Firzi S. Abidin

Digital Business Unit Director of Fortune Indonesia

When did you start working in this company?

I started to join this company in 2001.

When you first joined, what position did you get and what did you do for the company?

Initially, I joined the management system. When I started my job here, the company just went public and planned to make changes by improving the performance of the organization. I got the challenge to perform the change management for the company that had been established for 30 years. I was asked to change the working patterns so that the company had a new perspective to catch up with competitors that were getting ahead. Then, I and a team of 7 people from all business units including Dwi Bustomi, Indah Soepraba from FPR, and Dewi from FACT, made a 5-year plan and program to be internally used called “Change or Extinct”. One small example of this program was to change the old way of making a storyboard from handwriting to digital. Alhamdulillah, the program was successful and the company performance was increasing. This program had to be recognized by all parties since at that time we agreed that we could not stay stagnant.

What are the ups and downs while working and serving in this office?

During 13 years of work, the culture and working atmosphere here are very different from those in Astra Grafia where I previously worked. Maybe it is because this company is an agency with a more informal atmosphere and the cohesiveness among Fortuners is very high. However, there are many new challenges I have to face, for example, the working situation can change at any time and I should work under pressure, especially with regard to deadlines. For example, in a matter of days I suddenly get a brief and I must be ready for presentation. Moreover, the working situation is very dynamic and competitive. The market requires us to always move quickly. However, it actually spurs me into achieving the target.

One memorable experience for me was in 2010 when I was asked to set up a new business unit in digital field with just 3 members. Eventually, in the middle of the competition and superior competitors, I tried to be optimistic in running the business in the first year. Alhamdulillah after getting a success, I could raise the target. Now, within a period of 4 years, DID has already had 40 staffs.

While fasting, are there any special tips to keep the working spirit?

One important thing to remember is that fasting must not limit our productivity. It has been proved by the many examples of success achieved in the month of Ramadan. One of them is Indonesia’s Independence in 1945. Another tip that I normally do is not to instill negative suggestion in yourself. For example, when I am sleepy, I will stretch by moving to pray. I also decide to pray in mosques around the office with farther distance so that I can move more.

What activities do you do outside the office, especially in the month of Ramadan?

I’ve been pretty busy with many activities in the office, so I spent Saturday and Sunday with my three children and my wife at home. I invite my family to do Tarawih prayer and religious study together. To avoid boredome, I sometimes play games. I also teach my children to read Quran because I believe that we cannot rely solely on schools for their religious education. Parents have special roles to instill religious values in their children. Another religious value that I teach them is to maintain good relationship by visiting relatives.

Is there a particular hobby that you always do in your spare time?

Besides instilling religious values in the children, I also read books about Islam in my spare time.

How do you manage your time for work, hobbies, family & worship?

My wife does not work at the office, so she can focus on taking care and educating my children while I am at the office. But on weekends, we’ll spend time together for tarawih prayers, learn to recite Quran, and play together. I also give my attention to them by training them to memorize the Quran. Normally I would give them a condition not to go playing before they finish memorizing. The ways I educate my three children are different from one another because of their different ages. My fifth-grade son is able to be more responsible with his job so that he can be more serious. Meanwhile, I will apply the playing while learning method for my daughter who is in the 2nd grade of elementary school and my son who is still in kindergarten.