In my years in the Ateneo, I've only heard two people ever say that they liked admin work.  Everyone else seems to find their fulfilment in teaching and research.  The people who are shunted into administrative positions take up the burden as part of their service, in the process accepting intellectual castration during their term.  Although the people who eventually find themselves in leadership positions generally do a good job, the problem of succession shadows them constantly. 

The administration provides us with training to help us develop our administrative skills, but is that enough?  I think not.  You can be a good administrator without being a good leader.  A good leader's job isn't limited to shuffling paper. A good leader provides direction and the means to move towards those directions.

How do you discover good leaders?  Chito Tanchoco of JGSOM noted that sometimes good leaders themselves don't realize that they have what it takes.  The only way to discover the good leader is to toss everyone into the pool and see who floats and who sinks.  Give people opportunities to prove themselves. 

But why should they prove themselves?  There are no acknowledgements or awards for administrative work.  On my desk yesterday was a call for nominations for outstanding young scientist.  On campus, we have calls for nominations for outstanding teacher. What's rewarded is teaching and research. Administration is just boilerplate.  I'm not saying that we do our work for these awards, of course not.  All I'm saying is that teaching and research are what are regarded as important.

Are good leaders born or made?  The administration provides training in adminitrative skills such as hiring, conflict management, time management and so on.  The training is useful.  However, I don't find it inspiring.  The content of the training gives me tools to deal with the day-to-day, but it doesn't drive me to want to do it.  What is inspiring is the camaraderie with the other chairs, the support group, if you will.  You feel a sense of belonging, of shared purpose, of meaning, of community.  Maybe this is how we discover who is cut out for service and who is not.  At the end of the day, it's the personal relationships that speak louder than skills or training.