By Jerome Alangui-Muguet Polonio, Ph.D. 
LEADING WITH INFLUENCE: Building Trust, Competence, and Continuity in Civil Society Leadership
From Example to Succession in the Cordillera
INTRODUCTION: Influence Beyond Titles
Leadership in civil society is not about titles or positions; it is about influence. Influence is earned through trust, integrity, and the ability to inspire others by example. In the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), where traditions of tongtong (consensus-building) and innubbo (mutual support) remain strong, civil society leaders must embody values that resonate with their communities. Influence is not conferred by authority but cultivated through credibility, competence, continuity, and collaboration.
TRUST AND INTEGRITY: The Foundation of Influence
Trust and integrity remain the bedrock of leadership. Leaders discovered that credibility is built when private actions align with public statements. Communities measure influence not by titles but by consistency of example.
· Case Study – Baguio Environmental Advocates : leaders of this group modeled eco-friendly practices by refusing single-use plastics during events. Their example inspired schools and barangays to adopt similar policies, proving that environmental stewardship spreads when leaders embody the values they advocate.
COMPETENCE: Transforming Values into Impact
Competence ensures that values are translated into tangible results. Self-awareness, planning, communication, teamwork, and emotional intelligence are not abstract skills but lived practices.
Cordillera traditions such as tongtong consensus-building and innubbo mutual support reinforced these competencies, reminding leaders that collective decision-making and mutual aid are indigenous strengths.
· Case Study – The Recent Typhoon Calamities: Civil society organizations demonstrated planning, teamwork, and emotional intelligence in relief distribution. Consensus among diverse groups echoed tongtong, while emotional intelligence was vital in calming traumatized communities and ensuring fair resource allocation. Competence determined whether organizations could navigate crises effectively.
CONTINUITY: Sustaining Leadership Through Succession
Influence endures when leadership is passed on. Succession planning emerged as a strategic imperative to sustain organizational missions.
Leaders reflected on the difference between task-oriented coaching and holistic mentoring, drawing inspiration from the traditional role of elders (panglakayen) in preserving wisdom. Mapping organizational roles and identifying emerging talent became essential steps in cultivating shared leadership.
· Case Study – Benguet Cooperatives: Elders mentored younger farmers not only in technical skills but also in cooperative values of fairness and solidarity, ensuring continuity of leadership and preventing stagnation.
· Case Study – Baguio Cultural CSOs: Young leaders were nurtured through involvement in cultural festivals, emphasizing not just event management but the deeper value of cultural preservation.
Succession planning ensured that leadership was not personality-driven but values-driven, securing organizational sustainability.
COLLABORATION: Expanding Influence Across Sectors
The journey of influence extends into collaboration. Civil society organizations cannot thrive in isolation; their influence expands when they forge alliances across sectors.
· CSO-LGU Partnerships in Baguio City: Participatory budgeting initiatives ensured transparency and equity in resource allocation. Disaster preparedness programs highlighted the importance of collaboration, as CSOs and LGUs worked hand in hand to strengthen community resilience.
· Multi-Sectoral Alliances in CAR: Indigenous groups, cooperatives, and NGOs joined forces to protect ancestral lands, preserve cultural heritage, and safeguard the environment. These alliances embodied innubbo, where mutual support transcends organizational boundaries.
Collaborative influence thus becomes a force for sustainable development and cultural preservation.
Practical Tools for Collaboration
Leaders identified practical tools for building trust across diverse stakeholders:
· Transparent communication
· Shared decision-making
· Values alignment
Collaboration is not merely about cooperation but about cultivating relationships grounded in respect and integrity. Influence expands when leaders demonstrate consistency, competence, and openness, ensuring that alliances remain credible and resilient.
CONCLUSION: The Four Pillars of Influence
Taken together, these reflections reveal that influence in civil society rests on four pillars:
· Leading by example
· Cultivating competencies
· Ensuring succession
· Building collaborative alliances
Influence grows when actions match values, when skills transform values into impact, when values are passed on to the next generation, and when partnerships extend influence across sectors.
For CSO leaders in Baguio and CAR, influence is not about authority but about legacy. By embodying values, cultivating competencies, mentoring successors, and forging alliances, leaders ensure that civil society remains resilient, credible, and transformative.
As the Cordillera continues to face challenges of governance, environment, and cultural preservation, the call to lead with influence remains urgent. Leadership is not a position; it is a living example, a set of competencies, a legacy passed on to future generations, and a collaborative force that unites diverse sectors for the common good. Influence is the heart of leadership, and in the Cordillera, it is the compass that guides civil society toward trust, resilience, continuity, and collective transformation.
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