For innovation's sake, allow people to make mistakes<\/p>\n
Some Indonesian managers view working for pribumi (native
\nIndonesians) much more enjoyable than for foreigners. Others
\nthink differently. Johanes A. Gianto, president director of joint
\nventure PT Hewlett-Packard Berca Servisindo prefers to stand in
\nbetween. In an interview with The Jakarta Post on Wednesday,
\nGianto shared his personal perspectives on arrogance, innovation,
\nand his habitat: the IT world.<\/p>\n
In Western business culture, figures and goals are considered
\nsacred. Firms are strict with unforgiving schedules and
\npunishments, which sometimes bury creativity and innovation.<\/p>\n
\"They are important, of course, but they (figures and goals)
\nshould not be so glorified,\" Gianto said.<\/p>\n
Wall Street companies, for example, appraise their people
\nquarterly, leaving managers reluctant to try something new and
\nrisky.<\/p>\n
On the other side, Eastern values provide ample space for
\npeople to say sorry when they do not reach set targets. \"But the
\ngood side is that it gives room for people to experiment with
\nsomething.\"<\/p>\n
\"Erring is human, but it doesn't mean the trial-and-error
\napproach does not have its limits. It can take a company to the
\nbrink of collapse. No, we have to calculate the risk, and act in
\na conservative way.\"<\/p>\n
And Gianto admitted having been lucky working for a joint
\nventure where he could learn the positive and negative sides of
\ntwo different cultures. But the 52 year old also acknowledged his
\n\"mistake\" of having been too long with a company without being
\nwilling to move.<\/p>\n
\"It's too late.\"<\/p>\n
Gianto has been with HP for more than two decades, starting
\nhis career in 1981 as an engineer at the Service & Support unit
\nbefore a senior colleague challenged him to join the sales
\ndepartment.<\/p>\n
His company is a joint U.S.-Indonesian company founded in
\n1996. But HP, which is going to merge with Compaq, will run its
\nown business in Indonesia very soon, according to Gianto.<\/p>\n
In rescuing a dying firm, he preferred to firstly change the
\ncorporate culture rather than hastily shifting the system of
\norganization.<\/p>\n
\"The attitude of all members in an organization, particularly
\na newly established firm, is extremely important. And a company
\nwill grow only when it has a strong corporate culture and all
\npersonnel have good intentions.\"<\/p>\n
He recalled the early days of HP in Indonesia, where the only
\norganization system they had was MAS, the abbreviation for mana
\nada sistem, or no system at all.<\/p>\n
\"But it worked.\"<\/p>\n
Nowadays, to win the hearts of customers and induce them to
\nbecome loyal, a company should not only think based on the
\nquarterly performance of their staff.<\/p>\n
\"A company should work extra hard to win their loyalty,\"
\nGianto said. \"Today's needs are different, one should see long-
\nterm benefits.\"<\/p>\n
Don't think that a big name will always sell well. That is not
\nthe case anymore. \"Being arrogant will make one absent-minded in
\nthis fast changing world. It happens.\"<\/p>\n
Fostering innovative culture should also be a priority for
\nmanagers. \"It's very important in today's world.\"<\/p>\n
Thus, listening and taking all ideas seriously will help,
\nbecause the market is getting bigger and bigger and its
\nboundaries are expanding.<\/p>\n
According to him, a corporation should nurture its niche to
\nallow everyone to innovate and share ideas. Everyone should not
\nbe scared of being a trailblazer.<\/p>\n
\"For me, I believe the only way to keep a competitive edge is
\ninnovation, and that cannot be copied.\"<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, he added, our education system has failed to
\nsupport this. Students are not allowed to give answers in their
\nown way but must follow, word for word, what is written in their
\ntextbooks or demanded by the teacher.<\/p>\n
\"It inhibits our creativity from an early stage,\" Gianto
\nstressed.<\/p>\n
In a firm, a major problem in searching for revolutionary
\nideas, he said, usually comes from the big bosses who refuse to
\nlisten and pretend to be perfect.<\/p>\n
\"In my office, no one is allowed to consider themselves the
\nonly person who is right. Everyone should be listened to and we
\nallow people to make mistakes,\" Gianto said.<\/p>\n
If there's a mistake and a financial loss, we \"simply see it
\nas a school allowance\".<\/p>\n
With the increasingly borderless world, Indonesia's
\ncompetitive edge has become slimmer compared to countries like
\nChina, which can offer cheaper products in this country. It's
\nhigh time the government and local entrepreneurs apply world
\nstandard requirements.<\/p>\n
\"Look at the vessels in Tanjung Priok port. From the day of
\ntheir arrival until their departure, they (the sailors) never
\nknow when they will be served and which crane will load up their
\ncargo,\" Gianto said. \"It's totally different in, for instance,
\nSingapore where everything has been well planned in advance to
\nensure it is effective.\"<\/p>\n
With rapidly developing technologies, Indonesia still has a
\nchance to attract investors and even turn free trade into a
\ncompetitive advantage.<\/p>\n
-- K. Basrie<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/for-innovations-sake-allow-people-to-make-mistakes-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }