TheJakartaPost

Please Update your browser

Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.

Jakarta Post

Reengineering culture to sustain Prabowo’s leadership

Priority short-term gains and loyalty over long-term collective goals result in resistance to change and delays in policy implementation.

Toronata Tambun (The Jakarta Post)
Premium
Singapore
Tue, December 10, 2024

Change text size

Gift Premium Articles
to Anyone

Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!
Reengineering culture to sustain Prabowo’s leadership President Prabowo Subianto (center) and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka (third right) greet Red and White Cabinet ministers before a plenary cabinet meeting at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Dec. 2, 2024. (Antara/Sigid Kurniawan)

L

eadership and team dynamics are critical to governance and progress. However, no leadership framework, whether global, local or tailored, can succeed without alignment with a society’s cultural foundations.

In Indonesia, the issue lies not in the leader's skill or preparation but in the unfit shared assumptions, as described by Edgar Schein, and the misaligned mental models that influence decision-making. These cultural barriers prioritize short-term gains and loyalty over long-term collective goals, resulting in resistance to change and delays in policy implementation.

President Prabowo Subianto’s leadership demonstrates high capability when analyzed through the lens of the 4-Caps+ Framework and the X-Team Model. His strengths are evident in sense-making, where he navigates complex sociopolitical landscapes, and in visioning, as shown by his ambitious goals for industrial growth and regional leadership.

However, even with these strengths, his ability to lead effectively is constrained by Indonesia’s cultural context. The misalignment of shared assumptions and mental models creates systemic resistance to policy implementation, delaying progress and limiting the transformative potential of his leadership.

Sense-making, a critical skill in adapting to uncertainty, requires leaders to reinterpret challenges and opportunities in real time. President Prabowo’s administration has demonstrated this capability through targeted energy subsidy reforms. Recognizing the fiscal strain caused by blanket subsidies, the government redirected resources to vulnerable sections of the population, while channeling savings into infrastructure and education.

However, systemic constraints, including coalition politics and competing interests, often limit scalability. These show how inherited mental models and competing priorities can temper even well-executed sense-making initiatives.

Viewpoint

Every Thursday

Whether you're looking to broaden your horizons or stay informed on the latest developments, "Viewpoint" is the perfect source for anyone seeking to engage with the issues that matter most.

By registering, you agree with The Jakarta Post's

Thank You

for signing up our newsletter!

Please check your email for your newsletter subscription.

View More Newsletter

Visioning, the ability to craft and communicate inspiring long-term goals, faces similar hurdles. Leaders like President Prabowo articulate aspirations for industrial growth and regional leadership. However, these visions are frequently diluted by the competing priorities of coalition politics, where maintaining alliances often takes precedence over implementing bold strategies.

to Read Full Story

  • Unlimited access to our web and app content
  • e-Post daily digital newspaper
  • No advertisements, no interruptions
  • Privileged access to our events and programs
  • Subscription to our newsletters
or

Purchase access to this article for

We accept

TJP - Visa
TJP - Mastercard
TJP - GoPay

Redirecting you to payment page

Pay per article

Reengineering culture to sustain Prabowo’s leadership

Rp 29,000 / article

1
Create your free account
By proceeding, you consent to the revised Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.
Already have an account?

2
  • Palmerat Barat No. 142-143
  • Central Jakarta
  • DKI Jakarta
  • Indonesia
  • 10270
  • +6283816779933
2
Total Rp 29,000

Your Opinion Matters

Share your experiences, suggestions, and any issues you've encountered on The Jakarta Post. We're here to listen.

Enter at least 30 characters
0 / 30

Thank You

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. We appreciate your feedback.

Share options

Quickly share this news with your network—keep everyone informed with just a single click!

Change text size options

Customize your reading experience by adjusting the text size to small, medium, or large—find what’s most comfortable for you.

Gift Premium Articles
to Anyone

Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!

Continue in the app

Get the best experience—faster access, exclusive features, and a seamless way to stay updated.