The Leadership Legacy of Sri Mulyani
Who isn’t familiar with Sri Mulyani? She is Indonesia’s Iron Lady, a figure we hold in the highest regard, especially among students like myself. Sri Mulyani is renowned for her tenure as Indonesia’s Minister of Finance over two periods and as the former Managing Director of the World Bank Group. During her illustrious career, she received the Best Minister in the World Award at the World Government Summit held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Additionally, she was recognized as the Finance Minister of the Year for East Asia Pacific in 2020 by Global Markets magazine. Notably, Sri Mulyani also featured in Forbes’ list of The World’s 100 Most Powerful Women in 2020, securing the 78th position.
Beyond her impressive accolades, what legacy does Sri Mulyani leave for the youth of today? What lessons does she want to impart to us, and how do they relate to leadership?
A couple of days ago, I read an article by a Quora user named Nurkholisoh Ibnu Aman. He is a writer I hold in high esteem, as his contributions to Quora always provide insightful guidance. His ability to explain complex concepts in an easy-to-understand manner is commendable. In one of his responses, he answered the question, “Have you met Sri Mulyani in person? What is she like?” In his answer, he recounted what he learned from Sri Mulyani at an event he attended. Two points he made resonated acutely with me.
Sri Mulyani emphasized that an individual’s quality is determined by their choices. This aligns with a vision I constantly remind myself of: “Life is what you make or choose it to be, always has been, and always will be. So please take the time to think twice about your next move.” I always remind myself of this vision; everyone has the same amount of time, but their fortunes differ. It’s about how you wisely use your time for your own life. Therefore, one must be careful in making choices, as the quality of one’s life is determined by one’s decisions. A simple example from our daily lives is choosing whether to get up immediately upon waking or to check our phones first. We know that indulging in our phones often leads to wasted time, thus squandering valuable moments on unproductive activities.
Additionally, Sri Mulyani highlighted the importance of character in competition. I fully understand her point. Character profoundly reflects who we are, even in the long term. When we possess a negative character, it adversely affects many aspects of our lives. It’s unfortunate if we have excellent grades, fluency in foreign languages, and extensive knowledge, yet lack cooperative character traits, resulting in poor communication and initiative. In the academic realm, this is evident in our everyday lives. For instance, giving up easily on understanding a lecturer’s explanation leads to diminished creativity, and procrastination from the belief that comprehension will come eventually, but in reality, it fosters laziness and lack of focus.
The two points I gathered from Pak Nurkholisoh Ibnu Aman’s response hold significant value for my own life. They resonate intensely, especially for those of us with big dreams we impassioned wish to achieve. I sincerely hope that my fellow students will also embrace Sri Mulyani’s legacy in their own lives. By doing so, we can realize our lofty dreams through quality choices and a character filled with curiosity and broad perspectives.
Referensi:
Nurkholisoh, I. A. (2024). Apakah kamu kenal/pernah bertemu Sri Mulyani secara langsung? Seperti apa beliau?. Quora. https://qr.ae/psfsur