On one level, the Indonesian concept of gengsi, or appearance, is quite similar to the Western understanding of “putting on airs”, being trendy, or presenting an image to the world that does not entirely correspond with reality. Status symbols such as exclusive golf club memberships, luxury vehicles, designer brands, prestigious schools, and the latest smartphones have their counterparts in every culture. Many people around the world save diligently in order to afford visible symbols of success. In Indonesia, however, outward appearance often carries a deeper social significance. It can communicate not only wealth, but also education, social standing, family background, and professional credibility.
For many Indonesians, appearance is closely connected to respect and reputation. A person who presents themselves professionally, dresses appropriately, and behaves with dignity may be viewed more favourably than someone who appears careless or overly casual. While foreigners sometimes interpret this as being overly concerned with status, it is often more closely related to maintaining personal and family honour within the community.
This concept becomes particularly important in the workplace.
In Indonesian business culture, maintaining the appearance that everything is under control can sometimes take precedence over openly discussing difficulties. This tendency is rooted partly in traditional Javanese values, which distinguish between a person’s inner feelings and outward behaviour. While someone may privately disagree, worry, or feel frustrated, they may still present a calm and positive exterior in order to preserve group harmony and avoid creating discomfort for others.
As a result, foreign managers occasionally find themselves unaware of problems until a deadline is missed or a project encounters difficulties. The issue is not usually dishonesty. Rather, employees may be reluctant to deliver bad news, create conflict, or disappoint a superior.
Maintaining harmony in the office by giving the outward appearance that everything is proceeding normally remains a fairly common situation in traditional organisations. Bad news may not be communicated immediately, and challenges that seem overwhelming to an employee may not be raised until someone asks directly about them.
Consider the following situation.
A mid-level Indonesian manager is tasked with finding information about cable suppliers in Semarang by a particular deadline. Despite repeated attempts by telephone and email, he is unable to obtain the required information. Rather than informing his superior immediately about the difficulty, he continues trying and waits until the deadline approaches. When his boss finally asks about the project, he explains the efforts he has made and the fact that he has been unable to complete the assignment.
Had the employee approached his manager earlier, they might have brainstormed alternative solutions together. However, the reluctance to deliver bad news and the desire to maintain workplace harmony delayed the project.
This situation can be frustrating for foreign managers who are accustomed to employees escalating problems quickly. However, understanding the cultural factors involved helps avoid misinterpreting the behaviour as laziness, incompetence, or lack of commitment.
Foreign managers often need to spend more time monitoring progress and checking in with employees than they might in their home countries. This is partly due to the traditionally paternal nature of many Indonesian business relationships and partly due to the discomfort that some employees feel when communicating difficulties to a superior.
Successful foreign managers make it clear that raising concerns is not viewed as failure. They actively encourage employees to ask questions, discuss obstacles, and seek assistance before a problem becomes critical. Rather than waiting for staff to volunteer information, effective managers often use regular follow-up meetings and progress reviews to create opportunities for discussion.
Cross-cultural effectiveness is a two-way street. Foreign managers benefit from understanding Indonesian business customs, while Indonesian managers and employees benefit from understanding the expectations of their international colleagues. Open conversations about communication styles, reporting expectations, and decision-making processes can significantly reduce misunderstandings.
There is another important lesson for foreign managers.
Many Indonesians place a high value on emotional self-control in professional settings. Public displays of anger, confrontation, or aggressive criticism can damage relationships and cause employees to withdraw rather than engage. Even when discussing serious problems, successful managers generally remain calm, polite, and respectful.
This does not mean avoiding difficult conversations. It means delivering criticism privately, focusing on solutions rather than blame, and preserving the dignity of everyone involved. Indonesians often refer to this as “saving face”—protecting a person’s reputation and self-respect, particularly in front of others.
Foreign managers who learn to balance directness with diplomacy are often far more successful in Indonesia than those who rely solely on confrontation or authority. By understanding the role that gengsi, harmony, and saving face play in Indonesian society, managers can build stronger relationships, improve communication, and create more effective teams.
This article was generously contributed by George B. Whitfield III during his time as a Technical Advisor with Executive Orientation Services and has been updated for relevance to today’s Indonesian workplace environment.
