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Building effective workplace relationships
Cargo transportation and logistics company managing director Bani Maulana Mulia believes in the power of good communication to grow business
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argo transportation and logistics company managing director Bani Maulana Mulia believes in the power of good communication to grow business.
Building good boss-subordinates communication is more easily said than done, but Bani Maulana Mulia, an executive of a cargo transportation and logistics company, has found the right ingredient for effective workplace relationships.
'Somehow or other, we understand that instinctively, subordinates feel sungkan [reluctant to approach or take action toward someone of higher status], afraid or have the feeling of being intimidated by their superior when it comes to communication in the workplace,' said managing director of PT Samudera Indonesia Tangguh and holding company Samudera Indonesia Group
'Therefore, to build good communication, a boss or a superior has to take the initiative. The superior has to actively initiate conversation, a formal or informal dialog with his or her subordinates,' said the 35-year-old.
'That's what I always try to do. As a superior, I go down and meet them and always try to continuously have a good communication with them,' he said.
Most of the corporate problems that frequently arise are rooted in communication problems. 'So, a good, open and mutual-respect-based communication will lead to a very healthy working environment,' he said.
According to Bani, the superior and subordinates are part of a hierarchical structure, yet they are equal in the sense that there is no different 'caste' and their relationship is based on symbiotic mutualism. 'This is the principle I always try to show, put into practice and develop into a habit in the workplace,' he said.
To foster good communication with his subordinates, he is engaged in different non-job activities that employees hold, such as tennis, badminton, futsal and motor touring.
The motor touring, for example, is participated in by many people from different positions, ranging from office boys, security guards and employees to managers and directors.
He related a real case related to lack of communication in the workplace, which resulted in an unexpectedly unhealthy atmosphere in the company.
Once, several employees were involved in office politics and they 'pitted me and fellow employees from family members against each other. This led to the family becoming embroiled in a quarrel.
'But finally, we could cope with the problem after realizing it. So, the key is communication,' he said, explaining the biggest challenge that he faced in workplace people management.
The down-to-earth and humble Bani is the second son of a family inheriting Samudera Indonesia, a shipping agency established and owned by the Soedarpo family. The Soedarpo Group has been structured in such a way that the highest position in the holding company is called Ngrumat Bondo Utmo (NBU). In principle, NBU is 100 percent owned by the family, but it employs professionals in running the business and so do its subsidiaries, including Samudera Indonesia. Currently, the group, with numerous subsidiaries, employs around 6,000 people.
'We are a family-owned business, but not a family-run business. It is actually a professionally-run business,' said Bani.
Only Soedarpo family members that have passion and required competence can work and engage in the family-owned business. 'I happen to be a family member that has the qualifications and competencies that fit the company,' he said.
Bani commenced his career as an employee at 21 following a year's internship at the company. Passion, curiosity and his love of learning from others, including his seniors, helped him to rise to the top.
'When I was a child, I often went aboard the ships, which aroused my curiosity. When studying economics, the shipping and logistics business aroused my curiosity and kept me wondering as to how a business that earns only a small profit can survive,' he recollected.
'I then translated this into a challenge that has to be answered to achieve a shared goal of raising the welfare of employees,' he went on.
Now as managing director of Samudera Indonesia, his strategy is strengthening and developing the organization of the company with human resources with high integrity, quality and high competency.
Jokowi's vision
He acknowledged that the sea freight and logistics business was booming, largely as a result of President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo's stated vision of Indonesia becoming a 'global maritime axis'.
He said that Jokowi's vision stated last year had infused increased spirit into those involved in the cargo transportation and logistics business, encouraging them to further implement related projects as 'major banks are now racing to lend loans to finance the development of port, purchase of ships and other sea transportation and logistics-related projects'.
Bani's engagement in the company has brought a wind of change for improvement. Samudera Indonesia has seen several changes to take advantage of the growing cargo transportation and logistics market across Indonesia. A case in point is establishing a subsidiary in every area, replacing the branch-office concept so that the subsidiaries can focus on the market that they target.
Replacing the role of branch offices with subsidiaries aims to erase or reduce bureaucratic affairs involving the branch offices and central office. 'With the status of a subsidiary, the unit leaders become more independent and autonomous and have the authority to make a decision faster than by a branch office head,' he said.
According to him, his mission in this regard is to decentralize the authority of making decisions to allow for the effective running of the business.
'Our people from the dockyard, port or truck company may report a problem, and if they report to one person, then a decision will be hard to make, which will lead to a bottleneck,' he reasoned.
'I have also implemented a policy of empowering leaders of subsidiaries. Previously, the highest position in a subsidiary was general manager. Now there is a managing director level in every subsidiary, he noted.
Bani acknowledged that his life now was inseparable from the values that his parents cultivated in his childhood. 'Integrity is above everything. All will be in vain if you are smart, experienced, have a large network, productive, but have low integrity. Good integrity should be built, proved and, most difficult, maintained,' he said.
'We were taught to be always honest and fair. One small exemplary case is I was not allowed to apply for a driving license card before the permissible age whereas many of my friends at my age did. I do not have the habit of giving money as a settlement for violations of traffic regulations.'
His parents also instilled a sense of nationalism and strong principles as an Indonesian Muslim.
'My parent also cultivate the values of living in moderation, being simple, working with high professionalism, daring to admit a mistake and being willing to learn from the mistake, doing good to fellow human beings and giving alms in accordance with capability and etc.,' he said.
'I implement the values that I believe in, not because I am asked to do so.' (Sudibyo M. Wiradji)
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At Ease
Ascending and descending ships
I thank God that I work with passion. That's why working is like a hobby and so when on holiday, I still feel like working. I've loved ships since I was a child and so ascending and descending ships is my hobby.
Away from my job and ship, I like sports. Currently I only have time to run and exercise at the gym. But I sometimes also like cycling or playing sports like tennis, basketball or jet-skiing.
Antique cars
I also enjoy taking care of antique cars, fixing and restoring them so as to make them like the original, especially cars with sentimental or historical value. I also like riding a motorcycle alone. I enjoy riding. Reading is also my hobby, but I hardly have any time to read.
Keeping body in shape
Doing the sports I mentioned above is how I keep my body healthy and fit. When I get fat, I eat less. When I start getting thin, I start eating more.
Place & Date of Birth
Jakarta, February 28, 1980
Education
Faculty of Economics, Universitas Indonesia
Finance, Deakin University, Australia
Experience
Soedarpo Informatika, Ngrumat Bondo Utomo, oldman Sachs (Singapore)
UOB Singapore, Ngrumat Bondo Utomo, Samudera Indonesia Tangguh
