Hendrik Yaputra, Jakarta – Former Minister of Education and Culture Anies Baswedan asserted that the prerequisite for leadership is the ability to earn the trust of followers. However, he warned that this trust can erode when personal or group interests are prioritized over the public good.
"So [a leader who] thinks only of themselves, their children, or their nephews, their own family, people will immediately lose faith in them, won't they?" the former Rector of Paramadina University remarked during a seminar on the nation's education titled 'Integritas Karakter Kompetensi dan Teknologi dalam Pendidikan di Indonesia' at the university's East Jakarta campus on Wednesday, May 6, 2026.
The former Governor of Jakarta, who was a presidential candidate in the 2024 election and lost to the current president, Prabowo Subianto, contended that leadership is not an innate talent present from birth, but rather a universal human potential that can be nurtured.
According to Anies, a person is defined as a leader by the existence of their followers, who choose to follow based on trust. He noted that trust emerges when a leader demonstrates both competence and integrity.
"Integrity means acting honestly in accordance with established norms and rules," he explained. Anies further suggested that a leader must maintain "intimacy" or a sense of closeness with their followers. "So, the formula is: trust equals competence, integrity, and intimacy."
Conversely, he argued that trust diminishes when a leader prioritizes self-interest. The more prominent those personal interests become, the lower the level of trust remains.
Furthermore, Anies stated that leadership requires the capacity to learn new things and the courage to abandon outdated understandings.
"Leaders must realize that previous knowledge may no longer be applicable as times evolve," he said.
Anies illustrated this with the paradigm shift currently seen in the world of education. While the old educational model was teacher-centric, the modern paradigm is student-centered. Therefore, Anies urged teachers to transition from being the sole source of knowledge to acting as facilitators.
He also recommended that students cultivate three core traits for continuous development: critical thinking, creative thinking, and an adaptive attitude. Among these, he identified critical thinking as the foundational element. Without it, he argued, there can be no creativity or innovation.
"Innovation is not just about creating something new; it is about providing new solutions to old, persistent problems. Only those with sharp critical thinking can birth these innovative solutions," he concluded.
Anies Baswedan attended the event as a guest of Paramadina University, which invited a number of teachers and students from various schools across Jakarta and Bekasi.
Source: https://en.tempo.co/read/2102195/anies-baswedan-on-why-public-trust-in-leaders-is-fadin