My Interview with Dian Siswarini (CEO of PT XL Axiata) - the Jakarta Post

I am with Dian Siswarini, the CEO of PT XL Axiata.

It is an honor for me to interview this super woman on behalf of the Jakarta Post to talk about the leadership she applies in the company and her career in telecommunication world. I can not imagine that this lady is used to climb the telecommunication towers. I am amazed! 

You can enjoy the article I write for the Jakarta Post at this link: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/09/07/dian-siswarini-leveraging-a-solid-team-build-future.html 

To make it easier, you can read it also below as I copy paste it. Enjoy! 

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Dian Siswarini is at the top of the ladder building stronger human resources to boost business performance.

The nitty-gritty of creating solid synergy lies in the ability to utilize the best skills from team members, said Dian Siswarini, the newly appointed CEO of PT XL Axiata. “This way we all can walk together in the same direction.” 

She believes that solid synergy builds a great team, which in turn can contribute to the advancement of the company. So, as she added, a highly functioning team is what she needed to achieve such a goal. 

“I’m convinced that the goal of building a strong team in any company is achievable, so long as the leader keeps having a positive impact on each of the members in my team. It is also important to note that a leader should have open hands to help them produce optimum results. By nature, good leaders should do their best to work efficiently, guide their subordinates to priority tasks and create a sense of happiness when tasks are completed. Only happy employees will do more work and serve happy customers,” she explained. 

Many will see the difficulty of Dian’s leadership at an IT-related company in a highly male-dominated sector. Some consider the IT industry a female-unfriendly environment. Despite all the stereotypes one she could be labelled with, Dian has proven otherwise. 

She disagrees that technology and telecommunications are a man’s world. She strongly commented that it is for both sides. “In a job, there is no separation between the job for men and the job for women. Everyone is treated equally. The fact is that many of the competent people who have graduated from our training are women. In general, women are more cautious. One example is when climbing a telecommunication tower, most women will pay more attention to detail when it comes to the use of a safety belt, complete tools, and so on, as we know this activity is dangerous; while many men may not take it as seriously.”

To cut it short, both genders have advantages and disadvantages. However, Dian said that one of the advantages of being a female leader is that she gets used to multi-tasking. “There are many career women who have to do regular domestic tasks, such as preparing breakfast for their family before getting ready to work. For a woman, this multi-tasking ability has the potential to enhance her skills in handling people’s problems. That’s the kind of skill needed to lead a team.” 

Dian remarks that there is a very small number of women at the helm of companies, especially big corporations. She said that this is due to the fact that they often feel that being a leader is not their priority. “Some of them also have a lack of confidence to demand what they want in a job offer; this includes the willingness to achieve a higher position. They are often portrayed as having less bargaining power compared to their male counterparts.”

Winning strategy 

According to Dian there are challenges that need to be resolved in the telecommunications sector. “And XL is no exception. We are more product driven rather than market driven. Winning the customers’ hearts is one big challenge. So, it’s important to know what the customers want, the problems they face and the complaints they have. Next is to try to find the right solutions in a win-win situation.”

Currently, XL’s revenue market share is at around 19-20 percent. “We are now in the middle of doing a comprehensive business transformation to boost the company’s profitability. And my focus as the CEO is to ensure our business transformation agenda runs as planned.”

Dian sees the role of human resources as crucial to ensure the company’s business transformation. “As the customers and market are quickly adapting the new technology, it’s now time to adopt to the changes in the customer behavior and market. You have to adopt new things, and this can only be achieved if you have learning agility.” 

Under her leadership, XL puts emphasis honing its human resources skills through a special assessment that measures their learning agility. She said that learning agility had been an important part of the Key Performance Indicator (KPI) that they must achieve. “The employees who can show a larger value of learning agility get more chances to receive more training and are appreciated with higher values and better promotions.”

She also stresses the importance of creating a homey working environment. She encourages everyone in the company to strengthen each other’s formal relationship in the workplace and an informal relationship outside work. “This is a potential for everyone to win everyone’s heart. Understanding each other’s character and background can lead to a more efficient working relationship. And that will pave the way for building a solid team!” 

Birth

Majalengka, West Java, May 5, 1968

Career Highlights

Chief executive officer of PT XL Axiata (April 2015–present); previously was the company’s deputy chief executive officer (January–March 2015); group chief of marketing & operations at Axiata Group, Malaysia (2014); chief of digital services officer (2013), director network services (2007-2013) and VP network (2005-2007) at PT XL Axiata. 

Education 

Undergraduate degree in electrical engineering from Bandung Institute of Technology (1988); Harvard Advanced Management Program, Harvard Business School, US (2013).

At Ease

Family activities 

Having a quality family time is what I treasure the most when I’m away from work. I like to spend moments with my husband and our three children watching movies, traveling and doing sports. These activities can bring us closer together, and I’m so proud that I finally can influence the kids to play golf too. 

Traveling 

My family and I spent our last holiday hiking at Rinjani Mountain. We put Japan at the top of our list of overseas travel destinations. I like Japan very much for the country’s rich culture, tradition and safety. In Indonesia, Bali is thus far still the best holiday destination. 

Staying fit 

To keep my body fit and healthy, I exercise at the gym three times a week and participate in the 5K running competition. I want to restart the health program again after being off for some time. Doing sports is not only beneficial for health, but in some cases, especially when playing golf, it has networking potential to add value to the business.

Fashion Report: Marks & Spencer - Autumn / Winter 2015 Trend

The British character fits the autumn / winter seasons around the world. Warm and homy, traditional and elegant. Together with Grazia Indonesia Magazine, the fashion style by Marks & Spencer colors the world with its Art of British that melts down the coldness of the season. 

For Women. 

Its refined fabric shows the elegant and simple cut on their clothes. The designers smartly combine the traditional lines with the brand new designs. The color is sophistically calm and grounding. Feel secured and warm under all the feminine clothes, but look playful through all the details. 

For Men. 

Classic, modern, and rich. No one knows if the men go formal or casual. Some of the super-slim fit lines are truly designed for the metrosexual ones. Warm and tender, the guys look so cool and cold. Very British. Like James Bond 007. 

Beauty Report: The Luxury Timeless Beauty of ULTIMA II Delicate Lipstick

ULTIMA II launches Delicate Lipstick to enhance stylish and luxurious everyday looks.

Together with Grazia Indonesia Magazine, ULTIMA II invites Indonesian women to plan a beauty for today and the future with decorative cosmetics that have a skincare benefits. Delicate Lipstick is enriched with moisturizers, Vitamin C, and Vitamin E, so that the lips look smooth, soft, and elegant. The color is excellence, stylish, and does not easily fade. It is appropriate for active women who are concerned with health and skin moisture.

The four 4 colors that look good on Asian skin are Fabulous Fuchsia, Radiant Ruby, Amazing Apricot and Passionate Plum.

Exploring Le Gran Cafe and Aoki Japanese Cuisine at Gran Mahakam Hotel

Gran Mahakam Hotel  

Jln. Mahakam I no.6, 

Blok M, 

Jakarta 12130

Tel: +6221-7209-966 

E-mail: dopr@granmahakam.com; pro@granmahakam.com

Website: www.granmahakam.com

Blok M area is not a new place for me. I had the moments when I took a bus from the station and shopped around the malls there. My previous office was located in the area too. And Gran Mahakam Hotel is not so strange for me because I had taken my previous clients to have the business meetings in the restaurants of the hotel. When I received the invitation to have a Dinner Gathering in the hotel, all of the sudden, all the good memories return to my mind. I am so excited to feel the old atmosphere again.

As I enter the hotel, I can feel that there is nothing change there. It still feels the same way. So homy and comfortable. I always love the warm feeling I get in its lobby.

As I go up to the function room where the event is held, I can see some of the hotel guests are relaxing their mind by sitting comfortably at the couch in the lobby that feels like our living room in our house.

The Gran Mahakam Hotel is designed in the European-baroque-style architecture, so you feel like going to an old building in most of the places in Europe. The hotel is a boutique style hotel which means that guests can expect an intimate atmosphere when they stay here.

The hotel holds the Dinner Gathering to introduce the signature food of the two restaurants in the hotel, Le Gran Cafe and Aoki Japanese Cuisine. Le Grand Cafe is known for its superb International Buffet and Indonesian Cuisines, while Aoki Japanese Cuisine is known for its authentic Japanese food.

The event is started with a Blind Food Tasting. The hotel team prepares Putu Mayang - the traditional Indonesian snack, Sushi roll and Raspberry Sorbet. What we should do is to guess the ingredients of the food. I know what kind of food I eat, but I give the wrong name for the first food - I named it with one of Indonesian singers Mayang Sari, and I can not describe the ingredients of the Sushi and the Sorbet. Damn! I fail! LOL!
What I learn so far from this session is that our eyes is the main source of our taste. Once we close our eyes, our tongue and mouth might know what kind of food we eat, but our brain can not explain the ingredients of the food that we eat. Amazing experience!

That is the reason why they say "Eyes are the windows of the heart" and "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder". Ladies and gentlemen, our eyes are the key to our joy and happiness, so please take care of them.

(The photo is taken from Billy's camera).

OK, it is time to eat with open eyes :-D

APPETIZER

Gado-Gado Padang 

(Mixed vegetables with the signature Padang peanut sauce on top)

The sauce is delicious that I and my food buddy, Billy, request for the second bowl of sauce. The taste of the sauce is sweet and fresh, and I guess it fits the taste in the tongue of both Asian and Western people. This is one of the best food that night.

Fresh Crab Hand Roll 

(Crab meat wrapped in soy paper with fresh tuna on top)

The unique thing about this food is that you can eat the crispy soy paper. There is an art to eat this food. You need to start from the bottom until you reach the top of it where you can find the tuna. So exciting!

SOUP

Soto Padang 

(Angel hair, potato, jerked beef served in the signature soup from West Sumatra)

The broth from the soup is delicious and warm. This soup is good for those who like rich taste in a bowl. You need to try its delicious chilly sauce / sambal that is placed inside a mini green bowl from a lime. Don't worry about the taste of the sambal, I think it has been adjusted to meet Westerners standard of hotness :-D

Don't forget to pour the lime to the soup to add the feeling of fresh and juicy, and to eat the pink crackers to feel the kampung or village moment from the bowl.

You can order the soup and combine it with rice. Hot soup and hot rice are the best friend for a rainy day :-)

MAIN COURSE

Nasi Daun Jeruk 

(Rice with lime leaves served with ayam masereh; shredded chicken with chili sauce, mixed vegetables with anchovies, squid with green chili sauce, jerked beef, satay, dried potato and our signature peanut brittle)

Special flavored rice with many assorted Indonesian side dishes of meat and vegetables! Perfect for those who are really hungry. This is unique for me as the one I usually eat in a special occasion is Nasi Kuning or Yellow Rice, and its yellow color is from turmeric. The rice I eat in the gathering is Nasi Daun Jeruk or Lime Leaves Rice, and its green color is from the leaves, so I can call it Green Rice. This Green Rice can be used as an alternative to replace Yellow Rice when the chef is running out of turmeric :-)

Forget about ordinary steak and other meat with their basic sauces and condiments. This dish is good if you want to sample the spices in Indonesia that are mixed in the food, such as lemongrass (Sereh) and chilies. Like the rainbow, you can find many colors of Indonesia from this dish. From salty to savory, from sweet to spicy. I think this is the best signature food from the hotel.

By the way, Yellow Rice in Indonesia is only available when we celebrate special occasion and ceremony. It is made in a cone-shaped like mountain just like this dish, but in a bigger size, with banana leaf on its base. We also call it Nasi Tumpeng. In 2014, the Indonesian Government awarded Nasi Tumpeng as the official national dish of Indonesia, and describe it as "the dish that binds the diversity of Indonesian various culinary traditions".

Truffle Beef Bowl 

(Japanese slices marinated beef sprinkled with the finest Truffle sauce and scallion served on steamed Japanese rice)

After all the spicy food I eat, this dish neutralizes all aspects of my taste buds. The sweetness of the Truffle sauce can turn the rock n' roll music in mouth to a romantic song. The dish is good enough for a fan of sweet and savory. The stickiness of the Japanese rice is perfect. And I start to slow down everything, because my belly is so full :-))

DESSERT

Es Tape Hijau 
(Mixed of tape ketan, tape singkong, kopyor, kolang kaling with milk, coconut milk and syrup)

The duo of fermented sticky rice and fermented cassava are dominating the taste of this dessert. The interesting strong aroma from the fermented ingredients and the sweetness of other fruits and syrups are good combination to freshen my throat after I eat so many kind of food. The naturally occurring coconut mutant (Kopyor) and the fruit of sugar palm tree (Kolang Kaling) add freshness to the dessert. Check out the color, very pinky! The traditional shaved ice can show you that Indonesia has its own version of ice cream :-D

Mochi Ice Cream 
(Japanese confection made from mocha - pounded sticky rice - with green tea ice cream filling) 

For a fan of ice cream and not too sweet dessert, this is a good choice for you. The ice cream is very smooth and the sticky rice balances the coldness in the dessert.

The night is still young as we realize that all the people who attend the dinner gathering get many special prizes from the hotel and a sponsor.

The hotel gives a Teddy Bear and a brunch voucher for two people. The Teddy Bear is definitely mine! And the voucher will be given to special people in my life. Who are they? I will update you later ya :-)

The other sponsor in the gathering, Code Hunter application from Alternative Media Group, gives Nescafe Dolce Gusto - the coffee maker. Oh my God! I had been wanting this coffee maker for so long, and finally my dream comes true. Woho!

Code Hunter is a code hunting games application in the smartphones that can be downloaded from the Google Play and App Store. There will be reward for the hunters who are able to collect the most points through the certain media they see. The coffee maker is a part of the rewards, and the biggest prize is a car and motorcycles. So if you want to get many gifts in your life, you can download the app in your smartphones. Good luck!

Going home with a satisfied belly, a Teddy Bear, a brunch voucher at Gran Mahakam Hotel and a Nescafe Dolce Gusto coffee maker from Code Hunter app, I just can't deny the joy and happiness I get from the gathering :-)

Thank you, Gran Mahakam Hotel and Code Hunter app from Alternative Media Group, for a night of joy...

Have a great dining, everyone!

Sunday Brunch at C's Steak and Seafood Restaurant

C'S STEAK AND SEAFOOD RESTAURANT 

Grand Hyatt Hotel 

Jl. MH. Thamrin Kav. 28 – 30, 

Jakarta 

What can I describe about a happy Sunday? Going to church, having a great brunch and teaching yoga. And this kind of Sunday does not always happen. So when I have one, the world feels like a paradise :-)

The paradise comes when I receive an invitation to have a Sunday Brunch at C's Steak and Seafood Restaurant. So, after making my soul happy by praising God at the church, I make my way to make my belly happy by having the brunch at the restaurant. Praise the Lord!

Let's start talking about the story behind the brunch. The Executive Chef of Grand Hyatt Jakarta, Rolf Knecht, says that most of the ingredients they use are brought in from various sources in Indonesia in order to help local farmers. This is also because that Indonesia has excellent quality agricultural produce. The hotel will work together with more Indonesian suppliers too, so it is easier for the hotel to take and receive food supply. He also says that a part of this decision is because he is also from a farmer family, so he understands the situation.

WeIl, what can I say? I love this man! Is there any 5-stars executive chef who respects and supports the local wisdom? Chef Rolf Knecht is one in a million, and I adore him each time I talk to him. He is not just a chef who cooks, but he is a big man with a big heart. My time with him is like a meditation. He will do the wisdom preaching, and I will be a good student who listens to anything he says. If you meet him, I suggest you to grab him and say hi to him. He will shower you with his friendly rain :-)

In the Sunday Brunch, C's offers unlimited servings of finest quality of meat, appetizers and premium seafood on ice. The choices of food at Sunday Brunch in C's are fair enough. This is more than enough to satisfy one's hunger.

I start to shower my throat with the Virgin Mojito. This drink tastes so fresh with the mint leaves on top of it.

As a big fan of seafood, my concentration directly goes to the Seafood corner. In this corner, they serve Jumbo Prawns, King Crab Legs, Canadian Lobster, Clam Live, Mud Crab, etc. I take all of them! This is H.E.A.V.EN !!!

I eat them without the sauces and condiments, and I can taste the deliciousness and freshness of them. That means the quality of the seafood is great and they are cooked by the right chef. So good!

On the Appetizers and Salads corner, C's serves Seafood Salad Nicoise Style, Roasted Beet Salad, Momotaro Tomato And Feta, House Smoked Salmon, Traditional Caesar Salad, and Shaved Vegetable Salad. My favorite is the Salmon and the Beet Salad.

From the Grill Section, there are various of Meat and Seafood (again!!!!) that I can choose, such as Wood Oven Roasted Canadian Beef Sirloin, Beef Tenderloin, Rack Of Lamb, Whole Roasted Baby Chicken, Tropical Lobster, and King Prawns. I still eat the meats in this corner, and they taste fine, but I am not a big fan of meat. As you can predict, my favorite from this corner is the Lobster and the Prawn. They taste ooohhh so yummy!

From the Asian corner, my favorite is Peking Duck Pancakes, Dim Sum, Steamed Buns, and Spring Rolls.

From the C's Wok Fried corner, you can choose Wok Fried Garoupa, Wok Fried Tropical Lobster, Wok Fried Mud Crab, and King Prawns. One more food I enjoy at this Brunch is the mini Foie Gras that is served in the middle of two crispy breads. Both of the food are cooked right in front of me. The breads balances the taste of Foie Gras that make it feels so crunchy.

Almost all the food served with the condiments and the sauces on the side. Honestly, I don't take the sauces and condiments when I eat at this Sunday Brunch. Not because they don't taste good, but I believe great food don't need additional thing to feel good in my mouth. And yes, it is proven that all the food in C's are delicious and yummy without the sauces and condiments. Well, all the chefs in C's have done their job perfectly. Well done!  

The lazy Sunday is ended by satisfying my unusual sweet tooth. Okay, I usually have a salty tooth which means that I mostly like salty and savory food. But that day on the Sunday Brunch session, a lady from the Desserts corner keep teasing me to try some of the assorted Desserts there. I tell her that I will try them later as I want to look around first, especially that my concentration is still focusing on the Seafood corner. But she never gives up until I take a plate and grab a bunch of desserts. She then gives me a big smile, and I take it as a victory smile. Dang! She wins! LOL!

In this corner, they have a great collection of Crepes, Desserts, Pastries, Ice Cream, Sorbet, and Fresh Fruits. I try all of them and, and they are good. Most of them come in a small size, so I don't have to worry about my diet. Diet???? What diet :-D

My favorite Dessert from this corner is Chocolate Chili. When I bite it, I feel the chocolate at the beginning, but the Chili taste attacks my mouth softly as the chocolate cake disappears from my throat. How do they do it? Amazing!

Another best thing from the Dessert corner is the Sorbet. I aways love its sour taste, and Sorbet is healthier for our digestion than Ice Cream because it is made from yoghurt. Sorry, ice cream lovers :-D

You can find other food at this Sunday Brunch, such as: Garlic Roasted Baby Potatoes, Potato Puree, Truffle Mac & Cheese, Sauteed Forest Mushrooms, Season Vegetable, Tofu Tomato Soup, I FU Noodle With Crispy Duck, Javanese Fried Rice / Nasi Goreng Kambing, Honey BBQ Fried Chicken, Steamed Mixed Seasonal Vegetables, Deep Fried And Steamed Mantau, Bread, Cheese, Charcuterie, Dried Fruits, Nuts, Local Honey, Fruit Compote, etc.

Speaking about something special, Chef Rolf Knecht tells me a secret that Grand Hyatt Hotel is working together with a local famous company to prepare a special thing for its guests. As it is a secret, I can only share you the box, ya. LOL! But I guarantee, it will be great! That is why I suggest you to follow the news about the hotel and its restaurants. So once the gift is ready to be served, you will be the one who can get it.  

And after all this happiness I get in the Brunch session, I can go to my yoga client's home with my happy belly and happy soul. Perfect :-)

Have a great brunch, Sunday people!