Name: Estherina Mulyani

Title: President

Organisation: Harat Inggris Community

Esther is an aspiring woman who believes the power of education and technology to improve society lives. To pursue this aspiration, she built a social organization, Harat Inggris, for creating access of English education. She also working in an AIoT project, to help business and society grows.

Thank you to the 2,000 leaders who’ve generously done the 7 Questions on Leadership!

I hope Estherina's answers will encourage you in your leadership journey. Enjoy!

Cheers,

Jonno White

1. What have you found most challenging as a leader?

Understanding and managing different expectation from individuals can be a complex challenge, in which leaders should know how to motivate and inspire them to work productively

2. How did you become a leader? Can you please briefly tell the story?

I have been started my leadership journey since I was in the 1st year of university, when I became a project leader for a national debate competition. I have been thriving to several opportunities to enhance my leadership skill and capability, such as learning deeply in XL Axiata Future Leaders and Young Leaders for Indonesia by McKinsey and Company. I also had given trust to lead university organization for 1 year and lead an AIoT Project from XL Axiata Future Leaders. To seek for other challenge solving existing problem in education, I build Harat Inggris community with my friends, and lead it until now.

3. How do you structure your work days from waking up to going to sleep?

I always create a daily schedule in 15 minutes, consists of activities that I should do in that day. Usually I spend my morning and afternoon time to do important and intensive work, then I spend the evening by doing chores and hobbies (if I don't have any assignment near deadline)

4. What's a recent leadership lesson you've learned for the first time or been reminded of?

I'd say "Emotional Intelligence is the key trait of successful leadership" which I've been reminded from the XL Axiata Future Leaders final workshop in September. Managing own emotions while connecting with and influencing others are the key traits of a true leader.

5. What's one book that has had a profound impact on your leadership so far? Can you please briefly tell the story of how that book impacted your leadership?

I like to read Dale Carnegie's book, one of my favorite is "How to Win Friends and Influence Others". Although this book doesn't talk about leadership explicitly, it influences the way I communicate to inspire and influence others to agree with my point of view, in short words "effective communication" that become one of the main qualities of a leader.

6. If you could only give one piece of advice to a young leader, what would you say to them?

You should learn and practice Emotional Intelligence first to become a leader. Leaders are not always for talented or the most intelligent people. Oftentimes, a good leader is the expert of Emotional Intelligence, not IQ.

7. What is one meaningful story that comes to mind from your time as a leader, so far?

The first time of my leadership journey, I almost gave up because of receiving harsh critiques from others. But the desire of learning and passion of managing change in my organization, had driven me to keep forward. I found this meaningful because this is a turning point that made me realize that leaders are not born to be perfect, leaders are made from a rollercoaster journey of growth, learning, and adaptation.