Krisha Nell B.

Lopez July 8, 2023

2021-70022

REACTION PAPER
"Leading Change and Fostering Collaboration in a Philippine Government Agency"

The recommendation to the case on “Leading Change and Fostering Collaboration in a Philippine
Government Agency” briefly discussed leadership theories both in ancient times and modern times. It
also identified the general theories of leadership, as well as the different leadership styles – its attributes
and weaknesses. The recommendation also presented strategies in response to communication,
transparency, innovation, collaboration, culture, adaptability, employee engagement, ethical values,
integrity, accountability, and social responsibility of an organization. The recommendation, however, did
not discuss any concrete solution to the specific problems identified in the case study. Nevertheless, they
provided strategies that are in response to issues on leadership and communication.

The recommendation emphasizes the role of leaders in addressing challenges faced by

government agency concerned and on how to achieve the objectives. However, the recommendation
only provided general strategies on how to resolve conflict, foster collaboration, and teamwork, manage
change, and monitor and evaluate progress. To provide sufficient solution on the case, the
recommendation could have discussed more thoroughly the context of the issues identified in the case
problem - bureaucratic red tape, lack of transparency, and inefficiency.

Bureaucratic red tape in the Philippines refers to paper works, unnecessary bureaucratic
documents, requirements, forms, and procedural obsession in the delivery of public service (Gabriel,
2018). It is seen as a source of inefficiency, corruption, and poverty in the country. It affects the quality of
life of the citizens, especially the poor and marginalized, who depend on the government for their basic
needs and rights. It also discourages investors and entrepreneurs from doing business in the country,
which hampers economic growth and development.

Lack of transparency happens in Philippine government when there is a perceived or actual

absence of openness, accountability, and honesty in the activities and decisions of the public officials
and agencies. It can also refer to a situation where it is difficult or impossible to obtain information or
documents that are important for the welfare or interest of everyone in the country. Lack of
transparency can erode public trust and confidence in the government. It can also lead to difficulty in
holding public officials accountable for their actions and decisions. It may reduce participation and
engagement of citizens and civil society in governance. It also increases risk of corruption, inefficiency,
and mismanagement of public funds and resources. Finally, it can impair delivery of public services and
programs, especially for the most vulnerable sectors like the agency concerned in the case which
manages social welfare programs.

Inefficiency is a result of various activities, such as corruption, red tape, lack of transparency,
poor service delivery, weak institutions, and inadequate resources. Inefficiency in the Philippine
government may lead to various problems such as poor delivery of public services especially to the poor
and marginalized sectors, low credibility, and trust of the public in the government, weak investor
sentiment and economic growth and high corruption and red tape.

In a government agency that provides social welfare programs to the community, efficiency in
the delivery of the activities and programs from the frontliners to the top management is essential to
obtain a satisfactory organizational performance.

The recommendation did not specifically identify a leadership style that would describe a leader
that can effectively address issues on the agency concern; however, it emphasized the pros and cons of
the different leadership style. In the case problem, it mentioned that the agency lacks effective
leadership at all levels, resulting in a lack of direction, poor decision-making, and low employee morale.
This can be influenced by different factors like an absentee leadership, where the leader is
psychologically absent from their roles, and avoid meaningful involvement with their teams, which in the
long term can have negative impact on employee engagement, productivity, morale, and retention.
Another factor could be the frequent and abrupt changes in leadership where some leaders have short
tenures, specific agendas, and short-term perspectives due to political turnover or lack of succession
planning. These changes can disrupt the continuity, stability, and direction of an agency, and create
uncertainty and confusion among employees. Additionally, when leaders have limited authority or
discretion over their budgets, policies, programs, or personnel due to bureaucratic rules, regulations, or
oversight, this can hamper innovation, creativity, and responsiveness, and make it difficult for leaders to
adapt to changing needs or circumstances.

In general, I would agree with what is stated in the recommendation that there is no one best
leadership style for managing inefficiency in government. Moreover, some possible factors may be
considered in determining the leadership style that is best to address the issues in the agency concern,
such as type of leader-follower relationship, the level of task and relations orientation, the context of the
problem or situation, and the availability of leadership development resources. Based on my analysis,
the government leaders can develop a more participative leadership style. This means placing greater
emphasis on involving others in decision-making and getting more input before taking action.
Government leaders can benefit from leadership development programs that provide feedback,
coaching, mentoring, networking, and experiential learning opportunities. As such, through this
leadership style, there can be direction, good decision-making, and high employee morale.

In terms of ethical misconduct and allegations of corruption within the agency which damaged
the agency’s reputation and eroded public trust, the recommendation provided, presented a framework
that best shows the processes on how to prevent ethical misconduct in the agency. However, such
processes are hard to achieve in reality. Nowadays, corruption and other ethical misconduct seems to be
a normal thing as some can observe it to leaders of higher position. Moreover, there are also cases
where even though there is a good leader, those who are in the lower position can still manage to
perform such things. In essence, to be a leader, means many things. Other than the tasks assigned to
leaders, a leader should also have a good intention and be a role model to its constituents.

With regards to communication and collaboration, the group suggested strategies that would
foster effective two-way communication and to emphasize collaboration in their operation. With top-
down directives, limited feedback channels, and a lack of transparency in the agency, it can affect the
morale, productivity, and performance of the agency. The group suggested a culture of open
communication and transparency. Since communication is a vital factor for an effective performance of
an agency, it is also good that there are communication guidelines that must be followed. However,
these are also hard to achieve as there are factors that can hinder open communication among
employees like personal conflicts. Also, a working environment with communication issues is not that
easy to address as it is a culture that must be altered. The role of a leader is vital in approaching this kind
of situation. As such, a leader can encourage active listening among employees and managers by
providing training, feedback, and role modeling. A leader can also improve written communication
quality by using clear, concise, and courteous language, avoiding jargon and errors, and proofreading
before sending. Choosing the right communication method for the message by considering the urgency,
sensitivity, complexity, and tone of the message is also important. Most importantly, sharing information
openly and honestly by providing timely and accurate updates, disclosing any challenges or risks,
admitting any mistakes or failures, and explaining the rationale behind any actions or changes.

A culture of hierarchical and bureaucratic mindset in a government agency may create barriers
to a positive and supportive work environment, such as rigid rules, slow processes, low trust, and high-
power distance. A leader can cultivate a positive and supportive work environment in such a culture by
communicating the vision to employees and inspire them to commit to it. A leader can also foster a
climate of mutual respect and appreciation. This means encouraging diversity, inclusion, and
collaboration among employees. Employees should also be provided with opportunities for learning and
development to empower them to take initiatives, make decisions, and solve problems within their
scope of authority.

In terms of the strategies for change, to address issues on resistance to change, the agency can
focus on education and communication, participation and involvement, and facilitation and support. The
change will be communicated to and explained to the employees through education and
communication. The sharing of ideas enables individuals to understand the justification for and necessity
of the change. This lessens incorrect and inaccurate rumors about how change will affect the
organization. Employees will be involved in the process of change through participation and involvement
in ways like asking for their ideas, feedback, or suggestions. Participation provides people a sense of
responsibility and authority over the change as well as a sense of value and respect. Additionally, it helps
in learning and addressing potential issues or concerns early on. Those affected by change will receive
assistance and resources through facilitation and support, such as by way of providing training, coaching,
counseling, or incentives. Through facilitation, individuals may deal with the psychological and emotional
effects of change and get past any obstacles they may encounter. This promotes competence and self-
assurance in the new situation.

Minimizing bureaucratic red tape and enhancing transparency are important goals for improving
public administration and governance. This can be done through simplifying and streamlining processes
and requirements to save time, cost, and effort for both public officials and clients. The agency can also
adopt information and communication technology to improve accessibility, convenience, speed, and
accuracy of transactions or services. Implementing performance management system can also help to
enhance accountability, feedback, recognition, or improvement of transactions. Finally, a participation
from the citizens and promoting feedback can enhance responsiveness, trust, collaboration, or
innovation in transactions or services.

To manage conflict within the agency, the group suggested a conflict resolution which involve
identification of conflict, to developing conflict resolution guidelines, to determining ways to meet the
common goal. Moreover, to promote collaboration, the group suggested working groups, collaborative
decision making, knowledge sharing, and mutual support. These are all important strategies to manage
conflict and foster collaboration within the agency as these can create a positive and productive work
environment. The suggested strategies for managing conflict can encourage creativity, innovation, and
learning among the employees while the strategies on fostering collaboration enhance the quality,
efficiency, and effectiveness of work processes and outcomes, as well as the satisfaction and
engagement of the employees. Through these strategies, there will be improved communication,
enhanced relationships, increased performance, and reduced stress among employees.

A government agency with poor communication, poor collaboration, ethical misconducts, and a
culture of resistant to change transform its operation to become more effective and trusted by the public
if they are willing to commit to a clear vision, a strategic plan, and a continuous improvement process. To
achieve such transformation, there must be a committed leadership team. This means that the agency
must be led by leaders who share common vision, purpose, and values for the agency. They are also
expected to model the desired behaviors and attitudes, such as honesty, accountability, and
collaboration. The agency must also take time to assess their current state and identify gaps for
transformation. Through this, they can identify strengths, weakness, opportunities, and threats in its
environment which will be helpful to decide on appropriate strategies to improve their operations.
Following that, they can create a strategy plan and set priorities outlining the objectives, goals, and
course of action for transformation. Employees at all levels must be enabled to participate in the
strategic plan's implementation, and they may want to consider working with other agencies to assist or
enhance the change. The agency must incorporate the change into its policies, practices, systems,
structures, culture, and capabilities to maintain and scale it up. Along with addressing any difficulties or
problems that may emerge, the agency must also celebrate and acknowledge the transformation's
accomplishments and successes.

References
Gabriel, A. G. (2018). Bureaucratic Red Tape in the Philippines. In A. Farazmand, Global Encyclopedia of
Public Administration, Public Policy, and Governance (pp. 1-9). Springer, Cham.