Words by Risqika Edni Doni Achsan (@doniachsan)

For five consecutive years XL Axiata held its annual youth leadership conference, XL Future Leaders National Conference. This year on 17 – 19 November 2016 was the time when all of us – Batch 3 XL Future Leaders – reunited again in Jakarta after two years of workshops in our respective regions. This event was conducted to celebrate our graduation while also to welcome the incoming Batch 5 students.

I felt a strange familiarity when I reached Grha XL’s cafeteria and when I met all my XL Future Leaders friends. We shared hugs, laughter, and of course life stories that only like-minded kindred souls would appreciate.

Around 7 PM on Thursday, 17 November, we were gathered to witness XL Future Leaders’ Alumni Presidenttial Debate. Three of my high performing friends were on stage: Muhammad Hanief, Scherzo Wahid, and Angga Fauzan. There was this aura that differentiate them from the rest of us. They have transformed into young promising leaders who were ready to take the family of XL Future Leaders alumni into the next level. Each candidate and his supporters were very respectful to each other. No boos, insults, or degrading arguments. Instead, it was full of logical and well-thought programs that made it harder for us to choose one of them.

The next day was our long-awaited SIP (Social Innovation Project) presentation. My team, Arutala, has worked for months to eventually arrive at that point. We created a more direct B2C platform for batik enthusiasts and batik artists in world’s first Batik Village, Giriloyo. Our app, Arutala, has Batikpedia feature to enhance users’ knowledge of the stories behind every majestic fabric translated in batik motives. It also has a state of the art feature in the form of Batik scanner that can be used to identify batik motif in real time.

Bringing Arutala to the front of prominent judges was a challenge especially if you only had two minutes to pitch. There were two VPs of XL Axiata in our room and two other external judges: Arief Aziz (Director of Change.org) and Ady Pamungkas (CMO Jakarta Post). The other two rooms were also burning up with challenging questions and constructive feedbacks from invited guests. Aside from XL Axiata’s high level employees, there were April B. Cabello (GM Digital Experience & Transformation), Vania Santoso (UNICEF Indonesia Innovation lab), Galih Sakitri (Prasetya Mulya), and Adi Putra Wijaya (Founder/ Director Garudapreneur). This is the so-called bragging right only XL Future Leaders have – the privilege to connect and learn firsthand with prominent individuals across industries.

Without having time to cool our brain (and heart!) down, we had ROAR Indonesia in Ancol which was a mandatory program before we graduate. In ROAR Indonesia, we had to overcome given challenges using our critical thinking frameworks to generate feasible yet creative solutions as fast as possible. I would not tell you what really happened during the event except the fact that it was fantastic (and dreadfully tiring – well, a good tradeoff is always good!). The last obstacle was the most memorable though. As the last person in my team to finish the race, I barely had 10 seconds before I passed the finish line. Everyone screamed to see me prevail while I wailed after my feet went numb. However, the joy expressed in our silly faces were the picture-perfect moment captured deep within my heart.

Oh, Hanief won the alumni president election in the evening. Everyone was so hyped! Things get blurry while we went diluted in bliss and happiness – it was indeed a magnificent day for us. However, Tidar’s 7 wishes were the highlight of the night. As my mentor for two years, Tidar has become an important person in the journey of my life. He was responsible to many of my successful achievements. I felt deeply saddened to hear those seven wishes because it might the last time he said that wisdom within the circle of XL Future Leaders boundary. I believe everyone felt the same; everyone was not that heartfelt to graduate no matter how ready we were.

The morning after was the big day – it was our Graduation Day! Thank you XLFL for the amazing once-in-a-lifetime experience! I am so over the sky since I was officially (and finally) graduated from this program. However, I have this mixed feeling since I will no longer be able to meet my workshop friends once every two months.

XL Future Leaders has taught me so much about its three core competences: effective communication, entrepreneurship and innovation, and managing change. These three key competences have helped me to gain so many things during my university life. Aside from amazing mentor, I was also partnered up with outstanding students from all over Indonesia. Imagine having a family consisting of hundreds merit achievers – it’s overwhelmingly amazing yet inspiring in the same time!

Mr Chatib Basri shared insightful keynote speech during our graduation ceremony. I only knew him as our former Minister of Finance – and he is actually XL Axiata’s President Commissioner! I want to express my gratitude also for Bu Dian Siswarini, XL Axiata’s CEO, for her great support in developing future leaders of Indonesia. Thank you for making “it” happen – as “it” has become “jalan bagi pemimpi untuk jadi pemimpin”.

Lastly, XL FL journey is the first step I’ve taken for a thousand miles journey I have partaken. And I believe that there are more to come!