As International Women’s Day has approached, we have talked about the various aspects of our female leaders’ lives here at Grant Thornton Indonesia. However, legacy is the one thing that lasts, and now that we have reached March 8 itself, the most important thing to keep in mind is what lies ahead. The key to further developments and advances in the landscape of women in business and in positions of authority is the future generations that will champion this cause. Consequently, we asked our female partners and directors what message they would like to impart to the women coming after them, and their answers revolved around several critical areas that would help women both professionally and personally.
When establishing a direction to take in one’s career, the obvious advice to heed would be to know where you’re going, and our female leaders consider this a key factor when making any professional decision. Tax Partner Juanita Pribadi stresses the significance of knowing what you want when moving forward with a venture or endeavor, as there is no point in being willing to fight for what you want when the goal itself is still unknown to you. Assurance Director Tara Adelia Senjaya agrees with this sentiment, pointing out that it’s better to take some time to ensure a clear direction now rather than rush your decision and end up regretting it down the line.
Once a career has a clear direction and vision, we usually begin to find determination essential to reaching the end goal we’ve set for ourselves. There is plenty of adversity that stands in the way of anyone’s professional success, not to mention the specific challenges that apply to women in business. These societal roadblocks can only be overcome through persistence and staying the course, which is certainly not an easy task. Head of Audit and Assurance Hanny Prasetyo has learned that there is always something to be gained from seeing a role or responsibility through, whether it be monetary gain, a career boost, or even simply experience for the future. She teaches her team that experience, in particularly, is an invaluable resource that can’t be bought, only earned. Meanwhile, Audit Partner Setiawati Budiman is a firm believer in the fact that challenges and setbacks are what build character, advising future women in business to not complain, but instead work hard and use difficult times as a crucible to develop the skills and character needed to thrive in whatever industry they find themselves in.
In addition to the many different obstacles women might face when furthering a professional career, there is most often pressure from the perceptions other people might have, whether it be rivals, enemies, competition, or even overbearing and overprotective stimuli from loved ones or friends. CEO Johanna Gani understands the importance of filtering out the noise, believing that the important thing is to focus on the responsibilities we’ve been given, as well as the values we believe in, instead of what other people think. Finance director Aslina Budianto agrees, espousing the importance of believing in ourselves and what we’re capable of; there’s no reason people should change their perceptions of us and trust us when we ourselves have not done the same. Assurance Director Kristina Sunarta adds that we need to be constantly evolving and improving throughout our careers, and there’s limited room for self-improvement when we’re too worried about what other people are saying.
Through all these important factors that contribute to a thriving career, an important caveat our female leaders would include is to not look so far ahead that the present day becomes taken for granted. Human Capital director Emme Tarigan spoke to the importance of enjoying the ride, saying that career paths shouldn’t be rushed just because of external sources of pressure. Especially with the various roles women are expected to juggle between their careers, their family, and their personal lives, Emme encourages other women to take their time and not get too caught up in expectations; just because the future is important doesn’t make it more important than what’s happening right now.
The future looks bright for women in business, as both societal and corporate initiatives are increasingly aware of the importance of women in business commanding positions of authority. New avenues are opening up, and there are more and more opportunities for female leaders to emerge in future generations. When asked for a final word of advice, Johanna encourages the women coming after her to remember that no detail is insignificant, and no effort goes unrewarded. When we are loyal and diligent in smaller responsibilities, our roles will gradually increase in value and significance. When we take the time to build relationships both in our personal and professional lives, the network we build and the circle we keep around us will continue to support and push us forward through both good times and bad. Momentum and consistency are key factors to any successful career in whatever industry we might find ourselves in, and just as our female partners and directors have proven, women who reach those heights of success will in turn pave the way for those who come after them.