illustrates the universality of the goodness,

effectiveness, and even usefulness of character rooted in

virtue.

Good leadership is best understood as a moral endeavor

(Whetstone 2005). Greenleaf’s (2002) concept of the ser-

vant leader’s ‘‘followers first, organizations second’’ phi-

losophy (Senjaya et al. 2008), elevates both leaders and

followers morally and ethically (Greenleaf 1977). It is a

model of leadership that can help ensure virtue. At the

same time, the formation of virtue can inspire the potential

servant leader’s impetus to serve; thus, foregoing (or at

least reducing) the inclination toward selfish interests. This

is similar to Senjaya et al.’s (2008, p. 404) premise that

servant leadership ‘‘is a manifestation of altruistic love in

the action of pursuing transcendent vision’’ just as the

essence of the latter is the motivational basis for becoming

a servant leader.

Aquino’s life was dedicated to serve God, her country

and people—a hierarchy of values, which she was faithful

to until death. Her conduct coincided with Greenleaf’s

description of a servant leader as one who ensures that

‘‘other people’s highest priority needs are being served’’

(2002, p. 27). Aquino was a reluctant president. Factoran

declared she only ran for president because of the desire to

fight the dictatorship and to attain freedom. Father Arevalo

explained, ‘‘That’s why she relinquished it (power)

immediately when the time was up.’’ Villegas explained,

‘‘She had a number of personal motivations which she

could have pursued.’’ She was the only president who did

not plan to perpetuate herself in power (Inquirer 2009).

Moreover, according to Orbos, the fact that none of her

children ran for office or took any government position

while she was in power is itself, tangible proof of her

commitment to work for the common good without

allowing selfish interests to get in the way. Specifically,

three factors motivated her decision-making—its effect and

implication on democracy, the common good, and moral-

ity. She never abandoned the people and remained the

guardian of democracy way up to the end of her life.

In order to further check the authenticity of servant

leadership, Greenleaf (2002, p. 27) asked: ‘‘Do those

served grow as persons?’’ Cory Aquino served and inspired

people close to her and also those who were far through her

example, integrity, honesty, love for people, and selfless

spirit of service. Some people were convinced to take on

the challenge of public service or initiate not-for-profit

384 Z. A. S. Udani, C. F. Lorenzo-Molo

123

organizations serving the poor. The rich and poor alike

guarded the democracy and freedom Cory helped regain.

The millions of people who paid tribute to Cory, and

prayed for her before and after her death wanted to thank

her for what she had done for the country.

In SL scholarship, virtues are referred to as character-

istics (see Klamon 2007), attributes (see Spears 1995),

values, and behavioral manifestations (see Yukl 2010).

Senjaya et al. (2008) identified them as dimensions, which

seem to most completely embody what the former have

said. They are the following: (1) voluntary subordination—

by being a servant and through acts of service; (2) authentic

self—leadership which flows out of ‘‘being,’’ enabling

authentic leadership manifested through humility, integrity,

accountability, security, and vulnerability; (3) covenantal

relationship—through acceptance, availability, equality,

and collaboration; (4) responsible morality—though moral

reasoning and action; (5) transcendental spirituality—

through religiousness, interconnectedness, sense of mis-

sion, and wholeness; and (6) transforming influence—

through vision, modeling, mentoring, trust, and empower-

ment. We posit, that servant leadership begins with and is

sustained and maintained by virtues. The interplay of vir-

tues and three of Senjaya et al.’s (2008) dimensions

(namely, authentic self, transcendental spirituality, and

responsible morality) set the stage for the servant leader’s

impetus for others-centeredness, which Levinas (in Knights

and O’Leary 2006) referred to as the engagement with the

other. Likewise, engagement with the other sustains the

virtues and Senjaya et al.’s three dimensions. Moreover, it

also enables the impetus for voluntary subordination. All

this ultimately leads to the formation of a covenantal

relationship with the leader’s followers, as well as trans-

forming influence, both of which further sustaining the

other.

Authentic Self

Aquino refused to be managed, much less packaged (Sicam

2009). She was both president and icon of what an

authentic leader should be (Padua and Macairan 2009).

Like virtue, the authentic self is a result of habit. Aquino

did not prepare for the presidency; but she already had with

her those virtues needed to restore decency to the office.

According to Senjaya et al. (2008), the authentic self is

manifested in the display of humility, integrity, account-

ability, security, and vulnerability—all of which were

dominant dimensions of Cory Aquino. While virtue leads

to the formation of an authentic self, the authentic self

furthers virtues that have already been acquired, and

enables the acquisition of other virtues in the process. Her

humility was manifested in her willingness to work quietly

behind the scenes without constant acknowledgement or

approval from others. This was made possible by her

integrity and sense of security. Her integrity made people

believe her humble intentions. But while she was iconic

and larger-than-life, as brought on by her success in

bringing down a dictator through a uniquely bloodless

revolution—fueled by prayer, manifest in very Catholic

and Christian elements such as the holy rosary, priests,

nuns, and figures of the Mother of Jesus—her elevation

into iconic proportions was also made possible by her

signature simplicity and humility. This was primarily made

obvious by her lack of political ambition. Ironically, her

rise to such a larger-than-life symbol is based on her

simplicity and ‘‘ordinariness.’’ Aquino’s simplicity was a

celebration of the significance of ordinary life; and this was

further strengthened by the fact that her goodness was

genuine and real. Moreover, her confidence enabled her to

not want more for herself in terms of power, fame, and

prestige. The leader’s secure sense of self enables him to be

accountable and vulnerable to others, marked by the

absence of self-defensiveness when criticized (Batten

1998) and the capacity to ‘‘abandon themselves to the

strengths of others’’ (De Pree 1997, p. 182). Moreover, her

faith in God already gave her what she wanted. President

Aquino’s values and strength of character is a reflection of

her devout faith. As a result, she was people-centered; thus,

enabling her to understand the significance of account-

ability, while trusting people’s autonomy and power to also

lead themselves through her strategy of consultation. Quite

often, she showed her vulnerability, which helped to

communicate her genuine and authentic nature, endearing

her to the Filipino.

Transcendental Spirituality

Transcendental spirituality is defined as the ‘‘relationships

servant leaders promote imbued with spiritual values’’

(Sendjaya et al. 2008 p. 408). It is both a consequence of

and catalyst for the authentic self. Similar to spiritual

leadership, servant leadership responds to the needs of

individuals by fostering a ‘‘holistic, integrated life.’’

McKee and Wallerstein (2009) opined, ‘‘Aquino avoided

the limelight, and was more comfortable among priests and

nuns than politicians.’’ Perhaps, the primary hallmark of

Cory Aquino’s leadership is how she married her role as

president and leader to her faith and personal relationship

with God. She counted on the support of Cardinal Jaime

Sin, the Archbishop of Manila, who shielded her in the

seven coup attempts launched by her enemies over the six

years of her presidency (McKee and Wallerstein 2009).

Her success in calling people to the streets was a great

achievement in getting people to turn to Christ and making

Him relevant in their life. One can claim that she is per-

haps, the first Catholic (and even Christian) political leader

When Servant Becomes Leader 385

123

to bridge the gap between Church and state. What made her

uniquely different from other leaders (particularly, political

leaders) was the combination of her supernatural outlook

and God-centeredness. Cory Aquino could well be the first

truly Christian Catholic leader who lived the faith and

married it with her political life; and that she succeeded in

inspiring people to make God relevant to what is normally

regarded as separate from religion, is a bonus. What

leadership scholars refer to as charisma, is what many

Filipinos refer to as ‘‘Cory Magic’’—and this was a product

of her principles and God-centeredness.

Responsible Morality

The ends that servant leaders seek and the means they

employ are morally legitimized, thoughtfully reasoned, and

ethically justified. They promote post-conventional moral

reasoning and encourage others to engage in it. Post-

conventional moral reasoning relies on internalized prin-

ciples of justice and right rather than the expectations of

others, attainment of reward, or avoidance of punishment.

Like a true servant leader, Aquino wanted to first give

people a chance to truly participate in government, no

matter where ones inclinations and ideologies lie. But when

she realized that it was not working and certain values were

being compromised, in the end, her principles triumphed.

Just as a leader needs transcendental spirituality to achieve

responsible morality, one who has attained the latter also

furthers the development and sustenance of the former. In

an organizational context where ethical principles are

typically compromised, servant leadership fosters reflective

behaviors, which bring about positive changes in the eth-

ical climate of the organization. Aquino did the same for

the Philippines when: (1) she assumed office after a dic-

tatorship in 1986; (2) she called people to pray and rally

against threats to democracy in 1998 and in 2000 with a

sitting president’s plans for term extension and corruption;

and (3) upon her death against another allegedly abusive

president with the election of her son, ‘‘Noynoy’’ Aquino,

who, before his mother’s death, was not even a contender

for the presidency.

Voluntary Subordination: Shedding

off the Autonomous Self by Engaging with the Other

A servant leader must be selfless enough to subordinate

himself/herself to others.

But what does it take for a leader to make that leap

toward servant leadership? We invoke Knights and

O’Leary (2006), who drew on the ethics of responsibility of

Levinas (1966, 1969, 1991/1998), who opined, ‘‘the notion

of the self is generated not by the self but rather through

engagement with the Other’’ (Knights and O’Leary 2006,

p. 126). An ethics of responsibility ‘‘is about an inex-

haustive care for the Other’’ (p. 133)—something very

much akin to the servant leader, whose innate desire to

serve first defeats any selfish desire that may emerge in

achieving his end, thus, successfully able to engage with

the Other. Cory Aquino was not ambitious or power-hun-

gry. She could have given up the struggle; and this would

have made her life easier and more convenient. But she

chose to fight—initially as the wife of a slain hero, then as

president of a hopeful but ailing nation, and countless other

times even after she stepped down as president and

democracy had been won.

Voluntary subordination is defined as behaviors of the

leader, which demonstrate self-concept and attitudes (being

a servant) as well as primary intent (doing acts of service).

It is evident in the willingness to assume the lowliest of

positions, possibly enduring hardship and suffering for

others. Knights and O’Leary (2006) identified the problem

of the autonomous self, which left its mark on society since

the Enlightenment; and that only an engagement with the

other could challenge it. We believe that voluntary subor-

dination is the result of this engagement with the other.

Aquino chose to give her life to serving the Philippines;

and in spite of everything that happened to her, her hus-

band, and family during martial law, during and well after

her presidency, she never once faltered in the call to serve

the country and the people.

Transforming Influence and Covenantal Relationship:

Servant Leader as the Catalyst for Virtue

Senjaya et al. (2008) stated that servant leadership is

contagious, bringing about a personal transformation in

others collectively and repeatedly; thus, stimulating chan-

ges in organizations and societies (Fairholm 1997; Russell

and Stone 2002). Two of Senjaya et al.’s (2008) dimen-

sions of a servant leader are direct catalysts for this—

transforming influence and covenantal relationship.

Transforming influence is defined as behaviors of the lea-

der that inspire and assist employees to be what they are

capable of becoming. It is when the servant leader is able to

transform others that will eventually stimulate positive

changes in organizations and societies. One of the most

memorable aspects of Aquino’s leadership is the result—

particularly, her effect on people. Teddyboy Locsin and

Frank Drilon, for instance, entered public life and ran for

office because of her efforts in the restoration of democ-

racy. Philip Juico, who served as secretary of the Depart-

ment of Agrarian Reform during the term of Aquino, was

also a private citizen before joining the Aquino cause. Both

he and wife, Margie, speak about Aquino’s great influence

in their lives. For Philip, her influence was ‘‘particularly in

386 Z. A. S. Udani, C. F. Lorenzo-Molo

123

terms of how we should behave as public officials’’; and for

Margie, it was Aquino’s mindset and that every time she

encountered a problem she would ‘‘think of what she

would have done.’’ Deedee Siytangco, who was Aquino’s

spokesperson, acknowledged that Cory inspired her to be a

better person. Bernie Villegas confessed, ‘‘I can think of

specific individuals who, because of having worked for her,

also started thinking always of what is good for others.’’

Jun Factoran confirmed this, revealing that even former

Marcos loyalist and executive secretary Rafael Salas once

confessed to him, ‘‘A life that does not include public

service is not a complete life’’ and said he never realized

this until he worked for Aquino. Teresita Ang See opined,

that people saw ‘‘You can be a leader and yet remain

humble and honest and not be corrupted by power.’’

Government officials were also encouraged to improve

work habits. Teddyboy Locsin learned to more regularly

meet deadlines. Oca Orbos learned the significance of

establishing warmer relations with people. Philip Juico was

astonished with how Aquino could hold on to her princi-

ples and decisions. He declared, ‘‘For her, if you are right,

although you may not be proven right today, tomorrow, or

years later.’’ This is what Deedee Siytangco referred to as

her tenacity. Her ability to sustain and endure without

wavering, made her consistent; and this in turn elevated her

to the level of icon. Juico explained that Aquino achieved a

lot without trying too hard. She simply led a decent life.

Transforming influence may occur through visioning,

modeling through personal example in visible and tangible

ways, mentoring and empowering others, and trust. In

Aquino, modeling through personal example, empowering

others, and trust were the dominant causes of her trans-

formational influence. Beyond merely moving people, she

succeeded in calling them to action and even adopting

certain aspects of her lifestyle through her example. Si-

ytangco declared that her security became prayerful

because of her. This is a crucial aspect of living the vir-

tuous life—that it spill over to others, influencing them to

acquire and also struggle to live in virtue. While she

remained a constant force many years after her presidency,

it was after her death that the magnitude of her leadership

was cemented to an iconic and larger-than-life level. As

proof of her influence and impact, during her funeral,

millions lined up for several hours under the heat and rain.

She led by example, empowered and trusted those she

worked with through her strategy of consultation and the

humble recognition of her lack of expertise in certain areas.

This also emanated from her people-centeredness, a pre-

requisite in the formation of a covenantal relationship—

‘‘an intensely personal bond marked by shared values,

open-ended commitment, mutual trust, and concern’’

(Senjaya et al. 2008, p. 407) for others. The strong ties that

bind covenantal partners produce a relationship that is not

easily stretched to breaking point or threatened by dis-

agreement or conflict; and the authenticity of servant

leaders significantly shapes and affects this. Aquino’s

authenticity and various virtues enabled a covenantal

relationship with the people; and with this strong rela-

tionship came the idea of ‘‘Cory Magic,’’ which included

her long-lasting effect and transformational influence on

others.

Our model can work best with companies that have

already identified the crucial significance of business ethics

and ethical leadership, but simply need an authentic and

workable model that has achieved results. It may, however,

be more difficult to adopt for companies that have not yet

identified ethics as a significant aspect in the success of

business; however, this article gives such companies a

practical enough rationale of why they should begin to

consider ethics.

Some Words of Caution and Future Research

The Virtuous Person and Mistakes

Certainly, the virtuous person and the servant leader like

any other can and does make mistakes. Acceptance of ones

vulnerability is in fact, one of the facets of servant lead-

ership. Sendjaya et al. (2008) explained that a servant

leader’s secure sense of self enables him to be vulnerable to

others. In addition, we invoke Caldwell et al. (2011) who

defined repentance ‘‘as a behavior that incorporates an

ongoing desire to improve one’s life by honoring duties

owed to oneself and to others’’ (p. 475). Aquino was aware

of her vulnerability as well as vulnerable to others. Proof of

which was her people-centeredness and strategy of con-

sultation. Her acceptance of her lack of experience and

knowledge was one of the motivations for the latter. She

knew she was not an expert in areas such as economics and

banking, for instance; and so she sought advice and lis-

tened. The other motivation can be drawn from her attempt

to put together a ‘‘rainbow coalition,’’ where she tried to

respect various ideologies, parties, and audiences by giving

them a voice or at least a chance to exercise their voice.

This clearly illustrated her love and respect for people. She

was truly vulnerable to people. At the same time, however,

she was known for her great firmness—so great that she

was sometimes also labeled as ‘‘stubborn.’’ Some may

think this all to be quite ironic and contradictory. But true

to the essence of Aristotelian virtue and servant leadership,

Aquino illustrates not a contradiction but a paradox—that

good leadership requires a balance of two extremes.

Aquino was vulnerable to people; and precisely because

she knew and respected people as persons, she was

knowledgeable and firm enough to recognize the real good

When Servant Becomes Leader 387

123

for people—the common good. Thus, while she was vul-

nerable to people, she knew that accommodating selfish

interests (e.g., of family and friends) was contrary to a real

sense of vulnerability to people. She knew it would be

contrary to the common good and thus, opposed to people.

Of course, she may not have always succeeded in choosing

the right advisers or made the right decisions; but she

recognized the significance of respecting the value of the

‘‘means’’ and not just ‘‘ends.’’ She knew that it was inev-

itable for good leadership to respect and value people; and

part of this exercise is hearing them out and giving them

the chance to partake and participate in the process of

being led. Even after this, Aquino recognized that she

could get it wrong; and once she discovered, for instance,

that she did not quite get the right person for the job, she

would let them go.

The Essence of Virtue Steeped in Modernity

According to Bragues (2007), with few exceptions, ‘‘no

sound empirical grounds exist for arguing that the checks

and balances framework in place prior to the end of the

1990s bull market in equities was exposed as systematically

flawed and in need of major restructuring’’ (p. 380).

Deriving his thesis from the ancients (i.e., Plato and Aris-

totle) he opined that the system in which things are being

run matters less than who is running things. Thus, ‘‘Atten-

tion must be shifted to the individual level of corporate life,

inside the consciences of our business leaders, precisely

where the ancient philosophers implied it should be.’’ In

other words, broken character and not broken systems is the

problem. At the same time, however, Bragues recognized

the difficulty in arguing for the cause of the ancients in a

world steeped in modernity. He found his solution in Ben-

jamin Franklin, invoking his modern reliance on self-

interest in tandem with the need for the formation of vir-

tuous character; and among Franklin’s advice—‘‘that the

character formation of business leaders take place through

an education emphasizing role models culled from business

history and biography’’ (p. 385). Aquino can be one such

role model even for shareholder-dominated environments.

Like Franklin, whom Bragues believed could offer a com-

pelling enough ethic for corporate leaders that virtue per-

sonally pays, Aquino and the effect she had on people and

history illustrates that indeed, virtue does pay. Ethicists

realize that in a shareholder-dominated environment, when

associations between virtuousness and desired outcomes are

observed, leaders may be more likely to respond to its

pragmatic utility (Cameron 2011). It is important, however,

for leaders to keep in mind the great irony in attempting to

relate virtue to bottom-line goals and success—that virtu-

ousness may no longer be virtuous as virtue is always

something aspired for and done for its own sake whether or

not any sort of advantage is in view. The entire exercise of

attempting to inject virtue into such a utilitarian and cost-

benefit framework might be all that it is—an exercise. But

who knows, just like other exercises which can lead to the

loss of poundage and the evolution of muscle, perhaps this

exercise may one day lead to the loss or maybe tempering of

utilitarianism and the primacy of selfish interests; after all,

virtue is a consequence of habit and the exercise of

attempting to inject virtue is definitely a good habit to keep.

In the meantime, for future research to help ease the tran-

sition for shareholder-dominated environments, studies

might focus on investigating the premise that while broken

characters and not broken systems are the problem, business

might have institutionalized broken characters as a system.

In which case, it would be interesting to see how this might

be contributing to the inefficiency of firms given the dra-

matic and often highly scandalous outcomes of the institu-

tionalization of broken characters.

Conclusion

In this article, we looked into Cory Aquino’s life and

presidency and the evidences they yield for the usefulness

and soundness of servant leadership as an alternative for

business in its crisis of leadership. Thoughts and opinions

of those who worked closely with her as well as articles

written about her allowed us to get an idea of her true

character and the effect and power this had on an ailing

nation in a seemingly hopeless position, even decades after

her term. She was iconic, heroic, and larger-than-life; and

this is precisely why business leaders can learn from her.

Paradoxically, however, she was also ordinary because she

lived and led as ordinary with qualities such as integrity,

spirituality, character, humility, and simplicity—the very

qualities, which enabled her to live that exemplary life. It

was precisely this ‘‘ordinariness,’’ which endeared her to

people and catapulted her to iconic levels; and this was

sustained because she was authentic, courageous, people-

centered, and genteel.

But many have also said that President Cory Aquino’s

success was short-lived. A possible explanation is while an

ethical leader can bring about change in moral culture, it

takes time for culture to change and that change may

expose far greater unethical behavior than was originally

believed to exist (Thoms 2008). Future research should

look into the ethical influence of Aquino, particularly, the

manner in which her ethics spread and was diffused and the

barriers to it. Future research should look into the rela-

tionship between time and the kind of change the Philip-

pines needed when Aquino assumed power. This should

further help organizations construct a more specific road-

map for a shift to ethics, beyond merely choosing an ethical

388 Z. A. S. Udani, C. F. Lorenzo-Molo

123

leader and developing one. But certainly, the Aquino suc-

cess story illustrates the impact of ethical leadership rooted

in servant leadership. Like Japanese companies, which

Nonaka and Takeuchi (2011, p. 61) opined, ‘‘may have

come under fire for the mistakes they have made,’’ Cory

too was constantly criticized for some of her strategies and

decisions. Like Japanese companies, which people con-

tinue to respect, Aquino’s image has remained untainted,

catapulting her to iconic and larger-than-life proportions.

Nonaka and Takeuchi stressed that before the devastating

earthquake and tsunami in Japan, ‘‘there was no crisis of

confidence in Japan’s corporate world as there is in

America’s’’ and if at all any criticism remains, it is that

Japanese companies are said to be not being sufficiently

capitalistic. But given Japan’s success in the past, it seems

capitalism may not be the ultimate rationale for business

success. Like the Philippine and Aquino phenomenon,

many leaders who might have been better versed in terms

of strategy and technique came but none attained the kind

of respect and long-lasting effect on history, society, and

culture as Aquino did, having actually been referred to as

‘‘Cory Magic.’’

It is recognition that Aquino’s was one of a transition

presidency, having successfully reestablished the infra-

structure for democracy, which paved the way for the

peaceful entry of a new administration in a better position

to steer the country to economic recovery. Unlike other

developing nations that have suffered from dictatorships

and other manifestations of instability, the Philippine

experience since the Aquino administration has largely

been fairly stable in the context of the plight of the

developing world. For years, even after Aquino stepped

down in 1992, people continued to look upon her for

direction, advice, and aid. Throughout her tumultuous

tenure and amidst growing discontent over failed expec-

tations, the public’s perception of Cory Aquino hardly

changed. She was still the honest and humble public ser-

vant who constantly fought and attempted to survive the

warring interests of politics and the economy. Her char-

acter, reflected in her traits, behavior, and virtues, enabled a

country and its people to mobilize against any threat to that

freedom and democracy that she helped restore.

While the country that Aquino and her husband fought

for remains under constant threat from the same dirty pol-

itics and threats to freedom and democracy in the dark days

of the Marcos regime, a consistent force, symbol, and

memory has remained as a constant source of inspiration

and fire for the Filipino, often invoking her memory and

symbol to try to get the country on track, in the tradition of

the bloodless, peaceful, and religiously inspired revolt

Aquino inspired in 1986.

Since that fateful day in 1983, a simple woman was

thrust into a life of unending responsibility; but she came

through and helped give the Filipino something truly worth

fighting for. With every wrong thing that has happened to

Philippine society and politics, one who is perhaps the

mother of her democracy has managed to make the case for

truth and love as another great leader in India once did.

Through her life and example, perhaps business leaders can

better understand the missing ingredients in their plight to

discover the true meaning of ethical leadership, beyond

traditional strategies and tactics following the path and

formula of the bottom line while achieving the effect of

greatness that will eventually ensure a fat bottom line.

While companies insist on strategic planning, managers

too need a kind of personal strategic planning especially in

the context of self-leadership. Through the idea of servant

leadership and the person of Aquino, we propose that

businesses understand, develop, and sustain an interior life

defined by the development and practice of virtues. As a

result, the sense of community and societal concern pre-

valent in business’s corporate social responsibility and

social marketing slogans may have a more authentic and

thus, effective and long-lasting result.

Acknowledgments The authors would like to thank the University of Macau for funding as well as all respondents who participated in

the study, and the two blind reviewers for their advice and direction.

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