Cheng Ho's landing in Hyderabad will be commemorated on a large scale. Cheng Ho is a great seaman, ahead of European sailors such as Columbus and Vasco da Gama. The fleet is also much larger, 200 ships (compared with only 3 ships Columbus).
Leading the expedition sailed seven times the distance of more than 50 thousand miles on the period it is a phenomenal achievement, requires very strong leadership. Six hundred years ago, led the fleet involving 200 ships with 27 thousand crew certainly not an easy thing. Mastery of a leader who is accompanied by a very high managerial skills. He certainly has a strong vision and pervasive to all his followers, shared vision. So he was able to mobilize followers in good coordination.
Its mission is also quite noble. Just imagine if he leads the fleet was attacked and occupied the country. By looking at the comparative strengths of existing, technically Cheng Ho's fleet has a pretty big chance to win it. But they do it to spread peace mission. A mission to show the greatness of the Ming dynasty and the height of Chinese culture.
In carrying out its mission, he put forward approach to multiculturalism. He respects the cultural dimension of the local community embraced the form of language, values, patterns of thought, religion, artifacts, and orientation to time and space. Respect for the other perspective helps capture precisely the situation quickly (quick to see). This attitude brings insight and wisdom in addressing the behaviors and attitudes in different cultural contexts (quick to learn). This is a critical factor that increases the flexibility in acting (quick to Decide) and interact so that terbinanya close relationships without compromising the achievement of desired results.
The use of soft power such as this demands hard work of a leader is more than the use of violence itself. Why not, he should be able to convince his people that the way this can succeed. With the various challenges and trials they faced, he should be able to foster confidence and maintain enthusiasm for trying to achieve. As a leader, its commitment to move the reference in his commitment. From the travel time to reach that goal is always to deal with the change process, both internal changes and external changes. Sometimes the change is extreme, giving rise to a crisis that could lead to doubts and pessimism.
In fact, enthusiasm plays an important role in achieving that goal. It was his job as leader to always blows enthusiasm to all his men. Ability to motivate, give examples, and inspiring to the demands of the inevitable. In real tolerance and empathy demonstrated in many ways, not limited to mere rhetoric.
There are interesting stories in his visit to Majapahit, who was ravaged by civil war stronghold Blambangan. When located on the north coast of Java, the second person in the fleet, Wang Jinghong, weak or ill. Some sources say the history of chickenpox illness is severe, and classified as infectious diseases. Given the health conditions of trust, Ho Cheng Wang Jinghong decrease in the Port Simongan (now named Mangkang) Semarang. Wang Jinghong treated there in a cave to avoid transmission of disease to other men. In fact, some sources claim that with his own hands Cheng Ho's care, including the mix of drugs for him.
Imagine, an admiral who led no less than 30,000 people in more than seventy ships in a mission that is important so pay attention to those beliefs. As long as he is caring for Wang Jinghong, he handed over control of the fleet on its designated person. And with his power, easy for Admiral Cheng Ho to appoint his subordinates to treat Wang Jinghong while he was still leading the fleet of the sea.
When conditions improved Jinghong Wang, Ceng Ho left the following 10 crew to guard it. He again led the fleet of ocean to carry out the primary mission was adopting after ensuring that his representative is already in a safe condition and just waiting for recovery only.
Cheng Ho's leadership integrity shown in the concern for Wang Jinghong as his deputy was felt by all his subordinates. Instead, he is also getting not only respect but the totality of all of his men. No wonder if the Admiral Cheng Ho's success in every opportunity.
In fact, as a sign of gratitude to Cheng Ho, Wang Jinghong Zheng He set up a statue in cave Simongan. That was the beginning of the legend of the statue of Sam Po Kong which later became the origin of Sam Po Kong temple in Semarang is every 1st and 15th month of the Lunar crowded people.
Cheng Ho's leadership, it is feasible to emulate.
* A.B. Susanto, Managing Partner, The Jakarta Consulting Group
Published in the newspaper Bisnis Indonesia 2005
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