New Year greetings from the Almendras Family.

I am fortunate to have a music room at home, which serves as my sanctuary to recharge. Music are my vitamins for the soul. On a bad day, I would go to my music room to recover. I listen to any music depending on my need—from pop, disco, classical, smooth jazz, to new age. I also have tracks spanning from Balinese gong to Jesuit Ministry mediation music. For me, music helps me de-stress, re-calibrate, re-set, and re-energize.

So yes, music are vitamins—it rejuvenates the soul. It also brings harmony and inner peace.

Music is an exercise of contrasts. In order to fully appreciate the music and each small sound detail, you actually have to quiet yourself. To hear the individual instrument distinctly no matter how softly it is played, yet contributing to the beauty of the whole rendition, you need to cancel out all noise real and internal. Sound proofing takes care of external noise, but silencing internal noise is more difficult and a continuing effort. Whether listening to music, a live performance, or someone you know sharing a personal story to you, it takes a lot of silence on ones part to be fully present and absorb the experience with them. The common thread between immersing ourselves with different genres of music, and deep moments of quiet is as we become more in tune with ourselves, the better we can listen to others. This is a constant challenge that I have to deal with on a daily basis.

By listening, we understand, we empower

During a recent LEAP session organized by the Ayala group’s Learning & Organization Development Network, I was asked what I believed was an important leadership skill and I shared my views on humble listening as a core trait of good leaders, especially during a crisis. We reminded them of how important it was to constantly challenge ourselves at times when we’ve made up our minds, and instead, to let go and erase whatever preconceived ideas and solutions we’ve had. By doing this, we become empowered to explore a wider range of new ways to solve things. At Manila Water Company Inc. (MWCI) at the height of the water crisis , I saw how humbly listening to each other no matter what rank or level, and the mindset shift that comes with it, unlocked the digital transformation of old processes and systems at an unprecedented pace. The pandemic required urgent solutions that needed to be developed and implemented asap. We listened to the team members themselves who experienced the difficulties and challenges, they suggested good solutions. This resulted in faster development and roll out of the homegrown apps pushed by the users themselves, and the strengthening of relationships highlighting willingness to help out each other overcome the challenges.

How did we do it? We listened to the people who understood what the challenges were as they were experiencing it, they understood the need to change, they knew the solutions and they were the ones who made it happen. We simply empowered them by listening and hearing them out.

Celebrating the WeAreAyala Community on A Life

On a personal level, relationships end up better when we listen to each other. Going into a relationship, the first step is being interested in the other person. Getting to know someone makes us discover many things about them, and we understand them better. When we truly understand each other, that relationship prospers.

The same goes for communities—we all have a choice of wanting to belong to a community. “Are what they believe in important to me?” In humbly seeking to get to know a community, we reflect our own personal choices, values, and beliefs. If all of these align, the relationships within the community becomes long-lasting.

This is our sincere hope for the WeAreAyala Community; for it to grow, we must get to know each other better, and understand each other more. We find ourselves in the same room: we’re all working for Ayala, belong to the same group, and over time, continue to be surprised with the many things we have in common with each other despite being under different industries and fields of work.

In Fernando’s message for Ayala group employees, he asks: “How can the Ayala group be a meaningful contributor for good?” I believe when we listen to each. other, we can already start finding the answers within ourselves here, as we all try to do good in our own way, everyday.

I hope you discover the answers you might be seeking on how to work towards the greater good, and become inspired by the stories about Ayala group employees here on A Life. A Life is a celebration of our shared culture at Ayala, and the recognition that a meaningful life is a life well lived with others. With our endless range of capabilities, skills and talents, the positive impact that we create among friends, family, the environment, and through small acts of kindness—these are truly what make life meaningful.

May your 2022 be filled with renewed hope, inner peace, and harmony. Let us actively listen/read about each other in A Life. There are songs found inside each of us that connect us to the same purpose; all we have to do is listen.