Ready To Be Extraordinary: “The Wempy Dyocta Koto Award”

How wrong I was. Now, it makes complete sense.

I was placed in a class with scientists, entrepreneurs, social entrepreneurs, human rights advocates, corporate leaders, royalty, government leaders, non-government leaders, design thinkers, communications, branding and media captains, international peace builders, and sabbatical souls who, all like myself, were preparing to be extraordinary.

Extraordinary is never accidental. It has ten foundational components:

1. Intent to become extraordinary
2. Vision to see how extraordinary would manifest itself
3. Ambition to do all it takes
4. Tenacity to smash all obstacles in the way
5. Commitment and consistency to ensure that extraordinary is habitual, never settles and levels down
6. Fearlessness of all risks
7. Faith that the future will work itself out
8. Support of family and friends who serve as psychological and physical safety nets
9. Investment of time, financial and opportunity costs
10. Mentors and peers to guide, critique, challenge and inspire

At the cornerstone of this foundation is the why I created #TheWempyDyoctaKotoAward.

Firstly, I have never used my name for any entrepreneurial or social project. I own multi-million dollar companies and startups around the world and have never attached my name to any.

Even the management consultancy where I serve as CEO is called “Wardour and Oxford“, as it was established in an office on the corner of Wardour and Oxford Streets in London.

After conducting focus groups for alternative award names, I was encouraged to learn that no other name made sense for the general Indonesian public than to call it “The Wempy Dyocta Koto Award”.

In a country of 17,000 islands, I have travelled to many of Indonesia’s habitable towns, villages and cities to promote entrepreneurship, education and business. I have learned of children, students and adults travelling on trains and buses for over 24 hours, sleeping at transportation terminals, crossing island ferries and catching multiple planes to watch me speak at a one-hour event. I have learned of groups travelling through dangerous terrain and a distant fire blazing on the island of Kalimantan to attend my lecture in the city of Samarinda. I receive messages on social media from people wanting to meet so I can guide them towards their aspirations. This in addition to the overwhelming mentoring requests I receive once I come off stage or after a television appearance. I have even received a message from a 12 year-old girl who asked me to promise to never leave Indonesia so I can be her business partner when she launches her company.

How do I, as an individual, meaningfully channel this fountain of energy, wild spirit and zest for education and emancipation?

Enter #TheWempyDyoctaKotoAward, which will prize 12 excellent Indonesians with mentorship from 12 extraordinary Indonesian mentors plus 12 extraordinary international mentors for 12 inspiring months.

While most awards have tough obstacles and criteria for entry – such as age restrictions, educational qualifications, academic accomplishments and other subtle and overt means for excluding, sifting, screening and pre-identifying winners -, #TheWempyDyoctaKotoAward will prize 12 Indonesians from across cities, villages and islands who have an insatiable ambition to learn more, do more, live more and leave more beyond their lifetimes.

Indonesia’s excellent future leaders can only be mentored by Indonesia’s greatest living entrepreneurs. Enter 12 extraordinary Indonesian billionaire and millionaire entrepreneurs who have graced the covers of Forbes and Fortune magazines as well as other international media, whom I am fortunate enough to call my family and friends.

Additionally, to groom Indonesia’s future leaders, it is vital that they are influenced by global leaders with global perspectives and global wisdoms. When an Indonesian is born in Indonesia, is educated in Indonesia, works in Indonesia, consumes Indonesian media and reads Indonesian literature and culture, their worldview is narrow, only Indonesian and dangerous in a globalising world.

We share a complex planet of political, economic, cultural, religious and social dynamics and battles. I want the future leaders of my country to be patriots who have rounded, healthy, empathetic and compassionate global perspectives. Therefore, in addition to the #TheWempyDyoctaKotoAward’s Indonesian mentors, the winners will also be introduced to 12 extraordinary international mentors. Indonesia must become a nation that collaborates, partners and fits beautifully on the global stage. This can only happen when our future leaders have a global view and appreciation of the world.

What if, like me, these future leaders of Indonesia could also learn from global scientists, entrepreneurs, social entrepreneurs, human rights advocates, corporate leaders, royalty, government leaders, non-government leaders, design thinkers, communications, branding and media captains and international peace builders who are the souls of the THNK School of Creative Leadership?

How much better would our world be?

Yes, the THNK family have been overflowing in their support, graciousness and desire to become mentors for these future leaders of Indonesia.

Indonesia is the world’s fourth most populous country with 250 million people. It is home to the world’s highest number of Muslims of 210 million people. McKinsey & Company forecasts Indonesia to be the world’s 7th most powerful economy by 2030, overtaking the United Kingdom and Germany.

Now is the time to launch #TheWempyDyoctaKotoAward.

Now is the time to capitalise on the collective wisdom, collective intelligence, collective kindness and collective soul of the THNK School of Creative Leadership to improve and impact a nation, which like me, is ready to be extraordinary.

Learn more about how to shape an empathetic global perspective by applying for THNK’s Executive Leadership Program.