Urging people to apply work ethos

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.