In October 2013, Hanzky went on a trip to the City of Palo Alto, California. She was there to represent Female Daily at a screening for Endeavor, a mentoring program which pairs up startup entrepreneurs with the world’s most influential business leaders.
At the helm of Endeavor Indonesia is Sati Rasuanto, its Managing Director. We sat down at a coffee shop in central Jakarta with this mother of two young girls, and she had so much to impart about everything from being a woman climbing up the corporate ladder to thankfulness. And while I don’t plan on being a mother anytime soon, I certainly took notes on everything she had to say about breaking down the false perceptions that force women to choose between a career or motherhood.
Hi, Sati! How long have you held your post as Managing Director of Endeavor Indonesia?
Two and a half years. This is the first time I’ve exceeded my two-year mark at holding one job title ! I worked at the World Bank for four years, but held two different posts for two years each.
You’re a working mother, but many working mothers often get criticized for doing too much working and not enough mothering. Conversely, nobody every second guesses a man’s ability to work and be a father at the same time. What can we do to change this?
It needs to be acknowledged that males are fathers too, and that they share the same responsibility for the household. Women get two and a half months off for maternity leave, whereas men only get two days. That’s the government basically saying “Hey ladies, your man needs to be back in the office in two days, so good luck taking care of the baby alone for the remaining two and a half months.” Another problem is how we always talk about women’s emancipation, but we forget to bring men into the picture — when they in fact have just as a large role in in making women’s emancipation a reality as we do.
What do you think needs to change first for true equality in the workplace to take place: corporate or cultural overhauls?
I think both need to change. The pressure can come from multiple sources; a woman can have a supportive working environment, but that’s no good if she has a parent or partner who demands that she be home by 7 PM. There are too many variables that need to develop at the same time, and this is a cultural problem that’s happening everywhere.
Have you faced any gender discrimination in the workplace?
I’ve been lucky to have mostly been working in an environment that is quite conducive for women to do the same role as men. What I see lacking is role models. In all my previous organizations, there was a very limited number of role models for young women to look up to. Most of my mentors were men — not because they were smarter, but because there was more of them.
What would you say to young women who are pressured to choose between the false dichotomy of working and being a mom?
I think they need to first figure out what their priorities are. Make sure that if you stand your ground and want to work — against the will of your parents or spouse — then you need to know that’s what you really want and need to be happy. Or if you want to be a stay-at-home mom, make sure it’s what you want, and not the result of peer pressure . I think the pressure pushes you one way or the other, because people are imposing their ideals on you, or you want to rebel against that. Figure out what you really want and find like-minded people to cheer you on in your journey. I think having friends with similar aspirations will also help.
When did you realize know what you wanted to do?
I can’t remember if there was one single point. It’s a continuing learning process that comes with age. I had my kids when I was 26, so I was quite young, and I started my working career and my mom career at about the same time. Juggling is all I know — my kids grew up with me and my career, so I always incorporate them into my meanings and work life because I don’t know any other way.
What kind of hopes and dreams do you have for your kids?
I hope for them to be happy. I want them to be able to look at themselves in the mirror and liking what they see. And I also want for them to practice gratitude, because I recently found something new in my exercise routine: exercise for me used to be about keeping my weight down and not exceeding a certain weight, but in the past year I’ve noticed more and more people whose movements are limited. So exercise has been a way to express gratitude, for having the ability and the opportunity to move my body any way I want. It makes exercising a lot more fun.
Have you heard about our Women of Worth campaign? What is your definition of Woman of Worth?
I think a Woman of Worth is somebody with self-awareness, self-respect, and self-confidence. Whether we want to be a good leader, follower, mother, or member of society starts with those three things sprinkled with gratitude. If everyone — not just women — has all four of those qualities, don’t you think the world will be a better place? That’s my hope for my kids.
