Charo Santos-Concio: Mother, unexpected leader

MANILA, Philippines — Some people are meant to lead.  They stand out from the rest because they are braver, smarter, and more charming. People automatically believe in them.

Such is the case with ABS-CBN’s first woman president, Charo Santos-Concio.

She admits she is still the shy girl from Calapan, Oriental Mindoro.  It humanizes her, makes her more reachable, especially to the masses whom the Kapamilya network caters to.

Charo uses the word "dyahe" (embarrassing) to describe how she feels about hogging the spotlight as ABS-CBN top executive, until she retired recently. “I love the work, but not the attention. That’s why dyahe,” she explained.

But the shrinking violet also has nerves of steel. She fought her fears to face a throng of disappointed fans at the Ultra and told them the show (Willie Revillame’s defunct "Wowowee") cannot go on.

She did not know what kind of harmful object the angry crowd, that waited for days, will hurl at her. But Charo had a job to do. She was the network’s chief executive, so she had to break the bad news. She apologized in public and learned an important lesson.

“Have the courage to take risks and the courage of your (own) convictions. Take a stand if you have to,” she advised anyone who wants to make it to the top.

Her biographical book, ABS-CBN Publishing’s "My Journey:  The Story of an Expected Leader," includes this, and other lessons experience taught Charo.

“If courage is hard to find, just take a small first step,” she advised would-be leaders again.

It is like hearing a gentle, loving older sister, the kind you picture in your mind each time Charo, as host of the long-running drama anthology "Maalaala Mo Kaya" (MMK), goes on air. Empathy is high on Charo’s list of people skills.

“Let’s listen with our hearts,” she urged.

Charo can empathize with MMK letter-senders because, like them, she dreamed of a better life for herself and her family. She worked hard. She did her best (her most recent victory was at the 17th Festival Internacional de Cine Las Palmas Gran Canaria in Canary Islands, where Charo got a Special Mention Award as lead actress of "Ang Babaeng Humayo").

That is because Charo believes in never giving up, in excelling in whatever she is doing. She knows one cannot have it all, that problems happen. And when they do, Charo believes in carrying on and solving the problem herself.

“I don’t turn helpless. You can’t put life on hold, for yourself and for others, because you’re going through some crisis,” she said.

And when the crisis is borne of fear, Charo wants others to ask themselves, “Ikamamatay ko ba ito (Will I die because of this)?  If the answer is no, Charo thinks there is only one thing to do – go for it.

Charo herself dared bare her soul by opening her life story to others. She opened herself to public scrutiny, and the prospect of being misjudged or misunderstood. But she knows it is how you inspire others, like the shy provincial lass that she had been, someone who wants to succeed for her family.  It can help men understand and appreciate their grandma (Charo is proud of her new grandson), mother, wife, daughter and sister more.

And when people ask questions, Charo has a ready answer. Women she meets during speaking engagements in schools and corporations ask Charo, “How do you balance career, marriage, and motherhood?” And she answers from experience.

It seems people are learning a lot from Charo’s answers, so far.  She reports that so far, response to her leadership talks has been ”quite heartening.”

Charo may have retired from studying ratings and thinking of ways to beat the rival network as TV executive. But her journey as unexpected leader goes on.