Former lecturer and Australia awards scholar, Rachel Basas, is a born leader. At a young age, she knew she wanted to be the voice for other people and to be the voice that other people would listen to.
Her earliest memory of becoming a leader was back in her third grade. She recalled she raised her hand eagerly when the teacher asked who wanted to be the homeroom president of their class. Since then, she has always been outspoken and outgoing.
“As I grew up, it became natural for me to take on leadership roles but really as I developed as a person – like at my age right now – when I go back to my why, I see that I became engaged to leadership role because I wanted to inspire people.”
Before being an inspiration to others, Rachel works in knowing herself; she calls this as 'authentic leadership'. She defines it as being more self-aware and having a strong moral compass.
As a millennial leader, she wants to work under a leader similar to her mentor who is strong, emphatic, understanding and has a clear vision.
“She has high standards and she does her best to meet her own standards as well and even surpass them. So I think these characteristics of her become sort of my expectations as well to the leaders I have worked with.”
Rachel looks up at her mentor as a role model. One of the lessons she learned from her and applies in her leadership role is to listen to her subordinates to help them see what is best in them and what will motivate them to pursue excellence and deliver results.
Being in a generation that experienced the transition from analogue to the digital period, Rachel currently looks for a leadership training in line with the new landscape - she is interested to be trained in leading virtual teams.
Millennial leader, Rachel Basas Source: Supplied by R. Basas
“It is important because as opposed to having physical interactions, when you lead virtual teams, you can sometimes miss body language, skills or like the tone of voice, the eye contact, [and] other aspects so it’s a challenge for leaders and a training for this will be very beneficial as well.”
What she notices among the young leaders today is their strong drive at work if they know their purpose. She thinks that if they see where they fit and where their role is, they become the most dedicated people in the team.
In her observation, tomorrow’s workplace spearheaded by millennials will see a priority in work-life balance and flexibility. It will witness a generation of leaders who value experience in different aspects.
Rachel adds that the younger generation can expect leaders that can understand them and are literate in various communication channels available, be it face-to-face or with the use of technology.
Rachel Mary Anne Basas just recently finished an executive role at Sydney Filipino Society – University of Sydney. She worked as an assistant division head at a government organisation in the Philippines and was also a former lecturer at a university in Manila. She won several leadership awards and graduated magna cum laude and batch valedictorian in her undergraduate degree.
