Maj. Dolly J. P. Hutagalung/ACSC, Flight 13/LP-604/September 20th, 2023
Perhaps how long we live is essential, but how meaningful our life is to others is much more critical. These are apt terms to define the life of Soedirman, who died at the relatively early age of 34. He was born into an ordinary family and completed primary and secondary schooling before becoming an adored school principal among his students. During the colonial time, his heart called him to fight for independence by joining Pembela Tanah Air (PETA)/The National Guardian, a Japanese-formed indigenous army. His strong personality and ability to lead troops advanced him up the military ranks, from battalion commander to division commander to his paramount position as the first Tentara Nasional Indonesia (TNI)/Indonesian National Armed Forces commander.
He
is the Great General Soedirman, the national hero who dedicated the rest of his
life to commanding troops in guerilla warfare against Allied forces. His
leadership history has always been a role model for all TNI soldiers,
especially officers. How he led himself to look like a character admired by
friends and adversaries, how he led his troops in the war despite the
limits of their weaponry, and how he created a military organization from
division to becoming a force that deterred invaders. As military officers, we
can implement numerous leadership lessons from General Sudirman in our
daily duties for individuals, groups, and organizations. First, we must improve
our morale and character, then prioritize influence and communication with
others, and finally, develop an organization capable of adapting and creating a
strong military culture.
To
begin with, General Soedirman taught great lessons about leading oneself in
terms of moral virtue. Moral virtue focuses on personality and behavior rather
than information or cognitive capacity, and it builds up via habit rather than
being innate or learned through education.[i] Soedirman
was a religious Muslim who never abandoned his faith, even when carrying out
guerrilla warfare in harsh situations.[ii] As
a spiritual people, we should worship according to our religions, whether the conditions
are easy or tough. Following religious teachings will result in a decent
personality because no religion teaches evil. Moreover, Soedirman was also
known for his willingness to make sacrifices; during the war, he exchanged his
family's jewelry for food and even divided his food allotment among his
men.[iii] Today's
sacrifice is very different from his; our sacrifice is to complete each
assignment well, even above expectations, and to service selflessly. The
possession of moral values is an essential attribute for every leader since it
significantly influences the quality of their leadership.
In
addition, General Soedirman had a credible leadership character and should
serve as a role model. He has four cores of credibility, including integrity,
intention, expertise, and track record.[iv] For
example, He has an excellent track record and diverse knowledge, ranging from
being engaged in organizations before becoming a soldier to later serving as a
PETA and TNI commander.[v]
According to that fact, We must constantly give our best in every task, never
underestimating the minor assignment, because our track record reflects our
character and determines who we will become. Besides, we regularly update and
supplement our knowledge with new information to help us with our assignments. Once
we have demonstrated that we can effectively lead ourselves, we can begin to
lead others.
General Soedirman led his men by offering direct influence in the field rather than pressing with legitimate power. A leader with influence can communicate a vision of the group's objective and inspire members to use their skills to further that mission.[vi] Even though he was gravely ill due to tuberculosis damage to one of his lungs, he commanded his soldiers in guerrilla warfare while seated on a stretcher.[vii] On the battlefield, troops require the presence of their commander, who fights alongside them and even suffers and wins with them. The commander's sight also conveys a message about the weight of the mission at hand. With increasingly complex conditions and quick technology advancements, the impact of a commander's presence is becoming increasingly important in every assignment.
Additionally,
General Soedirman showed that a leader should develop effective communication
with subordinates and superiors. He demonstrates good communication competence by
balancing appropriateness towards the other person by effectively expressing
his intended message.[viii]
He constantly communicated with the officers under his leadership, mixing
different backgrounds and experiences in organizing military strategy,
including choosing the commander who would lead the ultimate assault, which was
critical in the Independence War.[ix] The
officers should be well acquainted with their subordinates to maximize their
capability in carrying out each duty and to put the right men in the right
place. In modern times, leaders' communication skills are critical, especially
in command and control, and effective chain command will substantially impact
the success of operations. After utilizing group leadership effectively, we
will progress to organizational leadership.
General
Soedirman is an effective organizational leader because of his capacity to
adapt to change. Accepting organizational change can be challenging; the organization
may refuse information because adopting it might jeopardize its ability to complete
other ideals or goals and harm its self-esteem or reputation.[x] At
the time, President Soekarno published a rule on the reform and rationalization
of the army, which attempted to build a professional military force but
resulted in workforce cuts and rank modifications.[xi] Despite
its good intentions, this regulation caused turmoil and had the potential to ignite divides
within the army. However, Sudirman persuaded the TNI's leadership that the new rules
were intended for the organization's more significant benefit so that all
personnel could eventually adapt. As organizational leaders, we must be able to
adapt our units to applicable regulations while communicating current
challenges and proposing solutions. Leader skills significantly impact an
organization's adaptability, and only organizations that can adapt will
continue to exist and develop.
Furthermore,
General Soedirman shaped the culture of the Indonesian military organization with
his beliefs and values. Only those beliefs and values that can be logically
validated and continue to work reliably in solving the group's problem will be
adapted into assumptions.[xii] Therefore,
Soedirman implanted fundamental values demonstrated throughout the TNI's
history. An example is what he believed about the role of the TNI in politics,
"The army is an instrument of the state, the army has no politics, army
politics is state politics."[xiii]
In fact, TNI constantly alludes to these beliefs and values, which are
General Soedirman's legacy and have been proven throughout Indonesia's
democratic history. As military commanders, we must develop a robust organizational
culture that can adapt to current changes and maintain long-term relevance. To
all that, the ability to manage an organization is the pinnacle of leadership
application, and the process passes through stages with varying challenges.
In summary, General Sudirman is a national hero who led the struggle of the Indonesian people to defend their independence from Allied invaders. His leadership serves as a model for TNI officials and a lesson in how to teach individuals, groups, and organizations. We begin with moral virtues and character for individual leadership, then move on to influence and communication for leading groups, and ultimately to adapting to change and developing strong values in military culture when leading organizations. Multiple levels of leadership are applied progressively and sustainably, with each level dependent on the others. As we advance in our professions as military officers, we must also refine our leadership skills. However, General Sudirman is no longer with us, but his leadership continues to inspire and guide all Indonesian military officers. By studying the history of our predecessors, those who live in this era and the future should be able to become better leaders.
[i]. Lee Archie and John G. Archie, "What is the Life of Excellence? by Aristotle," in Introduction to Ethical Studies: An Open-Source Reader (The Free Software Foundation, 2003), 14-15.
[ii]. Tim B. TEMPO, "Dari Sebuah Sidang Revolusioner," in Soedirman Seorang Panglima, Seorang Martir (Jakarta: Kepustakaan Populer Gramedia, 2013), PDF e-book, 48.
[iii]. Ibid. 47-48.
[iv]. Stephen M. Covey, "The 4 Cores of Credibility," in The Speed of Trust: The One Thing that Changes Everything (New York: Simon & Schuster, 2008), 45.
[v]. Agus Susilo, "Sejarah Perjuangan Jenderal Soedirman Dalam Mempertahankan Indonesia (1945-1950)," HISTORIA 6 (2018): 59, e-ISSN 2442-8728.
[vi]. Jeffrey W. Lucas and Amy R. Baxter, "Power, Influence, and Diversity in Organizations," The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, January 2012, 62-63, https://www.jstor.org/stable/41328590.
[vii]. TEMPO, "Bukan Musuh, Sakit yang Membuatnya Takluk," in Soedirman Seorang Panglima, Seorang Martir (Jakarta: Kepustakaan Populer Gramedia, 2013), PDF e-book, 124-125.
[viii]. Brian H. Spitzberg et al., "A Model of Communication Competence," in Foundations of Communication ( n.d. ), 29-30.
[ix]. TEMPO, "Dari Sebuah Sidang Revolusioner," 51-53.
[x]. Edgar H. Schein, "A Model of Change Management and The Change Leader," in Organizational Culture and Leadership (Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, 2016), 324-325.
[xi]. TEMPO, "Dari Sebuah Sidang Revolusioner," 21-23.
[xii]. Edgar H. Schein, "The Structure of Culture," in Organizational Culture and Leadership (Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, 2016), 19-20.
Tidak ada komentar:
Posting Komentar