Name: Ilyasa Andritya Muhamad

Title: President Director

Organisation: Inspect Auto

Ilyasa Andritya Muhamad is the founder and President Director of PT. Cipta Nata Jagaddhita. His primary ventures, Inspect Auto (Indonesia's #1 car inspection services) and Mister Kendaraan, specialize in the automotive industry. With a firm belief in the value of investing for wealth growth, his primary choices of investment encompass stocks, bond funds, gold, CDs, and, more recently, Bitcoin.

Ilyasa holds a bachelor's degree in Economics with a major in Marketing from Binus International University in Jakarta, Indonesia. Additionally, he earned an MBA in International Marketing from Hofstra University in New York, United States. Also, one of the items on his bucket list is to earn a doctorate. He was also a representative from Indonesia during the 2013 United Nations Youth Delegate Program at the United Nations headquarters in New York. Passionate about continuous learning, he boasts over 20 licenses and certificates and over 10 honors and awards.

Fluent in Bahasa Indonesia and English, Ilyasa possesses the unique ability to speak both languages in reverse. He is also proficient in reading Arabic with Tashkeel. He is the founder and president of ICIA (Indonesia Car Inspector Association) and serves as the secretary general of IOYEU (Indonesia Online Young Entrepreneur Union). He is also currently a member of over 15 organizations.

Dedicated to seizing new opportunities for personal and professional growth, he aims to leverage his expertise for the benefit of his company and its employees. His ultimate aspiration is to make a positive impact on the global economy. Ilyasa ardently supports causes spanning economic empowerment, education, environmental conservation, healthcare, human rights, poverty alleviation, scientific and technological advancements, and social services. Ilyasa enjoys spending his free time writing poems, exercising, volunteering, reading, listening to music, traveling, playing sim racing, and creating social media content.

Thank you to the 2,000 leaders who’ve generously done the 7 Questions on Leadership!

We’ve gone through the interviews and asked the best of the best to come back and answer 7 MORE Questions on Leadership.

I hope Ilyasa's answers will encourage you in your leadership journey. Enjoy!

Cheers,

Jonno White

1. As a leader, how do you build trust with employees, customers and other stakeholders?

As a leader, I believe trust is built through consistent actions, clear communication, and mutual respect. With employees, I focus on transparency, involving them in decision-making processes, and providing support for their growth and well-being. I make it a point to listen actively to their concerns and ideas, which helps foster a collaborative and trusting environment.

For customers, trust comes from delivering on promises and maintaining a high standard of quality in our services or products. I prioritize understanding their needs and ensuring that my team and I provide solutions that meet or exceed expectations.

When it comes to other stakeholders, I emphasize maintaining open lines of communication and demonstrating accountability. Whether it's investors, partners, or community members, I ensure that they are informed about our goals and progress and feel confident in the integrity and direction of our operations.

Ultimately, I believe trust is a result of consistency, reliability, and genuine care for the people and relationships involved in every aspect of the business.

2. What do 'VISION' and 'MISSION' mean to you? And what does it actually look like to use them in real-world business?

To me, vision and mission are the foundation of any successful business.

Vision represents the long-term goal, the 'why' behind what we do. It’s the ultimate impact we aspire to achieve and the direction that aligns all our efforts.

Mission is the 'how' and 'what.' It defines our purpose and the specific actions we take every day to move closer to our vision. In real-world business, they serve as a compass:

For Decision-Making, they help prioritize what opportunities to pursue. If an initiative doesn’t align with our vision and mission, it’s easier to stay focused on what truly matters.

For Team Alignment: They provide clarity and motivation for the team. Everyone understands not just what they’re doing but also why it’s important and how it contributes to the bigger picture.

For Customer Trust: They communicate what the business stands for, ensuring customers know what to expect and building loyalty over time.

In my business, which is used car inspection services, the vision is to be the most trusted partner for vehicle buyers and sellers, ensuring confidence in every transaction. The mission is to deliver reliable, detailed, and unbiased inspections that empower our customers to make informed decisions.

For example, this means maintaining high standards in inspections, investing in technology for accurate reporting, and training staff to provide excellent service. Everything we do ties back to these principles, ensuring consistency and credibility across the board

3. How can a leader empower the people they're leading?

A leader empowers their team by creating an environment where individuals feel valued, trusted, and capable of making meaningful contributions. Here’s how I approach empowerment:

Trust and Delegation: Trusting people with responsibility and giving them autonomy to make decisions in their areas of expertise. This not only boosts confidence but also fosters ownership and accountability.

Clear Communication: Setting clear expectations and providing regular feedback. When people know the goals and how their efforts contribute to the bigger picture, they feel motivated to perform at their best.

Support and Resources: Ensuring that the team has the tools, training, and support they need to succeed. This could mean investing in skill development or removing obstacles that hinder their performance.

Recognizing Strengths: Identifying individual strengths and aligning tasks with their abilities. When people work in areas where they excel, they feel more confident and engaged.

Encouraging Innovation: Creating a culture where new ideas are welcomed and risk-taking is supported. Empowered individuals feel safe to think creatively and bring innovative solutions to the table.

Leading by Example: Demonstrating the behaviors and values you expect from the team. When a leader is open, collaborative, and accountable, it sets the tone for the entire organization.

Ultimately, empowering people is about building trust, offering support, and creating growth opportunities, allowing them to thrive and contribute to the organization’s success.

4. Who are some of the coaches or mentors in your life who have had a positive influence on your leadership? Can you please tell a meaningful story about one of them?

Throughout my career, I’ve been fortunate to have my father and grandfather as mentors who shaped my leadership approach.

My father taught me a valuable lesson about listening. I was managing a team facing some operational challenges, and my instinct was to jump in with solutions. My father pulled me aside and shared a simple piece of advice: ‘Sometimes, the best way to lead is to listen.’

To illustrate, he shared his own experience of a time when he’d spent a whole meeting silently observing a heated team discussion. Afterward, instead of giving directives, he asked questions that encouraged his team to come up with solutions themselves. The team not only resolved the issue but also felt empowered and united.

Inspired by his story, I tried his approach in one of my team meetings. Instead of proposing fixes, I listened to the challenges from their perspective, asked guiding questions, and let them collaborate on potential solutions. Not only did the team come up with creative ideas, but I also noticed a boost in morale and ownership.

That experience changed how I approached leadership, reinforcing the importance of trust, empathy, and empowering others to take initiative. His mentorship taught me that being a great leader isn’t about having all the answers but about fostering an environment where others can excel.

5. Leadership is often more about what you DON'T do. How do you maintain focus in your role?

Leadership, to me, is as much about knowing what to avoid as it is about taking action. To maintain focus in my role, I prioritize the following:

Delegation with Trust: I empower my team by delegating responsibilities and trusting their expertise. This ensures that I can focus on strategic objectives rather than micromanaging tasks.

Avoiding Distractions: I consciously steer clear of activities that don't align with the broader vision or mission. I use tools like priority matrices to distinguish between urgent and important matters.

Setting Clear Boundaries: I avoid overcommitting and focus on doing fewer things with greater impact. This helps me allocate time and resources effectively.

Continuous Reflection: I regularly evaluate my actions to ensure they align with my goals. If something doesn't contribute to the team’s progress, I make a deliberate effort to redirect or eliminate it.

By staying intentional about what I don’t do, I ensure my energy is directed toward leading effectively and driving results.

6. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Everyone plans differently. How do you plan for the week, month and years ahead in your role?

Planning is essential to achieving success, and I use a layered approach to plan for the week, month, and years ahead in my role.

Weekly Planning: At the start of each week, I review my goals and align them with ongoing tasks. I prioritize urgent and high-impact activities while ensuring flexibility for unexpected developments. Tools like task management apps or calendars help me stay organized.

Monthly Planning: For the month, I focus on medium-term objectives. I break down larger projects into manageable milestones and allocate resources accordingly. Monthly reviews help me assess progress and make adjustments as needed.

Long-Term Planning (Years): For yearly planning, I align my goals with the organization's vision. I set strategic objectives and create a roadmap with key milestones. Regular check-ins ensure I’m on track and adapting to any changes in priorities or external circumstances.

This layered planning approach helps me maintain focus, adapt when needed, and ensure that short-term tasks align with long-term goals, contributing to sustained success in my role.

7. What advice would you give to a young leader who is struggling to delegate effectively?

Delegation is a critical skill for any leader, and it can be challenging at first. My advice to a young leader struggling to delegate effectively is:

Build Trust in Your Team: Recognize that delegation starts with trust. Understand the strengths and skills of your team members, and assign tasks that align with their expertise.

Communicate Clearly: When delegating, be specific about the objectives, timelines, and expected outcomes. Clear communication reduces confusion and empowers the team to deliver.

Let Go of Perfectionism: Delegation means allowing others to take ownership, even if they approach tasks differently than you would. Focus on the results rather than controlling every step of the process.

Provide Support, Not Micromanagement: Make yourself available for guidance and check in periodically, but resist the urge to oversee every detail. This fosters independence and confidence in your team.

Learn from Outcomes: Reflect on what went well and what could be improved after each delegated task. Use these insights to refine your approach.

Effective delegation not only lightens your workload but also develops your team and builds a stronger, more capable organization