Sunday, July 10, 2016

"Hugot" as Presencing: Transliterating Western Leadership Concepts to Asian Languages


I've been involved in teaching Bridging Leadership for a few years now, and we teach a concept from Otto Scharmer called presencing

Definition: - Presencing.
A blend of the words “presence” and “sensing,” presencing signifies a heightened state of attention that allows individuals and groups to shift the inner place from which they function.
https://www.presencing.com/sites/default/files/page-files/Theory_U_Exec_Summary.pdf
It's been a challenge teaching the concept of technique of presencing to others, since it's a "heightened state of attention...". We'd either just blurt out the definition and then hope that the learners understand what you mean, or take the learners to that heightened state, and then point out that they in the heightened state of attention called presencing.

Fortunately, the term "hugot" emerged recently in Filipino popular culture and it does resemble presencing.

Definition - hugot
The term “hugot” is a Filipino word which means to draw or to pull out. The usage of the hashtag “#hugot” became popular not so long ago and is usually used along with song lyrics, a quote, etc. that the person tweeting relates to; “#hugot” means the accompanying words draw emotions out of him/her. Hugot. Usually words with potentially and personally deep sentimental or emotional undertones. Because feelings come from "deep within" so you have had to "hugot" your emotions first "from deep within" before you would've actually blurted them out in somehow emotionally undertoned words — subconsciously or otherwise.
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=hugot

The translation of presencing to hugot is not perfect, but I think it works. I think teachers of leadership can help Filipino learners understand presencing through the concept of hugot. If we taught leadership in Indonesia or Thailand, we could also similarly look for a vernacular term that resembles presencing, and I am confident that there are such local terms.

Below is a comparison of the nuances differentiating presencing and hugot.

Element
 Presencing
Hugot 
Source of awareness
 inner place, the "Source"
inner place; feelings; subconscious 
How to induce this state of awareness
recall life journey, retell personal narratives, other techniques developed by Scharmer et al. 
listen to sentimental songs, recall special memories 
Manifestation 
open heart, open mind, open will 
(over)flow of feelings and memories  
useful function
innovation, inspiration, sensitivity to the emerging future 
unleash passion; communicate suppressed feelings 

I think teachers of leadership would be more effective if we translated foreign leadership jargon into vernacular terms and metaphors so that our learners are better able to comprehend the concepts. I've started a English-Filipino leadership dictionary and anyone is welcome to add any relevant terms, whether you can translate them or not. Click here to co-create and co-edit the English-Filipino Leadership Dictionary.

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