Do not think less of yourself, think of yourself less is a phrase that I remember from our guest speaker PGEN RICARDO C MARQUEZ (Ret.) at the Chief of Police Course that was held on Monday, November 15, 2022. He claims that one of the keys to being a competent police officer is humility. At that point, I understood that earning the respect and faith of your subordinates requires more than just having high levels; it also requires having a deserving character.

    One of the subjects he covered was how he transitioned from being a police officer having senior subordinates that he needed to be able to lead to being a first- class cadet managing his underclassmen. He admitted openly that it was challenging and that, as he prepared to leave the academy and graduate, he wasn't entirely sure he would be able to guide those who were much older than him.

    Knowing that the Chief of the Philippine National Police experienced this self-doubt in the past was a huge relief for me. As I take this as an inspiration that great leaders are almost always great simplifiers, who can cut through argument, debate and doubt, to offer a solution everybody can understand.

    He made the point that humility is crucial. that having a good relationship with your subordinates might help you learn new things and make changes. Experience is one of the best teachers, so we can be confident that those who have served in the military for a longer period of time than a newly appointed Lieutenant know more than we do perhaps not according to the books, but in terms of what actually occurs in the outside, which is, in my opinion, much more significant.

    Nothing surpasses hard effort, especially a good personality and a character that is respected by your subordinates, according to PGEN MARQUEZ, who stressed that trainings and education are vital for being an effective police officer.