The world has been busy with the emergence of the generations of the new millennium: Generation Y, those born in 1981-1994, followed by Generation Z, born in 1995-2010. Members of Generation Y have started to emerge in the upper middle class to play a significant role in Indonesia’s forestry.
By
Transtoto Handadhari
·6 minutes read
The world has been busy with the emergence of the generations of the new millennium: Generation Y, those born in 1981-1994, followed by Generation Z, born in 1995-2010. Members of Generation Y have started to emerge in the upper middle class to play a significant role in Indonesia’s forestry. However, the top leadership is apparently still trapped in the hierarchical structure, do not like to listen, and prefer seminars and self-publicity.
The forestry leadership, especially those hailing from politics, has an orientation that has become a public secret: they are less committed to sustainable forestry and are focused only on power and accumulating political capital. Their poor comprehension of forestry means that they do not pay much attention or support the work of middle-tier civil servants and leaders, where the members of Generation Y have begun to emerge. This condition has caused an imbalance and disconnect in forest management policies and practices.
To illustrate, even though civil servants routinely use sophisticated equipment such as radar and satellite imaging, the forestry policies do not follow suit, left behind by the speed of forest loss and damage and the rate at which environmental disasters strike. For example, Forestry Ministry Decree No. 837/1980 is the basis for the determining forest conservation areas, but the regulation has not been updated in line with the contemporary developments of this era. The forests are increasingly damaged without proper limits to their spatial planning, in addition to the political partiality.
The millennial workforce in the middle and lower levels are like bureaucratic robots, which they do not like. Forestry development is slow, incorrectly targeted or even redundant. Forestry will be left behind into the next decade, unless its leaders can adjust to the current era, when everything is run digitally and openly.
Effective leadership
Forest and forestry are experiencing difficult times. Forestry crimes, corruption and political policies have led our forests to a critical state. The political leadership that has dominated since 1999, long held by career politicians, has generally formed a conventional leadership system that has not provided any improvements to forestry.
Corruption and sluggishness are the greatest enemies of the millennial generation. Bureaucracy and shackling professional creativity with too many regulations have made them bored, never mind a leadership filled with the “conservative” generation – a generation that tends to have too many considerations, is afraid to take action and is computer illiterate – which disrupts the ministry’s performance to develop forests quickly and utilize them properly.
Meanwhile, effective leadership thus far remains the most urgent need, even though it may be time-consuming and frequently is saddled by inefficient financing in the short term; however, in the long run, its success would be highly beneficial. Effective leadership is needed to create a situation that inspires subordinates to work together to reach a common objective, and to sometimes reach better and higher objectives.
Subordinates can support each other, possess integrity and have good professional ethics. The teams can be generally set up as examples and role models that exemplify the values of hard work, discipline and high dedication to an institution. Thus far, effective leadership is a successful leadership that is badly needed in the field but cannot always be found easily, especially in forestry management in the post-regional autonomy era.
Positive leadership
Even though effective leadership is superior, the future will see a shift in the type of leadership to one that will be more suited to the current millennial era. The necessary leadership is one that can act more quickly, anticipate the rapid global changes from internet and digital tools and one that is in line with a more open development of information technology and communication. Forest management also must follow the development of Generation Y leaders that will continue to climb upward. This development must be anticipated with sophisticated facilities that are needed for accelerated and continuous development, and of course, to anticipate regulations that should not hold back young millennial leaders.
The young leaders of Generation Y will have far-reaching visions within the framework of international relations, which will continue to change and grow increasingly modern in the widespread digital climate, a situation that will be entirely run by unlimited social media. Amid the strengthening trend of tolerance, leaders from the millennial generation will generally possess strong dreams and self-confidence. The future generation of leaders and employees will tend to be individualistic, highly critical and unafraid of debate as a result of direct communication and the convenience of knowledge access.
This generation and their younger siblings from Generation Z are generations that are not easily satisfied. Generation Z will give birth to leaders who will be more competitive, more independent and ready to tackle many duties. They will tend to have the characteristics and mindset of businessmen who prefer face-to-face communication and immediate responses. They will be curious and have a tendency toward self-renewal. Many old employees that serve them will be removed, especially those in the middle of the jungle that are far removed from technology.
“Positive leadership” is needed in the millennial era that has already begun. Positive leadership has added value, marked by increased success in terms of efficient timeframes and financing, speed in attaining objectives and the use of sophisticated technology and digital equipment.
Positive leadership is able to accelerate institutions so that tolerance and empathy will no longer be heeded. All will have to jump toward the target of quality, quantity and timing as determined by the strict and detailed administration.
The weakness of positive leadership in forestry is the incomplete mastery of the philosophy of forestry sciences – the main functions of forest conservation and the correct and equitable socioeconomic functions of forestry and forest management. There may be policies that take a step backward, but they are necessary. What is certain is that all that is hated among Generations Y-Z will be eliminated from positive leadership.
Therefore, the government must immediately address and anticipate the future challenges of the forestry leadership in the millennial era. The millennial employees that continue to enter forestry careers with the latest technological capabilities are the ones to manage our remaining forest resources.
Transtoto Handadhari, Senior Forester; Graduate of Gadjah Mada University and University of Wisconsin at Madison (US); President Director, Perhutani, 2005-2008