Alex Iriawan Ibarat is CEO and President Director of tire giant Goodyear in Indonesia. When we met him, we knew only that he was one of the youngest leaders in his company. In our interview he explained why he took on the leadership challenge with Goodyear, and how he motivates himself and others.

Here is a snapshot of the interview with Alex:

You have been appointed and recognized as the youngest, non-expatriate leader of the organization. What is the secret behind this success?

Continuity and consistency. The company appointed me with some expectations. As a local person, I aim to contribute significantly to change in the company, which is important to the local culture. My prior role in finance gave me a strong foundation to fully understand the company inside-out. I have successfully overcome the economic crisis situation, changed the business model, and delivered 20% growth.

How have things changed since you took over this role?

The business model is more structured and modernized, not only on the commercial side, but also in our operations. I am proactively updating my understanding about the market situation, analyzing the strategy to cope with it, changing the distribution model, which is essential for this business.

What inspired you to take on the challenge of running this organization through such turbulent times?

Always learning from the past, my predecessors and their experiences. I am also motivated by the vision of the company that is relevant to my personal values. Another aspect that encourages me is the challenge to build brand awareness of the product.

What are the major issues facing your industry today?

Succession planning and talent management, especially in the middle section of organizations. There’s a need to close the gap between the bottom and top levels.

What do you do to inspire your staff to stay motivated and committed to the company direction?

I give accountability to each person because I see “director material” in each of them. The key to realizing this potential is: decision-making, consistency, humanity/empathy/ understanding others, being consultative, delivering the right message and agility.

What motivates you to make a difference?

A part of making a difference is being innovative. Not only for production and business matters, but ideally it should become a part of your daily life.

To read more from Alex, read the full 'View from the Top' interview with him here.