Kaku Bertemu Pak Rudiantara

Pertama kali saya bertatap muka langsung dengan Rudiantara—Menteri Komunikasi dan Informatika Republik Indonesia saat itu—adalah pada 29 Juni 2019. Acara open house di rumah dinasnya di Jakarta Selatan, dekat kawasan SCBD, memberi saya kesempatan langka ini berkat undangan Uda Yuliandre Darwis, Ketua KPI Pusat yang giat mengajak anak muda memanfaatkan peluang.

Sebagai sarjana komunikasi baru terjun ke dunia profesional, saya cepat sadar bahwa gelar akademis tak berarti tanpa praktik. Saya jarang aktif di organisasi kampus, sehingga saat berdiri di meja prasmanan bersama Rudiantara dan teman lama saya, Memet, jantung langsung berdegup kencang. Keduanya sama-sama mengambil hidangan, dan tanpa sengaja kami berpapasan.

Sebelum mendekat, Memet menatap saya penuh semangat. “Bro, siapa duluan yang mulai ngobrol?” bisiknya setengah bercanda. Saya tersenyum dan menjawab, “Ya kamu duluan, lah!” Begitulah kami saling ‘menodong’ menentukan siapa yang berani membuka percakapan.

Giliran saya tiba. Dengan gugup saya menyapa, “Pak Menteri, apa kabar?” Rudiantara menjawab ramah, tetapi keheningan sejenak membuat otak saya kosong mencari kelanjutan. Dalam hati saya berpikir, “Bagaimana menyambungnya?”

Tanpa diduga, saya pun memberanikan diri, “Pak, boleh minta foto dan Boomerang?”—memanfaatkan tren Instagram saat itu. Syukurlah Pak Rudiantara tersenyum menyetujui. Memet segera mengambil kamera, dan kami berdua berfoto bersama Pak Rudi, menciptakan momen yang tak akan saya lupakan.

Meski merasa belum mampu membangun percakapan mendalam, pengalaman ini memacu saya belajar lebih serius. beberapa tahun belakangan, saya menemukan How to Win Friends and Influence People karya Dale Carnegie (pertama terbit 1936), sebuah buku yang menekankan prinsip-prinsip membangun hubungan: memberi apresiasi tulus, mendengarkan aktif, dan menciptakan kesan positif. Buku itulah yang kemudian membantu saya berlatih connecting dengan lebih percaya diri.

Kini, meski tidak selalu mulus, setiap pertemuan dengan tokoh inspiratif saya jadikan ajang memperkuat kemampuan komunikasi. Pengalaman di 29 Juni 2019 tetap menjadi titik awal perjalanan journey connecting saya hingga hari ini.

A Nervous Encounter with Mr. Rudiantara

The first time I met Rudiantara, Indonesia’s Minister of Communication and Informatics at the time, was on June 29, 2019. The open house at his official residence in South Jakarta—near the SCBD district—was a rare opportunity, extended to me by Uda Yuliandre Darwis, the Chair of Indonesia’s Central KPI, who was passionate about encouraging young people to seize every chance.

As a fresh communications graduate entering the professional world, I quickly realized that academic credentials meant little without real-world practice. I had been minimally active in campus organizations, so when I found myself at the buffet table standing beside Rudiantara and my long-time friend Memet, my heart raced. Both of us were reaching for snacks when our paths crossed.

Before approaching, Memet looked at me with excitement and half-jokingly whispered, “Bro, who’s going to start the conversation?” I smiled and replied, “You go first, then!” That’s how we playfully ‘dared’ each other to break the ice.

When my turn came, I nervously greeted him, “Mr. Minister, how are you?” He responded kindly, but the brief silence that followed left my mind blank, struggling to find the next words. Inwardly, I wondered, “What should I say next?”

Then, on impulse, I found the courage to ask, “Sir, may I have a photo and a Boomerang?”—tapping into the Instagram trend of the time. Fortunately, Mr. Rudiantara smiled and agreed. Memet quickly grabbed the camera, and the two of us posed for a brief photo session with Mr. Rudi, capturing a moment I’ll always cherish.

Although I felt I missed the chance to spark a deeper dialogue, the experience motivated me to learn and improve. Soon after, I discovered How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie (first published in 1936), a book highlighting principles of building relationships: offering sincere appreciation, active listening, and creating positive impressions. That book became my guide to honing my connecting skills with greater confidence.

Today, while not every conversation flows smoothly, I embrace every meeting with inspiring figures as an opportunity to strengthen my communication abilities. The events of June 29, 2019, remain the starting point of my ongoing journey connecting.