(Courtesy of Alex MT Maneklaran)Alex MT Maneklaran emphasizes an open door policy when it comes to business management; it gives him access to nurturing good workforce relationships, which in turn contributes to business growth.

The president director and chief executive of PT Aerowisata Group invites the entire workforce, from members of the board of directors, managers to regular employees, to participate in the management process of the company.

“Implementing company policies, which have been thoroughly and fairly discussed with all parties involved, is evidently more effective than realizing policies directly manifested from higher-ups. These types of policies provide staff with the opportunity to fully engage in the decision-making process and as a result, they willingly give tremendous positive energy for all of us to then properly apply the policy,” the 46-year-old explained.

Maneklaran constantly ensures the lines of communication between him and other employees run well and are open. During meetings, he will request his team’s opinions on various subject matters.

“Most employees are reluctant to voice their thoughts when not asked. So it’s vital for me to always ask my staff and listen to everything they say. And often I find their ideas are truly extraordinary,” he pointed out.

After providing chances for employees to present ideas, Maneklaran then carefully reviews the proposals together with them.

“If I don’t agree on something, I will honestly explain the objective reasons and considerations behind my decision. That way, they can sincerely accept it and are willing to run the decision I’ve made with a positive attitude.”

Maneklaran joined PT Aerowisata Group, a subsidiary of PT Garuda Indonesia, in 2008. The company specializes in providing supporting services for Garuda Indonesia, which comprises of food services, hotels and resorts, travel and leisure, and transportation services.

 His primary duty is to oversee the entire operation of its four equally large divisions while continuously searching for viable and effective strategies to be applied so as to keep the company as one of the biggest players in the country’s tourism industry.

“It’s my responsibility to coordinate each division, which are closely interlinked, to always focus on their core businesses and at the same time, to synergize the work flow between these divisions so they can fully support each other in order to continually enhance the productivity and quality of services offered by Aerowisata,” explained the friendly, charismatic chief.

Rumor rout

Openness also extends to his sensible style of managing office rumors and gossip. During his first months in Aerowisata, he frequently received anonymous complaint letters from employees criticizing their bosses and fellow colleagues. At that time, Maneklaran firmly informed everyone that he would not read the letters, to show his disapproval of such conduct.

“I spoke openly to all of the staff: ‘If you send an anonymous letter to me, how can I clarify the issue you’re currently facing?’ Thus, as a solution, I decided to give my cell phone number to everyone in Aerowisata,” he said.

“That way, every employee can freely talk about work-related issues directly to me. And I would sincerely help solve their problems while maintaining their privacy. I can also immediately clarify any unpleasant rumors about me or anyone else in the office so that every matter becomes clear.”

Nowadays, Maneklaran can breathe a sigh of relief. He no longer receives anonymous complaint letters and employees seem pleased with his genuine openness in handling even the most complicated issues.

“Sometimes, members of staff have a very different perception from their bosses in assessing certain issues. Therefore, when they come seeking explanations from us, it’s our job as their superiors to spell out the matter clearly so they would understand the whole situation.”

A successful open door policy can only be obtained, “by fully opening our hearts to truly listen to the employees”, something he reminds his board of directors about.

“Every dispute or problem that arises is due to the lack of communication and clarification between the people involved,” he explained.

He is well known for his cheerful demeanor and sincerity, but he is also highly principled in handling wrongdoing. At the beginning of his tenure in Aerowisata, he stated, “I’m a person who doesn’t like violating company regulations, thus for employees who are caught breaking any regulations, I will not defend them at any cost.”

Maneklaran is keen to maintain the solid interaction between all employees as well as among each division in Aerowisata. As he has experienced himself, “A tight and harmonious working relationship will definitely ignite a diverse range of exceptional ideas and creativity, which eventually creates a remarkable force for everyone in the company to work together in a conducive and supportive environment.”

Furthermore, the success of the open door policy Maneklaran has established within Aerowisata can be measured by the company’s increased revenue in 2011, which reached Rp 2.3 trillion (US$239 million) from an average of only under Rp 1 trillion in 2008 and previous years.

“This proud achievement actually derived from the amazing creativity of our staff in developing innovative campaigns and programs for the company during the past four years.”

Soccer and golf are two of Maneklaran’s favorite pastimes. On weekends, whenever he is not on a business trip, Maneklaran spends his day playing golf, and when he’s resting at home, he makes sure to watch his favorite soccer team, Chelsea FC, in action on TV.

“Golf is a sport that I love playing, whereas soccer is something I enjoy watching,” explains Maneklaran who also loves spending his Saturday nights going on culinary trips with his tight-knit family.

Maneklaran holds a very simple life principle: always think positively and speak well of others as well as do good for others.

“I make sure that my thoughts, verbal expressions and physical actions are always positive and in sync with each other. And if we’re able to apply this simple principle in our daily lives with a sincere heart, good fortune will always come from God.”

Place and date of birth: Lurasik, East Nusa Tenggara, Oct. 6, 1965

Education

• Master’s degree in Financial Management, Sekolah Tinggi Ilmu Manajemen, Jakarta
• Undergraduate degree in Accounting, Diponegoro University, Semarang, Central Java.
• High school diploma, Lalian Seminary, Atambua, East Nusa Tenggara

Experience

March 2008 – present:
President director, PT Aerowisata
November 2007 – February 2008: Corporate advisor, PT Garuda Indonesia
March 2005 – October 2007: Executive VP Finance, PT Garuda Indonesia
December 2004 – March 2005: Finance director pension fund, PT Garuda Indonesia
December 2003 – December 2004: Finance expert, PT Garuda Indonesia
May 2000 – December 2003: VP financial accounting, PT Garuda Indonesia

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