CEO Talks: Tantangan “Masinis” Baru KAI #4

Summary

In this insightful interview, Pak Didik, the Director of PT KAI, discusses his leadership approach during the pandemic crisis. He emphasizes the importance of maintaining service excellence and the financial sustainability of the company. Despite the challenges of reduced passenger volume, Pak Didik prioritizes employee morale, effective governance, and innovative solutions to keep the company afloat. His leadership is based on transparency, resilience, and a commitment to both customer service and employee welfare, showcasing how strong leadership can navigate even the toughest of storms.

Takeaways

• 😀 The appointment of Pak Didik as Director of PT KAI on 8-5-2018 came with key responsibilities to ensure service excellence and company sustainability during challenging times.
• 😀 One of the primary goals for Pak Didik is to maintain the financial sustainability of PT KAI, focusing on liquidity during times of crisis.
• 😀 During the pandemic, PT KAI saw a significant decline in passenger numbers and revenue, with only 10-7% of normal business levels, which emphasized the need for strong leadership.
• 😀 Leadership in times of crisis is crucial, with Pak Didik comparing the challenges to a ship captain guiding their crew through a storm, where navigating tough situations reveals true leadership.
• 😀 Despite the financial struggles, PT KAI focused on efficiency improvements without laying off employees or reducing salaries, maintaining workforce morale during tough times.
• 😀 Pak Didik emphasized the importance of setting an example for employees, offering guidance through good governance and fostering unity within the company.
• 😀 Crisis management strategies included prioritizing employee well-being, ensuring health and safety, and maintaining a positive outlook despite the uncertainty of the pandemic's duration.
• 😀 To keep morale high, PT KAI used virtual meetings to regularly communicate the company's situation, discuss solutions, and reinforce unity during the crisis.
• 😀 Pak Didik highlighted the importance of reviewing and restructuring the company's cost structure and IT systems to improve operational efficiency and customer database management.
• 😀 PT KAI’s leadership approach focused on good corporate governance and service-oriented leadership, ensuring both employee satisfaction and service quality for customers.
• 😀 The leadership philosophy at PT KAI stresses the principle of serving the needs of employees and customers, ensuring that all staff provide excellent service to their clients.

Q & A

What key messages did Pak Didik receive when he became the Director of PT KAI?

Pak Didik was tasked with two main goals: maintaining service excellence for customers and ensuring the financial sustainability of PT KAI during challenging times, particularly focusing on the company's liquidity to navigate through the crisis.

How did Pak Didik describe the impact of the pandemic on PT KAI's business?

Pak Didik likened the pandemic to a storm, describing it as a time of high waves where the company's passenger revenue dropped significantly, reaching only 10-7% of previous levels, which posed a severe challenge to the business.

What is the role of leadership during a crisis, according to Pak Didik?

Pak Didik emphasized that strong leadership during a crisis is akin to a captain navigating a ship through a storm. Effective leadership is critical to maintaining team morale, ensuring operational continuity, and making tough decisions to steer the company through difficult times.

How did PT KAI manage its workforce during the pandemic, despite financial difficulties?

Despite financial challenges, PT KAI maintained its workforce by not resorting to layoffs, salary cuts, or other drastic measures. Instead, the company focused on efficiency and managing costs while ensuring that employees remained employed and supported.

What approach did Pak Didik take to maintain employee morale during the crisis?

Pak Didik focused on building team spirit through virtual meetings and transparent communication. He led by example, demonstrating good governance and prioritizing the health and well-being of employees, all while fostering a positive, unified work environment.

What were some of the key strategies employed by PT KAI to survive the crisis?

PT KAI worked on optimizing its cost structure, improving its IT systems, and enhancing its customer database. These initiatives were aimed at increasing efficiency and preparing the company for recovery and future growth.

How did Pak Didik communicate the company's position and strategies to employees?

Pak Didik regularly communicated with employees through virtual meetings, where he provided updates on the company’s situation, discussed strategies to overcome the crisis, and emphasized the importance of unity and resilience during tough times.

What leadership principles did Pak Didik highlight for PT KAI's future?

Pak Didik emphasized principles of 'good corporate governance,' 'service excellence,' and 'servant leadership.' He believed that focusing on serving the needs of employees and customers would be essential for navigating the crisis and ensuring long-term success.

What role did virtual meetings play in maintaining company operations during the crisis?

Virtual meetings played a crucial role in keeping employees informed and connected. They provided a platform for leadership to share updates, address concerns, and ensure that the workforce remained aligned with the company's strategies for managing the crisis.

How did PT KAI focus on service excellence during the pandemic?

Despite the financial challenges, PT KAI continued to prioritize service excellence by ensuring that the customer experience remained a key focus. This included efforts to improve operational efficiency, refine customer service processes, and adapt to new market conditions.