(JP/Tifa Asrianti)Straight-talking Dharma Simorangkir has one simple tip to make it in a multinational company, or any other company, actually: communicate your ideas.

'People in multinational companies appreciate ideas. If you don't communicate, it's not their fault that they don't know you. I usually pick up the phone and call them if there is a roadblock. People appreciate it when you open communications,' said the vice president of business development for leading mobile advertising company Out There Media Asia Pacific.

'There are a lot of experts in Indonesia, but they stay silent when they do their job. It does not mean that we need to brag but we must communicate to our supervisors on how things can be done quicker and faster.'

With communications at the core of his work ethos, the only Indonesian in the company also introduced the Indonesian values of musyawarah (consultation) and mufakat (consensus) to solve problems at the office.

'We actually have the same purpose but sometimes personal interests get in the way. Musyawarah mufakat can help us find common ground. The process can take a while, but once it is solved, we can use the method for similar problems in the future. I avoid sending e-mail. I prefer to talk to them directly, as it is more personal. Sometimes e-mail sounds rude and not what we actualy mean,' he said.

Dharma, who received a bachelor's degree in telecommunications engineering from Brawijaya University in Malang, East Java, started his career with Huawei, the Shenzhen-based leading global information and communications technology solution provider. He said the experience of being in charge of several projects gave him real life lessons.

'They sent me to Palembang and gave me the money to work on a project. It was the first time I had ever boarded an airplane, let alone met a client. But in a way it helped my personal development, such as how to talk to people, how to negotiate and to calm people down when there's a problem,' he said.

He held several positions in the company, working as an engineer and also a project manager. His hard work paid off a year later when he was awarded a Golden Key to recognize his contribution to the company's successful entry in the Asia-Pacific market.

'There are people who do not want to multitask because they feel they are only paid to do certain work. In my opinion, you will never grow if you don't expand your boundaries,' he said.

Lessons from colleagues

After working with Huawei, Dharma, 33, later moved to Nokia Siemens Network to take up a new role in marketing and then to Ericsson in mobile advertising, before going to Out There Media. Dharma prepared himself for his new role by reading books as well as taking tips from his seniors and customers.

One of Dharma's teachers in the workplace was Xin Zhi, head of product management for Huawei, who Dharma said taught him to persevere even if the client rejected his ideas.

'We have to find a way to convince the client that our idea is good. We need to persevere because we know we are giving our best to the client.'

Another role model for Dharma is Amr Al Said, a Saudi national he worked with at Ericsson. Dharma said that Al Said taught him how to think big and make small ideas into big things that can attract or motivate many people.

'For example, if we talk about a business that can bring in US$100,000 or $1 million, people will not blink at hearing that number nowadays. So we have to make it big, either through market expansion, product innovations or going to market with a different product. Think about how big it gets, so it will not limit our imagination,' he said.

'When we start a new business, we tend to think more about the obstacles, such as regulations, government, the lack of information about the business in the society and the lack of capital. Those are things that make businesses die before they grow.'

Besides picking up some work tips from the people around him, Dharma also takes their management styles to shape his own.

'I want to lead by having a fully engaged team. Not just people who work according to their work contracts, but those who understand that this is what they wake up every day for. Once they are engaged, we can do great things together. I don't have to tell them what to do and I don't have to micromanage. Just give them the big picture and target and everyone can go for it,' he said.

But there are always employees for whom the approach does not work. Dharma asks them about what they want to do in life and what they need to do to be motivated.

'The employees are usually underperforming when they feel they are alienated and not part of the team. We need to identify if they still share the company's big goals,' he said.

If the employee cannot continue with the company, he helps them find a new place that could use their competencies and skills. For him, keeping employees who are not motivated will mean difficulties in the long run.

'In the case where employees feel they are lacking competence, we will provide training. However, we usually hold tests before we hire them so we know their competencies.'

Dharma said that giving a team a set of objectives without clear communication tops the list of things he would never do as a manager, because he ensures that they fully understand what the company expects.

'We usually hold the weekly meeting to gather stakeholders and make decisions, such as commercial decisions, recruitment and partnership. As for updates, we can do that through e-mail anytime,' he said.

One thing that he learned is to get the team united with a single motivation.

'Sometimes leaders use generic motivation, such as the company must grow its market. In my opinion, such a target is a bit unclear. We need to make a clear target. For example, we want to be number one in mobile advertising industry in Asia Pacific in 2015, that is what I plant in my team's minds,' he said.

Work and play

Dharma's typical day is full of meetings and conference calls and he is rarely in the office. Even during business trips to Singapore, his entire day is devoted to a round of meetings.

'I may have conference calls at 6 a.m., either from home or on the road. If the schedule permits, I can go to the gym before work,' he said.

On weekends, he spends time with his family. The father of two enjoys taking his kids to playgrounds and teaching them English and the language of their Batak ancestors.

'For a holiday, the place is not a big issue. Most important is being together with the family. Sometimes we go to Bandung, or if I have a business trip to Singapore, I bring my wife and kids with me,' he said.

Dharma Simorangkir

Place/Date of Birth: Jakarta, Jan. 9, 1980

Work Experience
Has held various positions at Huawei, Ericsson and currently at Out There Media.

Education
2003: Graduated from Brawijaya University with a degree in telecommunications engineering.
2009: Graduated from IPMI with an MBA in general management.

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