(Courtesy of Ahmad Dipoditiro/Mario Fendy)Businessman Ahmad Dipoditiro sees the dignity of all employees, from executives to office boys. He believes in nurturing values that instill a sense of pride in them and in their job.

Through a positive sense of self, plus the confidence to air their views and ideas, spring creativity and innovation — and a boost to the bottom line.

”Being proud of themselves does not necessarily mean showing off their skills or capabilities, but having a passion for what they do, feeling content and setting a good example for others,” said the CEO and commissioner of PT Tata Disantara and PT Pasaraya International Hedonisarana,

Dipo says he encourages feelings of pride in his employees and staff regardless of their educational backgrounds and position. A receptionist, for example, is proud of herself because she knows that not everyone is able to handle her responsibilities.

The management provides focused training for staff with the aim of building their confidence.

“Besides, they are encouraged to focus on an output, with the execution in accordance with their own style or method,” said the 39-year-old, who is the third son of businessman and former manpower minister Abdul Latief.

By focusing on output, they are expected to deliver satisfying results on schedule, which will increase their sense of responsibility.

“In this way, they will feel being appreciated and become proud of themselves,” he said.

Dipo held the position of CFO in a finance consulting company for several years before officially joining the family’s holding company, Alatief Corporation, with property as his business focus in 2010. His first and ongoing project is building the landmark Menara Sentraya (Sentraya Tower), a 41-floor office building in the Blok M area of South Jakarta.

Dipo acknowledged that as he was still a newcomer in the property industry, he forged good relations with consultants and contractors for their extensive experience in the sector.

“What makes a good product is a good team,” he said of his business strategy.

He also know that effective and cordial working relations must be built, particularly in a team composed of representatives from different firms.

“We have a lunch gathering each month and everyone is involved in the event. They come from different firms, with different educational backgrounds and responsibilities, but they are like one family,” said the father of three.

Other enjoyable, relationship-building endeavors include karaoke sessions, through which ”we can find out the potential of each employee beyond their official job or profession, which we may take advantage of as far as corporate growth is concerned.”

Employee appraisals are based on clear parameters. It is helpful when there has been a sudden decline in an employee’s performance. Dipo said he would not immediately sanction the person involved, but sit down with him or her to ascertain the cause of the problem.

“If it turns out that it is a family-related problem, we help him solve the problem. If it turns out the individual is sick, it is better to take a break so as not to get worse. If one employee is underperforming, then this will finally have an effect on the company,” he said.

“But we cannot tolerate criminal actions by an employee.”

When it comes to tasks, employees are supposed to perform based on a plan and schedule to produce expected outputs.

“It is natural that there are always problems or obstacles along the way but there is always room for improvement. Improvement, newness, friendship, fellowship and openness are all highly respected and people in the company are expected to understand how to place themselves according to their role and obligations.”

With people in the project coming from different firms, people in the team occasionally engage in heated arguments when it comes to identifying solutions. In this respect, he emphasized the importance of involving an expert.

“By involving an expert, there will be an independent opinion on a particular problem and in this way, the best alternative solution can be found, which is respected by different stakeholders,” he said.

Lessons learned

Dipo acknowledges the valuable lessons from his previous work in finance. He was exposed to different kinds of industries, such as infrastructure, manufacturing and plantations.

“Working in different industries has allowed me go from one place to another to conduct projects, even in remote regions such as Kalimantan. I learned how to interact with people from different kinds of industries and how people from infrastructure, banking or plantation industries perceived and reacted to a problem. From there, I learned how to present myself so that I could be universally acceptable,” he said.

Other values were learned when he was still living with his parents.

“From my father, I learned how to run a business, while my mother educated me,” he said.

“Nurtured and inherited family values are what we call Ratteju, which stands for Rajin, Tekun, Terampil and Jujur [diligent, persistent, skillful and honest]. I always bring in this life philosophy when I interact with other people.”

When he entered the working world, he found another job-related philosophy: working hard, sincerity, smarts and completing tasks.

“Working sincerely will result in the smartness that will allow for new ideas and innovation. This will allow us accomplish our work,” he said.

“These family values have become our corporate values that all employees should understand and implement,” he pointed out.

Like other Jakarta executives, Dipo has a tight schedule in the bustling metropolis, with chronic traffic congestion. However, he has his own way of finding a work-life balance, doing regular jogging and swimming outside office hours.

“I’ve learnt how to keep patient and calm by swimming. Once my head goes underwater I hear nothing, which makes me feel quiet and peaceful because I stop thinking. Through this activity, I’ve also learned about accuracy. I know when I have to inhale and exhale,” he said.

On holiday, he and his family have fun together by traveling, either domestically or overseas.

“My children love Bali very much. The beach, arts and culture, food and the people make them feel at home,” he said. “My three children are my ‘fighting’ companions.”

Name: Ahmad Dipoditiro (Dipo)

Place/Date of Birth: Jakarta, Jan. 9, 1973

Education:

1999 – 2000 : MBA, Financial Management, San Francisco Management Science

1998 – 1999 : Post-graduate - Management Accounting & Quality Control, San Francisco State University (1999)

1993 – 1997 : BS, Business Administration, Marketing, San Francisco State University (1997)

Work Experience:

2010 – 2011 : President Director, PT Pasaraya International Hedonisarana

2009 – Present : CEO, PT Tata Disantara

2007 – Present : CEO, PT Ambhara Tharuna

2005 – 2007 : CFO, PT Lativi Mediakarya

2003 – 2005 : Vice Executive Founder Office, Alatief Corporation, Jakarta, Indonesia

2000 – 2003 : Corporate Finance, Ernst & Young Consulting, Jakarta

1999 – 1997 : Research and consultant assistant – Science Department Dean’s office Accounting Department,
San Francisco State

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