Urging people to apply work ethos

Benget Simbolon Tnb., The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

"Everybody has the spirit of success within. They only need to find it and revive it persistently to achieve success," said Jansen Hulman Sinamo, the chairman of Darma Mahardika Institute, a company that trains people in achieving success.

Jansen founded the institute in 1985. At that time he worked for an oil exploration company. One day he participated in a human resource training program held by a private company.

"I found myself very interested in the subject, and I wanted to become a human resource trainer," said Jansen, who graduated in 1983 from the school of physics at the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB).

In 1987, he applied to become a human resource trainer at Dale Carnegie, an American company, which is involved in human resource development and training. He was accepted and became an assistant trainer.

Taking to the work like a duck to water, he found the job suited him. "My job at that time was teaching people how to make themselves successful. I like teaching -- my first job was as an assistant lecturer," he said, adding that he has liked public speaking since he was a boy in his hometown, Sidikalang, the regency capital of Dairi, North Sumatra province.

At that time, he said, not many companies or people were involved in such a business. Also, the financial rewards were not so good compared to other professions.

But, he added, he saw prospects in the business. "I have a vision that the human resource training business would grow in the future. That's why I stayed and continued to develop myself in this profession," he told The Jakarta Post last week.

His career in the company ran well and he was named a director. Two things made him successful as a human resources trainer: His public speaking skills and his hobby of reading.

"I like reading very much -- especially philosophy and human resources development. When I was a student my book collection surprised my friends. They liked buying shoes or dresses. But I wanted to buy books," he said.

"I now have more than 2,000 books in my own library. Besides, I also subscribe to a number of newspapers and magazines. I need them to further increase my knowledge. They also reveal to people who I am when they come to my house," added the admirer of Nelson Mandela, the national hero of South Africa.

In 1997 he and his colleagues in the American company-- Andreas Harefa and Agus Santosa -- quit and set up their own human resources training firm, Darma Mahardika Institute.

"The year 1997 was a turning point for me, as I made a crucial decision in my life to change my position from an employee to that of an employer," he said.

Of course he has gone through ups and downs in the business but his company has been doing well recently. It has secured human resource training deals with dozens of private and state- owned companies, including AMEX, Astra, BASF, BCA, Caltex, Charoen Pokphand, Combiphar, Dayin Mitra, Kalbe, Kondur Petroleum, Konimex, Lippo, Ometraco, Indosat, Telkom, PTPN and Jiwasraya.

Together with his partner Andreas Harefa, Jansen, who was born in 1958 in Sukarame village, Sidikalang, has now become a well- known motivational trainer on achieving success. He has also written a number of books, including Ethos21,Strategi Adaptif Abad ke-21 (Adaptive Strategy in the 21st Century), Mengubah Pasir Menjadi Mutiara (Creating a Pearl from a Grain of Sand).

"Now we see this kind of business is growing. Hundreds of companies are involved in this business, which has already become an industry ... a success industry. This kind of industry will continue to grow, even beyond my lifetime," he said.

He attributed his business success to his work ethos -- guidance based on social norms and values.

Quoting from his book, Ethos21, he said the work ethos had eight principles.

"First, work as a blessing: I work sincerely and am grateful for it. Second, work as a mandate: I work truly and shoulder responsibility.

"Third, work as a calling: I work meticulously and with integrity. Fourth, work as self-actualization: I work hard and am full of spirit. Fifth, work as devotion: I work seriously and am full of love.

"Sixth, work as art: I work creatively, with happiness. Seventh, work as honor: I work with persistence and aim for excellence. Eighth, work as a service: I aim to work perfectly, with respect."

He claims that he is the first person in the country -- and perhaps in the world -- who has branded such human resources training as an ethos. And as a result he added the word "ethos" to his name, to become Ethos Jansen Sinamo.

"In all trainings I've given I've always underlined the importance of an ethos in achieving success," he said, adding that the work ethos can be even considered as a kind of "secular" religion.

Asked why he held such a conviction in spite of the reputation of Indonesia as one of the world's most corrupt countries that often drags down those aiming for success, he said that ethos was a set of moral principles; and such principles always emerged from a society blighted by moral decadence.

"Morality comes from religion. All religions emerged from societies facing a moral crisis. It is true that this country is one of the most corrupt in the world. But we're also witnessing an emerging democracy here. I'm confident, therefore, that Indonesia will experience good development," he said.

He said that now his pursuit of human resources training was not only for the sake of business but also in the spirit of making more and more people want to revive their spirit of success.

"Because, if they want to revive the spirit they have to apply the work ethos -- and that's good for people, their institutions and even for the country," said Jansen.