“When I turned 40 ten years ago I felt bored, unmotivated,” recalls Darwin Silalahi, “even though some felt that I had achieved a lot in the first 18 years of my career. I felt a sense of emptiness within myself and a lack of personal direction going forward.” He decided then that he needed to step back and take stock of what was happening in his life. A former boss at BP had gone through an Advanced Management Program at Harvard University and pronounced it a life-changing experience; Booz Allen Hamilton, a strategic management firm which Darwin helmed, agreed to release him for the 9-week course, thus kick starting a transformation of sorts for the CEO.

Darwin telah bekerja di beberapa organisasi, meliputi multinasional, konglomerat nasional dan pemerintahan. Terasa oleh Darwin, penggerak utama dan yang membuat Darwin termotivasi di suatu pekerjaan adalah kesempatan untuk bisa Think Big, Bold, Different, Step Change…

He accepted Shell’s offer after considering what he wanted at this stage in his career. “I am 45. What usually motivates people of my age is developing or building a legacy. In the next five to 10 years I would like to be able to look back at what I have achieved. I would like to build something that I can tell stories about to my children and grandchildren”

Terkadang memang manusia harus belajar untuk berani bersandar pada sesuatu yang di luar kompetensi sendiri. “Leaning into your incompetence, akan mengeluarkan potensi-potensi yang bisa saja selama ini tidak kita sendiri ketahui,” ucap Darwin. Hal tersebut dilakukan dengan tetap berteguh kepada tujuan kita, walau awalnya terasa berat tetapi apa yang menanti selanjutnya dapat menjadi hasil dari keputusan terbaik yang pernah kita lakukan. Peserta Kuliah Umum nampak antusias melontarkan berbagai pertanyaan dan di akhir Kuliah Umum, Darwin membagikan buku ‘Life Story not Job Title’ kepada penanya. ”Saya berharap, lima atau sepuluh tahun lagi Indonesia memiliki pemimpin-pemimpin yang lebih baik dari sebelumnya,” ujar Darwin menutup kuliah umum.

When we found something that is most meaningful for us, it is the time to be successful. From that point, creativity and endurance in facing the challenges standing in our way will emerge. Next, that stage will affect the meaning of life. Also, personal experiences will also affect us in solving a problem. A leader will emerge when difficult situation occurs. Approaching the end of the event, approximately at 3.15 p.m. the question and answer session was opened. This session was quickly filled with various questions from the students. For every question opportunity, a book entitled Life Story not Job Title which had been signed by the author, Darwin Silalahi was presented to the student.