When big changes hit—like a surprise company shake-up in BGC, a sudden twist in the tech world, or the economy doing its usual plot twists—most of us young Pinoy professionals go straight into survival mode. Alam mo ‘yun, parang instinct na natin.

We usually stick to what we know best: working OT to show sipag, listing every little thing we do, and trying not to get noticed. Sure, this survival mindset can help you keep your job, but let’s be real—it won’t get you that promotion. If you want to level up when things get messy, you have to stop playing defense and start playing offense.

1. De-escalate the “Amygdala Hijack”

The real kalaban during a crisis isn’t just the chaos outside—it’s your own nerves. When your company drops a big announcement, your brain’s panic button gets pressed. Suddenly, you’re panic-applying to every job on LinkedIn, getting super defensive about your work, or just ghosting your team.

But the ones who actually get ahead are those who learn to keep their cool. Instead of letting kaba run the show, pause, take a deep breath, and just observe. If you can stay kalmado while everyone else is in panic mode, you’ll be the steady hand that bosses remember when things finally settle down.

2. Shift from “Defending Value” to “Solving Gaps”

In most Pinoy offices, we’re taught to be humble—just do your job, don’t make waves. So when things go sideways, we try to prove we’re still valuable. But here’s the thing: defending your old role is a losing battle, kasi the old system is already falling apart.

Instead of making a list of your old tasks, try to spot the new problems that popped up because of the chaos. When things get messy, there are always new unspoken rules and important problems that nobody’s handling.

• Is there a sudden lack of communication between departments?
• Has a new software implementation left people confused?
• Is there a client need that’s falling through the cracks?

If you step up and fill these gaps, you’re not just surviving—you’re actually helping build the new way of working. Ikaw na ang bida sa bagong sistema.

3. Leverage the Shifting Hierarchy

Disruption is the ultimate equalizer. When everything’s up in the air, those strict, old-school hierarchies suddenly don’t matter as much. The usual gatekeepers are too busy putting out fires to keep things the way they were.

This is your chance to make your move. Volunteer for new projects or finally share those ideas with the bosses that you used to keep to yourself. When things calm down, people won’t just see you as the newbie or the regular staff—they’ll remember you as the one who stepped up when it counted.

The Architecture of Advancement

Moving up during a crisis isn’t about swerte or connections—it’s about how you adjust. It’s shifting your focus from your old wins to what the company needs now. The people who get ahead are the ones who see a broken system not just as a problem, but as a chance to carve out a new spot for themselves.

Try this: Spot one gap or problem that popped up after a recent change at work. This week, instead of just doing your usual routine, come up with a simple three-point solution and share it with your boss. Malay mo, that’s your ticket to standing out.

Author: Engr. Jomel J. Kawi

References

(2023). Organizational Change and Workplace Incivility: Mediated by Stress, Moderated by Emotional Exhaustion. Journal of Organizational Behavior 44(3), pp. 345-360. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.2670

(1999). Fattened and flattened: the expansion and contraction of the modern organization. PubMed 24(1), pp. 3-10. https://doi.org/10.1097/00006216-199901000-00002