Mbak Anita is the CSR and Communication Services Sr. Manager of PT XL Axiata, a motherly, tough, and sharp woman who likes baking stuff like cake.

It was a pretty cool and sweet afternoon. I was sitting next to this ‘Beautiful Woman’, and here is the wonderful talk about her which I am so happy to share with you all…

What was your dream when you were a child?

Believe it or not, I really wanted to be a singer. I don’t have a wonderful singing voice, but my dad always motivated me to perform. To overcome my stage fright, my dad played his guitar and sang along with me on the stage. As time goes, I understand the reason why my dad was doing that to me. He tried to build my self-confidence, to take me out from my comfort zone, how it felt being a center of attention, how to behave in front of many people…which eventually helped me shaping my character.

 

Now, you’re a Communication Sr. Manager, but when I saw your LinkedIn, your background was Secretary and English studies why were you interested in those two majors?

I have four brothers and was raised in boys focused family. After completing high school, my mom sent me to a secretarial school. At the same time, I also continued my study at State University of Jakarta (UNJ) majoring in English.

There is something I like to share to you. I’m happy that I had an opportunity to study at UNJ. My campus life had taught me a lot about life and struggle. I remembered having some friends who came from underprivileged family. Some of them were kicked out from their boarding house, and they got no chance to stay longer. For that, they were forced to stay and sleep in a mosque, because they had no money to pay for their room rent.

Another friend of mine was the daughter of a very humble itinerant baker. She was so kind and she liked to share some bread she brought to whenever friends she met, especially to those who were that unlucky to have their breakfast. The fact was most of them were the students from those underprivileged families. This kind of experience really touched me, planted in me so deeply. It keeps taking me to breathe uneasily knowing that I have to be more grateful for every blessing coming into my life. These lessons have shaped me to who I am today.

 

That’s interesting, Mbak Anita. Talking about your activity these days, in your professional career with few companies, what major problems have you encountered and how did you deal with them?

When Axis was finally acquired by XL, we had to lay off many employees and working colleagues. That was one of the toughest moments in my life, especially as the Head of Corporate Communication for Axis, I had to inform them that the company couldn’t retain them. So what I did was trying to support and help them to do better at their next steps. I reviewed their CVs and informed them if I received information regarding vacant positions opened in other companies.

 

What is the major different between Mbak Anita as a leader and as a mom?

I’m a mother of two daughters, Nadya Allysa (15 years old) and Nadya Kayla (6 years old). Being a mother and Sr. Manager are challenging. But I feel almost no difference at all. I make sure that my kids will always keep their things well arranged. This is, in fact, the same value that I apply to my team. When we can do this well, we practice much better behavior, much better attitude.

In real world, as we live now, people are judged by their attitude. To go further, I must say that no matter how smart you are, your attitude is number one!

I once heard that some other parents say “We have to make friends with anyone”. Well not for me, I strongly disagree with this. This is a big thing and needed to be considered well and careful. I keep always reminding my Allysa and Kayla to choose friends WHO can bring goodness not badness for them or for us. And I do the same thing to my team.

 

After that busy days, what’s your favorite way to spend a weekend or Sunday afternoon?

Baking ha..ha.. My ideal weekend involves cooking or baking. Even every day, I always attempt to prepare my family’s breakfast and lunch box for my daughter. I have joined some baking classes. I love making my own birthday cake to celebrate my family member’s birthday.

More, I sometimes make a special birthday cake for some children with autism. A Birthday cake with no gluten added – Gluten free cake. I make that cake for my best friend every year, to celebrate her child’s birthday. For me, food will not only eradicate hunger, but it’s about giving happiness, spreading smile and love. Cooking is my best way to release stress and make my day more enjoyable.

 

What do you want to do then in the future?

I want to contribute more to our education. Sharing my knowledge and my experience in communication to more and more university students is something on my plan now. It is something that I really want to do in my future.

 

On 17^th February, we celebrated Digital Learning Day. Got some thoughts about it to share?

In real world as we live now, digitalization has become an important part of human life. We don’t have the option not to deal with digitalization. Digitalization has influenced most aspects of our lives including education.

When we talk about digital learning, surely we can think of so many advantages that follow. Through digital learning, we can learn more things that we might not get from our formal schools. But there is an interesting fact from it; digital learning may decrease our ‘human touch’. For me, the act of being in a learning process is very important. That makes us so human. So, one of the ways that we can do is by adding the way to empower this digital learning. We can give a short offline class for online leaners, face to face for real, not just via video conference.

In the future, digital (online) learning is going to be even much greater and more complex. That’s way we must stay open minded and agile with this transformation.

 

Speaking about the act of being, how do you want your team to remember you?

Hmmm, it’s an interesting question. Let’s see… Well I want them to remember me as I am a

• Natural person, I go with the flow
• Sincere and passionate
• Great leader and team player
• Person with more respect on the process, not mainly the result

 

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In that fine afternoon, I felt so inspired. Our conversation has made me realized on how I have to lead my way as a woman, the best gift I got in life. I have to write better of my leadership path for more contribution I can make. Mbak Anita is so awesomely kind, yet she knows how to make her team work better and harder. She can also maintain her relationship well with her former and present team. She is indeed another role model for us to look up to. Most I remember from her is the lesson to balance our personal, professional, and social life. When they are all nicely arranged, then sweet smiles definitely will always be pictured in our face. She has made that point well shared… Homework for me indeed J   (Lafiona Grezelda)

 

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For those who wish to connect with her, here are some of her social media accounts:

Linked In : Anita Avianty

Twitter: @avianty

Instagram: avianty