By Chiaralu Bautista

NORTHLINK: Can you share an experience where challenges tested your resilience as a leader? How did you navigate the situation to maintain stability and drive success?

As we navigate the daily operations of our tollway network, ensuring smooth traffic flow and providing excellent service to our motorists, we often encounter unexpected challenges. These moments, while sometimes demanding, are critical in shaping us as leaders and strengthening our organization. Reflecting on my own career journey, I’d like to share an experience from my early professional years that profoundly tested my resilience and instilled lessons I continue to draw upon today.

Fresh from university with a CPA license, I heeded my professors’ advice to begin in an audit firm. They emphasized the invaluable exposure to diverse businesses, a foundation that would pave the way for robust career growth. The starting salaries were modest, but the promise of professional molding was compelling.

Two weeks after passing the grueling licensure exams, I found myself at a reputable audit firm. My curriculum vitae was lean, boasting only the CPA title and some academic accolades. Yet, I was determined to absorb every bit of knowledge and hone every necessary skill. Standard engagement timelines were typically three to four weeks, a seemingly reasonable timeframe. However, the reality often deviated sharply, with clients frequently providing crucial data a mere five days before the reporting deadline. This compressed timeline left us with little room for error and demanded rapid, efficient work.

With minimal formal training, I was essentially learning on the job, thrown into the deep end of complex audits. Busy seasons transformed our weekends into extended office hours, often stretching past midnight. Family gatherings, including Sunday mass, were replaced by camaraderie in the quiet of the Greenbelt chapel with my colleagues. My luggage became a repository not for leisure trips, but for changes of clothes needed for consecutive days and nights at the office. Holidays blurred into just another workday. I vividly recall my parents’ pleas for me to consider resigning, their concern growing with each missed family occasion. It was undeniably challenging, a constant pressure that often pushed me to the brink of giving up. Yet, a deep-seated determination to learn, to master my craft, and to ultimately succeed kept me moving forward.

Over my seven years at the firm, each assignment presented a new landscape of businesses and challenges. While my expertise gravitated towards Corporate Finance, involving financial modeling and company valuations, I actively sought and embraced external and internal audit engagements. As a young professional, my thirst for understanding the broader business ecosystem was limitless. This passion for mastery soon positioned me as the go-to person for intricate and demanding projects, with clients specifically requesting my involvement. This recognition fueled my growth, and I eventually earned the trust of my managers, leading to a promotion to a more senior role.

Fast forward to today, as one of the Finance leaders of NLEX, I recognize that challenges continuously evolve, but the underlying need for resilience remains constant. We face tight deadlines, juggle urgent work and operational demands, while striving to balance professional responsibilities with our personal lives.

As leaders of this organization, it is our responsibility to not only navigate these challenges effectively, but also to model resilience for our teams. Looking back at my formative years in audit, several key lessons stand out as guiding principles:

1. Value Mentorship: My professors’ guidance to start in audit, despite the initial sacrifices, provided the needed exposure and experience crucial for my career.
2. Embrace delayed gratification: The demanding, low-paying auditor role was undoubtedly tough. However, the invaluable experience gained during those years is something I wouldn’t trade for a more immediately lucrative position. It honed my skills and built a strong foundation for my current role.
3. Keep your eyes on the prize and maintain an optimistic outlook: Daunting deadlines and heavy workloads can feel overwhelming. However, staying focused on the ultimate goals and maintaining a positive mindset are essential. When faced with multiple priorities, a systematic approach of listing and prioritizing tasks can bring clarity and control.
4. Adopt a growth mindset – keep pushing forward: There will be moments when the weight of work and life feels unbearable, and the urge to give up is strong. In these times, remembering your purpose and the potential for positive outcomes is vital. Challenging projects, while difficult in the moment, ultimately contribute to growth and yield future rewards.
5. Learning is never-ending: As they say, complacency is an opponent of success. We must remain relentless in our quest for new knowledge and maintain a strong drive to achieve our objectives. Staying curious, motivated, and committed to continuous learning is paramount.

Resilience is not an innate quality, but a lifelong skill that we must all actively cultivate. It empowers us to confront adversity, overcome hardships, and emerge stronger. When faced with new and challenging situations, embrace them as opportunities for growth. Plan strategically, maintain a clear vision of your goals, and when obstacles arise, remember to refocus and learn from setbacks, and always seek God’s wisdom and guidance. These are the principles that have guided me through the tollgates of my career, and I believe they are essential for all of us as we lead and contribute to the success of NLEX.