Since our First Conversation

I like someone, he is inspiring to me and I want to share why I impressed by him since our first conversation last year.

before I accepted in my current company as an employee, I passed some selection stages which were document selection, math & english test and 4 interviews.. Tight enough to screen new employees, right? in the last interview, i had been interviewed by the 1st TOP Boss in my company. to be honest, I really enjoyed our discussion.. and it was just like a sharing between best friends instead of rigid interview haha... Mr. PIDI is second Indian I'd ever known  after my first Indian friend, V, whom I met in Malaysia. PIDI is tall and good looking (Second handsome after FCH -my ex Indian partner in Analysis Area, now he is a researcher, different division with me haha- well IMO FCH is the most handsome Indian guy I've ever met, LOL), well wise, straight to the point, and somekind bossy haha..

here our first conversation alike (lil bit forgot but I think it representative enough):

PIDI: pls introduce yourself

Me: thank you, My Name is Sarah Tsaqqofa, I was graduated from Bogor Agricultural University, majoring Food Science and Technology. My hobbies are reading and writing. I have some blogs, written in Indonesia and English. In English I write in The Jakarta Post Public Blog… (still want to continue..)

PIDI: Ok, enough..so, I got your CV from Kuli, how do you know her?

Me: actually, I don’t know Kuli and I’d never met Kuli before, Kuli is a friend of my mother’s friend. She told my mother that there is a vacancy in this company

PIDI: how do you think about this company?

Me: Well, I didn’t know before about this company, after I’ve been offered to apply a position in this company, I read everything about the company in the website, it got me more interested so I think that it would be challenging for me and that is why I wanted to apply a position here.

PIDI: Yes, you right. Working in MR company is very challenging, you will work in various area. I want to ask you some questions.. if you work with some people and they do not agree with you, what will you do?

Me: First of all, I will tell my opinion and discuss with them which are the best way, but I won’t force my opinion to them too..

PIDI: how if you got project from something you dislike, will you refuse it? For example, I don’t like smoking but we have cigarette company as client and we should do our job to help them as consultant, can you do that as professional?

Me: Actually I don’t like it too but I will communicate with those involved before I accept the job. But as professional I think I will run whats on my responsibility.

PIDI: do you accept that?

Me: Sorry? (I heard he said “except” not “accept”)

PIDI: Can you accept people who against your opinion?

Me: yes, of course I can accept what is on my opposite as long as I can communicate it well.

PIDI: Have you ever worked with foreigners?

Me: Yes, I have so many friends all over the world..

PIDI: Really? Do you have Indian friend?

Me: Yes I have Indian friend, her name is Vaidehi but I call her only V. We met in Malaysia in some environmental activities.

PIDI: WOW.. Are you a big activist??

Me: Hahaha.. Noo… (laughing)

PIDI: So… do you understand your future position as data analyst?

Me: Not really, but I think my job is making report from fieldwork to client..

PIDI: (Drawing some charts on his notes) Please choose which chart do client like more?

Me: (Looking at his notes) I choose this (chose a chart as what I make usual on Scientific Presentation)

PIDI: No, client will like this chart (pointing to other option). You know why? Because they bored with same chart every presentation. So, your job is not only as data analyst but also a data artist. I see in your CV, do you speak Japanese?

Me: just a lil bit, sir

PIDI: can you read Kanji?

Me: just about hundreds or something?

PIDI: Do you like anime, manga or can you drawing?

Me: (WOW, he knows anime and manga! Hahaha) I like it but not much, but I have ever joined Corel Draw Training held by my organization.

PIDI: Good, at least you have some basics. So, are you someone who easily get bored?

Me: No sir, if I like something, I will like it forever. For example, I like chocolate and if I order something It must be chocolate, chocolate ice cream, chocolate milk and etc (LOL, gak nyambung banget yah ni jawaban wkwkwk)

PIDI: hahaha… you looks like my wife! She likes chocolate very much!

Me: *eerrrrr… awkward moment* hahaha (ketawa aja)

PIDI: So you are graduated from IPB right? I see your TOEFL Score is so so… but your English is awesome, comparing to other IPB graduates here.. their English is not good (Bukan gw yang ngomong ini loh wkwkwk)

Me: Hahaha… (Ketawa lagi aja dah :p).. Thank you.. J (seneng juga sih dipujiii :p)

PIDI: So, do you like writing?

Me: yes. I write in some blogs

PIDI: what do you write?

Me: I write everything, about my life, my thought, my opinion and others..

PIDI: good, maybe you can write about your job here

Me: Sure, I’d love too. I will share to you later..

PIDI: Do you have any questions to me?

Me: mmm.. *thinking*.. can you speak bahasa?

PIDI: Yes, I can speak bahasa (tiba-tiba ada telepon bunyi)

PIDI: Iya bentar-bentar..bla bla bla (spoke in bahasa on phone)

PIDI: (Closed the conversation on phone). So you can see right as what I talked, I’ve been in Indonesia for 5 years, I can speak in Bahasa Indonesia so that you cannot badmouth me (becanda maksudnye)

Me: hahaha…

PIDI: another questions?

Me: (maksa bener dah suru nanya) Soo… are you the founder of this company?

PIDI: No, I’m not but I started to build in Indonesia branch, this company is centered in the UK and we just settled Indonesia branch since 2007, it is growing up so fast..

Me: ooh… I see (nggak tau mau nanggepin apa)

PIDI: one thing that you should notice is this company is foreign company, we open to everyone. There probably some Indians who work here but this is not Indian company. You should notice that, we are not Indian company

Me: ohh.. oke (ngerti maksudnya dia)

PIDI: How much salary do you want? (I think he must be busy)

Me: Mmm… I wrote in the paper, I think thats enough and it is negotiable

PIDI: Oke, now you can wait outside (to sign the acceptance letter)

Me: Thank you very much

After our first conversation, I very seldom talk to him, I just see how well he represent the company in monthly town hall (something like monthly presentation to all employees in order to share targets, awards for best projects, best employess etc.). As the top management and the key of the company, he is a good leader and has powerful public speaking. Yet, his English is somewhat “british accent” and I like it J

What I make more impressed by him is the history when he started the company, his efforts towards this until this company become the fastest growing MR agency in Indonesia. I knew this story from someone in office, he told me that Mr. PIDI was working with Local agency then he resigned to set up new agency. At the first, his new agency was local agency but the city rat race made he think more visionary. Clients need trust and they trust more “multinasional” company rather than “local” agency and that is why he bought “foreign agency” name and set up Indonesia branch. When it was begun, there was no office, everything done in his apartment (Oh my! I cannot believe it happened only 5 years ago and now it becomes very BIG company). He even went by Ojek to present the proposal from client to client. Day by day, it grew up and they have office, cars, employees are increasing too and it has been settled as now. I can imagine how BIG efforts that he did since the start. He stated from zero. It impressed me and inspired me so much. I learned about effort from him.

Last but not least, he explained very details, very carefully and deep touching (to me) about questions that sounding in local employees head (including myself). We know that it is globalization era so foreign people can work in any companies, including Indonesia. Maybe there are some perception about:

1. Why there are many expats in the company

2. Why their salary is much more while their work is less

3. Top management is greedy and only rich their own pocket

And the clarifications are:

1.       Expats are needed because the company is just like a kid who needs and thirst of knowledge. Invited expats to exchange the mutual understanding among field they expert of is very essential since this company needs more hands to grow up. Local resource somehow doesn’t represent experience that the company want even there are some who can fill in the positions. So expats is not barrier for local to grow up on their future career. Don’t mess up your mind with negative thinking! Be positive, if you only think minus and minus it will always be minus because minus plus minus is minus, so stay positive!

2.      Salary in this company is the highest salary comparing to salary in other agencies, believe it or not. According to the statistic data of Indonesian current salary, this company gives above median average salary (it means that it already well enough). Pointing to this, do not compare you salary to others, do not look at neighbour’s grass because it always seems greener! If you work well the company will appreciate that. It will impact too to your salary so don’t be too envy to others..

3.      Annual bonus in this company is the highest bonus that has been given ever in Indonesia (I acknowledged that because I experienced by myself. Very high annual bonus). What made me so touched was Mr.PIDI told that he even didn’t give any bonus to himself in the first year when starting this company, while all employees got. Also, he added that his first salary was even smaller than the senior researcher in the company. Wow, how big heart he is (even tho now he is soooo damn rich because his hardworking hahaha). So be patient and grateful.. it will processed step by step lah..

Shortly, he explained sooo wisely and I can accept the whole decision made by top management. Well delivery I think! I learned a lot about the way he thinking and understand how he can make this company grow so fast, it is because he doesn’t rich himself and the top. He cares to his employees, their happiness so that they can work well, I think this can be good role model to be input as one of your manner as a leader. Be a leader not a boss!

*Noted:
PIDI, FCH and Kuli is a fake name to protect their identity lol