Cross Cultural Management in Vietnam

8/3/2019 Cross Cultural Management in Vietnam

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Copyright 2010 1-2-WIN Co., Ltd. All rights reserved

www.1-2-WIN.net


Cross-cultural management

in Vietnam

Survey Results+practical tips

to succeed

22nd June 2010, HCMC

1-2-WIN: www.1-2-win.net; tel: +66 87 99 60 679; [email protected]: www.ccifv.org; tel: +84 8 38 25 86 25; [email protected]
http://www.ccifv.org/mailto:[email protected]://www.ccifv.org/mailto:[email protected]://www.1-2-win.net/mailto:[email protected]://www.ccifv.org/mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.ccifv.org/mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.1-2-win.net/http://www.1-2-win.net/http://www.1-2-win.net/http://www.1-2-win.net/http://www.1-2-win.net/http://www.1-2-win.net/


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A presentation by Jean-Francois Cousin, Executive Coach,with 15 years management experience in ASEAN...

Highest coaching credentials in ASEAN

Professional Certified Coach accreditation

from the International Coach Federation1

Coached over 250 executives to date

In Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, China, India, etc...

Provides high-impact management, leadership and

cross-cultural training programs

1 www.coachfederation.org

MD for Lafarge Group in Thailand (98-04)

Worked over 10 years in ASEAN, China & India

Was VP Strategy for an MNC spread over32 countries, with 2 billion US$ turnover

Engineer + received senior executive educationfrom the Fuqua School of Business,in Duke University, USA

was based in (Thailand, Singapore, France)

conducted missions in

Worked in

International management experience+
http://www.coachfederation.org/http://www.coachfederation.org/


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1-2-WIN Executive Coachings Client-listin Vietnam, Thailand & Singapore
http://www.essilor.fr/index.php


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85 persons from 52 Companies and 6 nationalitiesparticipated to our survey

85 respondents

French

Australian

Japanese

Portuguese

Swiss

Filipino

Vietnamese

Foreigners polled have worked in Vietnam

between 2 months and 20 years

52 MNCs and SMEs, employing between 7 and3,000 persons


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Most respondents are in senior management

12 Vietnamese HR managers have participated

Foreign senior managers are the largest respondents

group

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40

Others Foreigner

Human Resources Vietnamese

Human Resources Foreigner

Management Vietnamese

Management Foreigner

Senior Management Vietnamese

Senior Management Foreigner

Positions of respondents


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Limitations of our research and presentation


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Limitations of our research and presentation

0 5 10 15 20 25 30

Chinese

Indians

German

Other Europeans

USA

British

AustralianJapanese

Other Asians

Singaporeans

French

Number of Vietnamese respondents who worked with


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Mutual appreciation: Top-6 interpersonal skills

64% 66% 68% 70% 72% 74% 76%

makes me feel appreciated

controls emotion well

is fun to work with

is easy to talk with

is friendly

is polite

Vietnamese's performance assessmentby Foreigners

65% 66% 67% 68% 69% 70%

expresses his/her ideaswith confidence

tries to understand foreignCultures


is polite

speaks English well

is friendly

Foreigners' performance assessmentby Vietnamese

Excellent

100%

Good

67%

not good enough

33%

very poor

0%

Highest scores


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Mutual appreciation: Top-5 management skills

62% 63% 64% 65% 66% 67% 68% 69%

has good analytical skills

has a sense of urgency

follows Company's rulesand regulations

is highly responsible

works hard


52% 54% 56% 58% 60% 62% 64% 66%

is punctual (on time)

follows Company's rulesand regulations

shows strong discipline

works hard

celebrates achievements


Excellent

100%

Good

67%

not good enough

33%

very poor

0%

Highest scores


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Areas for improvement in interpersonal skills

Excellent

100%

Good

67%

not good enough

33%

very poor

0%

Lowest scores

30% 35% 40% 45% 50% 55%

listens well

speaks English well

is open-minded

expresses his/her ideas with

confidence

is straightforward (tells thetruth)


49% 50% 51% 52% 53% 54% 55% 56%


cares for colleagues' well being

is patient

is interested in foreign countries

develops harmony betweenpeople at work

Develops personal relationshipswith colleagues



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Areas for improvement in management skills

Excellent

100%

Good

67%

not good enough

33%

very poor

0%

Lowest scores

30% 35% 40% 45% 50% 55%

makes good decisions

motivates colleagues

gives effective feedback on(under)performance

manages conflict effectively

is effective at developpingcolleagues' skills

spends time to developsubordinates' skills


20% 25% 30% 35% 40%

manages priorities effectively

puts Company's interest beforeher/his own interests

takes initiative

gives effective feedback on(under)performance

has a long-term view forbusiness

is creative, thinks "out of thebox"



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Most important skills in Vietnamese managers opinion

70% 75% 80% 85% 90% 95% 100%


expresses his/her ideas in aclear manner

speaks English well

knows how to manage seniorityat work

Most important interpersonal skills inVietnamese's opinion

70% 75% 80% 85% 90% 95% 100%



Most important management skills inVietnamese's opinion

NB: most important defined as > 70% in our ranking


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Most important skills in Foreign managers opinion

70% 75% 80% 85% 90% 95% 100%

is open-minded

expresses his/her ideas in aclear manner

speaks English well

Most important interpersonal skills inforeigners' opinion

70% 75% 80% 85% 90% 95% 100%

has integrity, is honest




takes initiative


is good at organizing work


Most important management skills inforeigners' opinion



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Comparison of most important skills

70% 80% 90% 100%

is open-minded

expresses his/her ideas in a clearmanner

speaks English well

Most important interpersonal skills in foreigners' opinion

70% 75% 80% 85% 90% 95% 100%





takes initiative




Most important management skills in foreigners' opinion


70% 80% 90% 100%


expresses his/her ideas in a clearmanner

speaks English well

knows how to manage seniorityat work

Most important interpersonal skills in Vietnamese's opinion

70% 75% 80% 85% 90% 95% 100%



Most important management skills in Vietnamese's opinion


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How to perform at the next level?


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Summary of advice from/to each other(1)

Advice to Vietnamese Advice to Foreigners Be transparent

Be clear and say what you think

Continue to grow management skills

Decide based on analysis, not emotions Prioritize, plan and organize Never stop learning & teaching others

Be an entrepreneur for the Company

Be creative, think out-of-the-box Be a role-model for accountability(2)

Place companys benefit above all Take initiative, dont be afraid

Become an international team-player

Engage in team-work across functions Speak English well Listen with an open-mind

Invest time to develop colleagues skills

Support initiative & accept trial-and-error

Give effective feedback on performance (+ & -)

Manage conflict effectively

Manage sensitively Learn Vietnamese Culture to be more effective

Listen with an open-mind and patience

Be clear and probe understanding

Convince about the rationale of your decisions

Develop personal relationships with colleagues Clarify expectations (ethics, quality

standards, behaviors, seniority in an MNC(3))

Build trust, recognize and motivate

Leverage effective motivational driversMake loyalty worthwhile

(1) based on quantitative and qualitative answers to our survey (2) = with a no excuse mindset for your responsibility (3) Multi-National Company


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From data to action: a few critical Success-Factorsof cross-cultural management in Vietnam

Communicate effectivelyacross Cultures

Develop peoplewith good returns

Build trust & loyalty

Motivate

Become aninternational team-player

Become an entrepreneurfor the Company


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How to


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Interactivesolution-search!

A f iti l S F t


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A few critical Success-Factorsfor cross-cultural management in Vietnam




Motivate




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Worldwide challenges in communication!


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1. All-out discussionto clarify issues

Conflict management: different priorities*

1. Minimize damageto relationships

2. No bad feelings afterwards

Foreigners

2. Keep bad feelings inside

Vietnamese

CONFLICT

AFTER

CONFLIC

T* We obviously simplify, with the objective to trigger in-depth discussions between Foreigners & Vietnamese

Communication


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Communicationto speak-out or not to speak?... that is the question!

Some barriers to communication


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Not listening

Pretending to listen

Biased listening

Attentive listening

Active listening

Empathic listening

Facilitative listening

You ignore

You use nods and smiles and uhum, etc...

You (unconsciously) interpret what the speaker says throughyour beliefs

You gather facts and analyze

You gather facts, analyze and understand feelings

You check and understand facts and feelings, trying to feel

how the speaker feels, put yourself in her/his shoes

You listen and understand fully, and help the speaker clarifyhis/her thoughts through tactful, open-ended questions

Effective communicationWe can listen in many ways, not all of them productive

A f f t f


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Blur, unclear

Too complicated (assuming more is better)

Confrontational / insensitive

Uninspiring / de-motivating

Non-transparent

Biased (eg. misjudging employees understanding)

A few features ofineffective managerial communication

H t i t ff ti l


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Listen with the intent to make theconversation worthwhile for both

Make it safe to speak-up

Leverage communication good practicesin meetings

How to communicate effectivelyacross Cultures?

Listen with the intent to make theconversation worthwhile for both

Employer

Employee

Tips

A few critical Success Factors


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A few critical Success-Factorsfor cross-cultural management in Vietnam




Motivate



( )


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B Back-bonesIndividuals who produce

effectively, however they havereached a ceiling

in competency

A - StarsIndividuals who have real

potential for the future andare high performers

D - IcebergsIndividuals who have no

potential and perform poorly.They are in awrong role

C - Problem ChildrenIndividuals who have

potential but are notperforming in their role. Thismay be because they are

newly promoted

low - - - - - - - - - capability to learn - - - - - - - - high

Are you clear about your talent pools (potential) value?

low

---

--performance-----high

h d l l ?


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B Back-bonesteach

A - Starscoach

D - Icebergs

reactivate orremove

C - Problem Children

'father' (discipline)

low - - - - - capability to learn - - - - - high

low

-----

performance-

----high

Acknowledge effort and

contribution.Utilize as coaches andmentors.

Look for each person'shidden high

potential, undiscoveredpassions, etc., and offer

new challenges andresponsibilities as

appropriate, so these

people too can be stars, toany extent they are

comfortable.

Counsel, buildtrust, understand issues.

Identify hidden potential.Facilitate more fitting

roles, direction, purpose, opportunities, etc., linked

with and perhapsdependent onperformance

improvement.Failing this, assist orenable move out of

position if best for allconcerned.

Agree challenging stretching

work, projects, careerdevelopment, responsibilities,or these people are likely toleave.Give appropriately stretchingcoaching, mentoring, training.Explore and encourageleadership and role-modelopportunities, to set and raise

standards of other staff.

Confirm and acknowledgepotential. Counsel, buildtrust, understand issues.Explore and agree ways toutilize and develop identified

potential via fitting tasks andresponsibilities, linked with andperhaps dependent onperformance improvement.Explore attachment tobackbone or star mentors andcoaches.

Do you invest enough in developing your people?

l d l i k i !


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People development: no risk, no gain!

l d l


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People developmentwith the simplest leadership model: 3 C

Challenge

CoachBuild Confidence

3 C

A LEADER...

Creates opportunities

Provides direction

Aligns everyone

Inspires

Builds Confidence

Challenges and

Coaches people

Source: Paul B. Thornton, 1999


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Effective feedback: the sandwich technique motivating to improve (bad) performance

Motivation & offer of support

I am sure You can do it!

Area for improvementHow much better can you do?

Recognition of 1 good action

3

2

1

Positivefoundation

Stretch

Hope

Baseline:

Provide tools e g to get things done well and in time


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Provide tools. e.g. to get things done well and in-timesimple tools for priorities, planning & organization

Daily to-do list

Important&

urgent

Urgent,not

important

Important,n

oturgen

t


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One-on-one meeting focused on professionalgrowth 1-hour/month with key employees

Continuously stretch (good to great)

How to develop people with good returns?

Behave as the level above The day you think you know it all: retire,because you are old already!

Employer

Employee

Tips

A few critical Success-Factors


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A few critical Success Factorsfor cross-cultural management in Vietnam




Motivate



Wh d M M d


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When you are good to Mama, Mamas good to you(Chicago, the musical)

How to build trust and loyalty?


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Directive & truly caring

Gets loyaltyfor caring

Authority based on relationships

& seniority

Foreign leadership model*Asian* leadership model

Participative

Gets respectfor knowledge & wisdom

Authority based on rules & regulations

How to build trust and loyalty?Influence of leadership models of reference

* We obviously generalize for the sake of igniting discussions; every country has its specificities


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Fosters open communication

Listens and responds with empathy

Shares thoughts, feelings and rationale

Is straightforward and up-front

Focuses on the positive

Seeks others ideas

Doesnt shoot the messengerDiscusses difficult / sensitive issues

Challenges assumptions

Is reliable and consistent

Avoids making empty promises by being honestabout what one can do and cant do

Acts with integrity

Is available when needed

Behaves according to organizational values

Follows through and keep commitment

Treats everyone with

respect & fairnessMaintains & enhances others self esteemValues each individuals uniqueness

Acts impartially and without bias

Ensures everyone receives due

credit, recognition and rewards

Shows confidence in others

Asks for help and encourages involvement

Provides support without removing responsibility

Provides opportunities to develop new skills

Lets team-members lead

Stands behind and advocates for team members

Trust builders: how much do you leverage them?


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Care & build relationship

Clarify values and expectations upfront

(ethics, behaviors, quality standards)

Activate all trust builders

Build confidence in Companys long-term

How to build trust & loyalty?

Be transparent + say what you think

Activate all trust builders

Employer

Employee

Tips



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A few critical Success Factorsfor cross-cultural management in Vietnam




Motivate



M ti ti i d t t th l ?


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Motivation: is money and status the only way?

7 needs which account for most of our behaviors

Transcendance Help others realize their potential

Learning Realize our own potential

Aesthetics Beauty, balance, order

Esteem Achieve, be competent, gain approval, status

Belonging Love, family, friends, affection

Safety Protection, safety, stability

Basic (physiological) Hunger, thirst, bodily comfort

Hygiene

factors

(dissatisfiers)

Motivation

factors

Source: Maslows hierarchy of needs & Herbergs motivation-hygiene theory

M ti ti h t ll ti t l


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Motivation: what really motivates people

A Company offers 1,000 $ to the employees who meet a certain performance target

3 different ways for managers to present the bonus to their subordinates:

1. Think of what 1,000 $ means: a down-payment for a new car or that new home improvement you want tomake

2. Think of the increased security of having 1,000 $ in your bank account for rainy days3. Think of what the 1,000 $ means: the Company recognizes how important you are to its overall performance, it

does not spend money for nothing

Which message would appeal mostto you personally?

Which message would appeal most to OTHERS do youthink?

1

2

3 (esteem)

(security)

(security)

1

2

3

(security)

(security)

(esteem)

Source: Made to Stick, Dan and Chip HeathMotivate with self-esteem

M ti ti h t ll ti t l


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Motivation: what really motivates people

A manager must convince a colleague to take a new job that is crucial to the Companys success

3 different pitches for the new job:1. Think about how much security this job provides; it is so important that the Company will always need someone

in this position

2. Think about the visibility provided by this job; because the job is so important, a lot of people will be watchingyour performance

3. Think about how rewarding it will be to work in such a central job. It offers a unique opportunity to learn how theCompany really works

Which message would be most motivatingto you personally?

Which message would be most motivating to OTHERSdo you think?

1

2

3 (learning)

(security)

(esteem)

1

2

3

(security)

(esteem)

(learning)

Motivate with stretched learning

Source: Made to Stick, Dan and Chip Heath

Build Confidence


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Build Confidencethe power of recognition

Number One reason why people leave their job?

because they feel unappreciated

9 out of 10 people say they are more productive

when they are around positive people

Yet, positive feedback only motivates if it is

individualized (YOU really did something great)

with a good reason (and it was great because)

H i i ?


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Activate self-esteem, belonging & learning(monetary incentives are never a durable competitive

advantage; making employees shine is one)

Stretch continuously(you do good & can do better) Celebrate achievements we are winners-

How to motivate over time?

Thinking positive is your choice(How much can you grow in this Company?Winners see opportunities; losers stay stuck

with difficulties)

Employer

Employee

Tips



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for cross-cultural management in Vietnam




Motivate



How to develop World-class team-players


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Build motivation to become an excellent international team-player withsuccess stories of interdependency between local & foreign colleagues

Features of a great international team-player (e.g. open-minded, great

listener, builds on others ideas, establishes trust, is agile, maintains a

positive mindset, grow his/hers influencing skills,)

Confront perceived obstacles and risks (e.g. loss of control, lack of trust,

lack of commitment, complexity,); identify how to overcome them

Make the case for change (winners see and leverage the opportunities,

losers stay stuck with the difficulties)

Tool-box of a great international team-player excerpts:

How to build trust with foreign / out-stationed colleagues (role-plays)

Conflict management: how to shift from avoiding / accommodating /

compromising / competitive to collaborative? (role-plays)

How to communicate effectively within an international team (role-plays)

How to build a positive team-dynamic

Individual accountability for team-work when one does not control everything

Individual resolutions, targeted quick-wins and action plan

p p yIt starts with dropping the me for the we!

H t i t ti l t l ?


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Prove that real big wins are collective

(Silo-culture is a losers plan)

How to grow international team-players?

Drop the me for the we

(Together Everyone Achieves More)

Employer

Employee

Tips



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for cross-cultural management in Vietnam




Motivate



So much to learn in a multinational company for an


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Broad mind-set

Rational decision-making

Prioritize, plan and organize

Take initiative

Be creative, think out-of-the-box Never stop learning

Engage in team-work across functions

Become an international team-player

Learn to manage complexity

p yaspiring entrepreneur; its worth to play by the rules

Be loyal: place companys benefit above all

Be accountable (responsibility power)

Accept sometimes long decision process

Patience

The returns: The requirements...

Biggest mistake:frequent job-hopping Aborted learning Un-employability in

medium-term

How to nurture entrepreneurship
http://www.faqs.org/photo-dict/photofiles/list/506/889bomb.jpg


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Support calculated risk-taking

(here people only get killed for not trying!)

for the Company?

Beat expectations

(You will be as good as you want to be!)

Employer

Employee

Tips

Conclusion Invitation for You to


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Take your team on a journey from Trust to Accountability

Build Relationships How much do we know how special we are? individually and as a team?How far can we leverage our Diversity?How can we strengthen our bond & trust?

Discuss the Un-discussable How differently do we view conflict at work?How can we productively embrace it?How can we discuss what matters most all the way?

Ask the Earth of each other How can we create further value from meetings?How can we take our accountability a step higher?Walk the talk

Where do You start your journey from?


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y j yHow can you engage your team further?

From Patrick Lencionis book the 5 dysfunctions of a team

Payattentionto results

vs. ego / individual goals

Accountability vs. low standards

Commitment vs. ambiguity

Ability to conflict positively vs. artificial harmony

Trust amongst members vs. invulnerability

HCMV, 9th & 10th SeptemberM t t i i


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Management trainingspecially designed for Vietnamese managers

HCMV, 9th & 10th September


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Listen with an open-mind

Be clear, transparent & say what you think

Decide based on analysis, not emotions Prioritize, plan and organize

Take initiative, dont be afraid

Be creative, think out-of-the-box

Never stop learning & teaching others

Engage in team-work across functions

Be a role-model for accountability

Place companys benefit above all

Defining Your Role and Responsibilities

The Qualities of a Successful Manager

Personal Effectiveness,

Priorities & Time management Management and Delegation

People Management and Team

Development

Effective Communication

Managing Performance Motivating your Team

Improve Team Performance

Personal Development

Topics: Focus on skills and behaviours:

Management trainingspecially designed for Vietnamese managers


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in Vietnam

Complete survey-data

1-2-WIN: www.1-2-win.net; tel: +66 87 99 60 679; [email protected]: www.ccifv.org; tel: +84 8 38 25 86 25; [email protected]

Unedited advice from Vietnamese managers to foreign managers
http://www.ccifv.org/mailto:[email protected]://www.ccifv.org/mailto:[email protected]://www.1-2-win.net/mailto:[email protected]://www.ccifv.org/mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.ccifv.org/mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.1-2-win.net/http://www.1-2-win.net/http://www.1-2-win.net/http://www.1-2-win.net/http://www.1-2-win.net/http://www.1-2-win.net/


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li khuyn ca bn dnhcho cc nh qun l nc ngoi h ci thin thm na shiu qu khi lm vic Vit Nam- da trn kinh nghim ca chnh bn khi lm vic vi h

Learn Vietnamese culture Listen and understand your subordinate and local partner Listen and understand business culture before you make a move Be part of Vietnamese culture in business, colleague relation and solving problems Work by example Honest, honest, honest Be patient Ha ng vi mi ngi (sociable) Cn to r a mt mi trng lm vic tht s chuyn nghip hn (create a more really professional working environement) When in Rome, do as Romans do (khng chp nhn ton b, nhng t nht cng hiu ti sao mi ngi lm v ngh nh th) (not accept all,

but at least understand why people do and think so) Tm hiu vn ha, cung cch lm vic ca ngi Vit Nam ( learning about Vienamese culture and their way of work) Tm hiu vn ha, tm l, tnh cch, thi quen sinh hot giao tip pht trin v ha hp quan h vi i tc, ng nghip ngi Vit

(learning about Vietnamese culture, psychology, character, living habits in order to develop and harmonize the relationship with Vietnamesecolleagues)

Lngnghe kin ca ng nghip VN khi gii quyt vn (listen to Vietnamese colleagues and partners ideas when resolving problems) Hiu vn ho bn a (understand the native culture) Kin nhn (patient) Nen quan tam giai quyet tot hon mau thuan giua cac dong nghiep bang mot cach nhin khach quan hon (should be more subjective in

handling conflict between colleagues) biet lang nghe ( listen to) Can tim hieu van hoa Viet nam, de hoa nhap voi nguoi viet nam (be interested in Vietnamese culture to integrate Vietnamese people) tm hiu thm v vn ha v con ngi vit nam pht huy ci tt v hn ch ci xu ca h (understand Vietnamese culture and people to

make them progress) Dnh nhiu thi gian hn ha nhp vo vn ha Vit Nam (have more time to integrate the Vietnamese culture) Individual respect Cn tm hiu vn ho, phong tc tp qun ca nc m h ang lm vic (learning about the culture and habits of the native country where

they are working)

Disclaimer: opinions and comments gathered in our survey do not engage any responsibility of CCIFV and 1-2-WIN Company



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Truyn t thu o cho cp di hiuccmc tiu ca Cng ty (explain carefully to their subordinates all companys objectives) Management RH

Bit lng nghe ng nghip nhiu hn na (listen more to colleagues) H cn phi tm hiu v thch ng vi Vn ha Vit Nam v iu s gip h a ra quyt nh ng n hn. (they need to learn & adaptwith the Vietnamese culture because that will help them to make better decisions)

Integrate into the life of Vietnamese people Appreciate differences in local culture, ways of thinking, behaviors Be patient : VN people are highly motivated and hard workers but they will not succeed in the first time. As much motivating and sociable as possible Give clear direction Long-term view

Motivate staff bit cch qun l cng vic, vicg trc, vic g sau (knows how to manage seniority at work) Cn giao tip tht ci m i vi cp di cng nh cp trn ( open communication) Hy kin nhn v lng nghe nhn vin cp di ca mnh nhiu hnvtr nn ng tin cy, ng chia s trong mt h (be patient andlisten

to subordinates, be trustworthy (they can trust you)) Hc tingVit ( learning Vietnamese) Bit cc thiu st, khim khuyt ca h thng php lut, b my qun l nh nc, th trng,... vn dng (knowledge about limits of

law, institutional, market system to use them effectively)

Tng cng giao tip, tm hiu ng nghip, cp di v cng vic v cc vn lin quan n cuc sng (spends time to develop personalrelationships with colleagues)

ng vin khch l kp thi (motivate colleagues in time) Ni ting Anh chm hn ( speak English slower) Nhit tnh (enthusiasm) Nen it chu trong vao hinh thuc va nhin van de tong quat hon la di vao chi tiet (should be less formal and have a general view ) hieu con nguoi viet nam (understand Vietnamese people) Tao su binh dang cho cac cap bac khac nhau cua nhan vien (make equality for all of staff hierarchy)

quan tm nhiu hn n i sng ngi lao ng ( be more interested in laborers life ) Chn thnh lng nghe (listen honestly)Disclaimer: opinions and comments gathered in our survey do not engage any responsibility of CCIFV and 1-2-WIN Company



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Cultural diversity Gii quyt tt cc mu thun ni b.(resolve well internal conflicts) Din t tng r rng, d hiu (expresses his/her ideas in a clear manner (easy to understand) prendre de bonnes decisions, bonne strategie Bit ng vin ng nghip ng lc, khi h c nhng hnh ng tt (motivates colleagues in time, when they have good actions) Spends time to develop personal relationships with colleagues Recognize achievement and motivate subordinate Act as a coach, teacher. They will then be grateful for a life time. What a thrill for a manager ! Recognize people who do it right Smile

ng bao gi t nng vn mnh la cp trn nn ni ng (should be less autocratic) Thng nm gi cc v tr cao, s nht qun v quan im ca c c bn cc kz quan trng, nu ngc li, n s lm nhn vin hoang mang(the coherence of point of view is very important for the leaders, if not, that makes the staff confused)

Chia s kinh nghim, o to v khuyn khch ngi Vit, tham gia nhiu hot ng giao lu vn ha ngoi kinh doanh (sharingexperience, encourage to participate in diverse cultural activities)

Cp nht kin thc k nng lm vic ca nhn vin qua vic t chc cc lp hun luyn, o to chuyn su (update knowledge, workingskills of personal by organizing training classes)

Ho ng (sociable) thai mi khi trao i (is easy to talk with (makes you comfortable to talk with him/her)

Hc hi ( learning) Nen noi that ngan gon va di vao noi dung chinh hon la trinh bay dai dong kien tri (patient) Dong vien khuyen khich nhan vien, tao moi quan he tot voi dong nghiep (motivate and have a good relationship with colleagues)

Disclaimer: o inions and comments athered in our surve do not en a e an res onsibilit of CCIFV and 1-2-WIN Com an

Unedited comments from foreign managers to foreign managers


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Exposure to outside business skills is lacking, so planning and timelines are weak points. Majority of the workers think they know every thing therefore one has a very hard time trying to show them or teach

something different. Majority done try to understand what is trying to be explained Most or the time they care only or themselves if the company or other worker has a problem it ok its not his problem Managers need to be able to concept check to ensure that "YES" really does mean that everything has been

understood. In a developing country with Confucian ideals, the main focus for most people is to work for themselves and their

families to lift themselves out of poverty - Someone else's company is a means to that end.

Ils ont une vision a long terme du business. Mais il s'agit souvent de "leur" business. Les comptences les plus importantes pour russir au Vietnam l'heure actuelle ne sont pas les comptences

objectives "pour russir" que je dsignerais dans un autre contexte (gestion du temps, vision LT, gouvernance etc.) L'ducation traditionnelle vietnamienne ne favorise ni l'autonomie, ni la prise d'initiative, ni la proactivit et

rechercher de solutions collectives (brainstorming) Difficult a travailler en quipe Donner du sens a leur fonction et de la vision a leurs collaborateurs Rester humble avec ses employs Faire simple, mme quand on est (culturellement ?) dmang par l'envie de faire compliqu Savoir que les mentalits sont en train de changer pour adapter son management Les clients n'ayant pas de programme bien dfinis et la rglementation ayant vocation a s'assouplir au cours

du projet, il est assez difficile d'appliquer ici des mthodes de travail cartsiennes


Unedited advice from foreign managers to Vietnamese managers


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Be responsible and mature as manager Say what you do and do what you say Do not forget company goes down you go down Take responsibility of the overall mission Plan & stick to timelines Business Ethics - Not a single doubt about it must arise at any time Be disciplined and respect corporate rules & regulations Develop people instead of task and micro managing Take a longer term view of career development - jumping Job Grades and titles rapidly ultimately

damages professionalism. Resist the urge to get the better Title and compensation - focus on realexperience.

It is good if coordination/cooperation mind is improved more. Manage time effectively Do not allow any grey area in Business Ethics - If any, immediately talk; in transparency to your boss

Improve your communication skill, you need understand quickly and be able to reply quickly, toomuch time is lost by misunderstanding and related

Be friendly Need to develop strong discipline Take some initiative You may be the manager, but you need the other people so that you can manage to do the job

Go over the mission whenever necessary and if there is an opportunity Attend forums to learn from other people Learn (in English) international and proven "management skills and good habits" Decision making process and feed back Think longer term and big picture instead of short term and narrow minded Develop abilities to work cross functionally - not to protect the functional cell. It is good if look at overall for everything, not have very narrow angle eye. Preparation time seems to be never-ending if you are not a strong manager. At some point, you need

to start the project, so working to timelines is an essential part of the work environment.




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Listen to others Be fair with the company; do not "protect" your staff Try to have a long term view not only for you but also for the business Support them Need to develop good analytical skill Express and share your feelings and ideas When one gets to the management does not mean you know everything learn with others

even the worker Don't be shy or under confident Set goals for your staff and reward them when they achieve them. If they don't achieve the

goals, don't punish the staff but spend time finding out where the system was lacking.

Recruit good potential staff - not favour any one from your "personal relationships" - and trainthem on the job

Integrity in the business Rationalize and factualize instead of emotionalize and emphasize Develop abilities identify clearly the objective and strategy - and to communicate concisely to

get buy in.

It is good if Root Cause analysis skill is improved. Go one step further Expose your staff to challenges; building presentations and making presentations Listen, listen and listen again you have a lot to learn, and not only for your skill but also for

your personal development be loyal Search for information about world's best practice. Other countries may have some good

solutions for your problems.




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Sens des priorits Intgrit Avoir un sens de la collaboration plus dvelopp avec leurs collgues trangers Faire preuve d abstraction/ initiative Initiative Partir du gnral pour aller vers le dtail (et pas le contraire). Communication claire et exhaustive avec la hirarchie suprieure trangre Se proccuper davantage de leurs "subordonns" ou "Juniors" Raliser que construire une carrire demande temps, patience, apprentissage, long terme Ecouter et mettre en application les conseils reus

Etre prcis dans les informations donnes aux suprieurs Amliorer leur capacit d'initiative Travaillez les langues trangres Avoir une vision plus transversale et plus globale de l'entreprise Parler couramment anglais Etre analytique Communication Faire effort sur gestion du temps, planning oprationnel Dvelopper du relationnel

AVOIR UNE VISION A LONG TERME DU BUSINESS Organiser Avoir une vision long terme du business Bien couter, comprendre la perspective stratgique des dcisions prendre Faire preuve de bon sens est certainement le point faible de nombre de Vietnamiens Ne pas craindre d'interagir ouvertement, franchement... avec le management tranger. Amelioration du feed back Sortir des sentiers battus, faire preuve d'initiative 3 problmes frquents: manque de concentration, de ractivit, et de remise en question.




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Etayer les dcisions par un minimum d'analyse Honntet Etre davantage force de proposition Integrit dans le travail, sens des responsabilits Comptence Programmation, liste des taches a effectuer en priorit, et organisation du travail Sens des responsabilits, respect des intrts et des valeurs de l'entreprise Afficher plus de modestie surtout en cas de succs Apprendre a travailler en quipe Etre intgr Bien grer les urgences en prenant les bonnes dcisions au bon moment Etre force de proposition

Ne pas grez les relations professionnelles comme si elles taient personnelles Avoir une vision plus long terme de l'entreprise Donner son opinion franchement, surtout si dsaccord Organise bien le travail Organisation Dvelopper le sens de la qualit et de l'importance des dtails Prendre l'initiative CONSTRUIRE UNE RELATION D'HONNETETE ET DE FRANCHISE DANS LE TRAVAIL

Ouverture

Loyaut - Stable et non pas chercher systmatiquement nouvelle opportunit mais dvelopperl'opportunit dans l'entreprise actuelle

Rle actif de "dmineur" : identifier/discuter risques de malentendus par interlocuteurs externes

+ customer driven Anticipation et Analyse Laisser de ct les considrations culturelles, sociales qui vont l'encontre de la conduite ordonne de

l'entreprise (respect excessif de l'ge...) Avoir une notion de traits culturels de ses suprieurs (l'inverse est aussi vrai)

Penser long terme ( au-dela de 1 an ...)Disclaimer: opinions and comments gathered in our survey do not engage any responsibility of CCIFV and 1-2-WIN Company



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Etre force d'initiative et de proposition Communication

Participation active au dveloppement d'une culture d'entreprise sachant combiner les diffrences culturelles Voir le business a long terme et non au quotidien Professionalisme Notion de time scheduling et deadline Prise d'initiative, proposition de solutions Etre consistant dans les choix et dcisions prises Faire preuve de leadership, montrer l'exemple, retrousser les manches Ecouter et mettre en application les conseils reus

Etre ponctuel Accroitre la transparence Soyez attentif, clair, prcis & ractif (capacit a prendre des initiatives) Mieux intgrer les diffrences culturelles pour faciliter les changes et leur interprtation Priorit aux intrts de la socit sur les intrts personnels A une vision long-terme du business Ouverture d'esprit Apprendre dcoder les relations de l'autre Etre cratif

ETRE FIABLE DANS SES ENGAGEMENTS Franchise Pro-actif dans son travail avec prise d'initiative et suggestions/recommandations Bien dlimiter rle personnel dans l'quipe, donner plus plutt que moins + oriente rsultats + recherche de performance + manager du changement Faire des feed-backs rguliers aux collaborateurs et suprieurs hirarchiques Ecoute des autres


Differences in behavior / performance amongst foreign nationalitiesseen by Vietnamese managers


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seen by Vietnamese managersBnc nhn thy skhc nhau trong hnh vi/nng lc gia nhngngi nc ngoi mang quc tchkhcnhau? (v d: ngi Php hn.kmhn, ngic ., ngi M., ngiAnh., ngiNht, v.v)

French / Ngi Php Arrogant

Too talkative, not enough action. Well process oriented. Well capable to integrate in VN biz culture. Basically very gentle and flexible. French is more empathic More friendly kem nhat (the worse) khng ng gi nh nhng ngi chu m ti tng lm vic cng (not be on time like the Asians who have worked with me)

Thn thin, nhit tnh(friedly, enthusiasm) Nguoi Phap quan tam chi tiet hon nguoi Anh hoac My (French are more detailed than Brtish or American) khong qua coi mo , doi khi de y den chi tiet qua nhieu (not friendly, so detailed)

thn thin , ci m( friendly, open minded) khng gn gi vi nhn vin nh ngi M ( not close to colleagues like American) Cch qun l khng c cht ch. (The way of management is not enough close)

Germans / Ngi c Good team alignment but low individual effectiveness, not flexible enough for VN culture. Very diciplined quyt an , thiu thn thin (determined, not friendly)

British / Ngi Anh Polite, diplomatic Not good at speaking "globish". No one understands them when they talk. Otherwise OK. Kh bo th v khng ci m vi cc kin khc (conservative and not open minded with others ideas) Coi mo, thang than , khong de bung nhung chi tiet nho (open minded, straightforward, generous)

Other Europeans / Ngui chu u khc Mainly people from eastern Europe are harder workers. Italian: nng tnh nhng c tnh sng to cao (quick-tempered but creative)


Differences in behavior / performance amongst foreign nationalitiesseen by Vietnamese managers


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seen by Vietnamese managersBnc nhn thy skhc nhau trong hnh vi/nng lc gia nhngngi nc ngoi mang quc tchkhcnhau? (v d: ngi Php hn.kmhn, ngic ., ngi M., ngiAnh., ngiNht, v.v)

USA / MLeast capable to handle corrupted context.Inability to adapt to VN way of doing.Pht biu kin c tnh ch quan, cm xc chi phi lm phn tn khng kh lm vic (express a view subjectively, affected by emotion that disperses

working environnement)Nguoi My thuong ngan gon hon trong cach trinh bay so va it quan tam den hinh thuc hon nguoi Phap (American express a view shorter and less formalthan French)bo th , thiu thn thin , cngngc (conservative, not friendly, not flexible)Australians / cFriendlyGood compromise between Europe and USA. Very well integrated in VN culture and effective.Gentle but not very focusedTt hn ngi n (better than Indian)

Kim sotcmxctt ( well control of emotion)Japanese / NhtBossyVery much appreciated by VN. Quality Japanese work is highest recognized by VN peopleVery discipline and not flexible enough to adapt to quick change of business culturesThn thin, nhit tnh (friendly, enthousiasme)Kien nhan, kiem che cam xuc (patient, control emotion)Thiu thn thin , hay coi thng ng nghip , lm vic chm ch( not friendly, think scorn of colleagues, works hard)Ngi Nht lmvic nghimtc xong h c v hi cng nhc, khng c flexible.(Japanese workin a serious and strict manner but they are not f lexible)

Chinese / Trung QucLow perception from VN (quality, service, support). VN people admire Chinese while hating them.Indians / n Neutral. Indians fit pretty well in the somewhat "messy" ambiance in VietnamSingaporeansSelf-centered; Singaporeans are seen as a model but are considered arrogant by Vietnamese. Easy to work with; Very closed and rather socialThan thien, coi mo (friendly, open minded)Rt tt trong vic qun l nhn vin, tuy nhin h khng c phng khong.( very good in staff management , however, they are not generous)Other Asians / Ngi chu khcNguoi A coi trong quan he ca nhan trong cong viec hon nguoi nuoc ngoai (The individual relationship in work is more important for the Asians than forthe Westerns)


Foreigners' performance assessment by Vietnamese onmanagement skills


Relative importance in Vietnamese's opinion ofmanagement skills


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39%

42%

46%

48%

49%

52%

52%

56%

56%

58%

60%

60%

61%

61%

61%

61%

61%

63%

63%

63%

63%

64%

65%

67%

67%

68%

69%

30% 35% 40% 45% 50% 55% 60% 65% 70%

spends time to develop subordinates' skills

is effective at developping colleagues' skills


gives effective feedback on (under)performance



recognizes achievements

is good at solving problems

manages time effectively




gets things done in time

is creative, thinks "out of the box"

takes initiative

is trustworthy (you can trust her/him)



puts Company's interest before her/his own

has a long-term view for business


makes decisions quickly



follows Company's rules and regulations


works hard





takes initiative




gives effective feedback on


works hard




puts Company's interest before her/his





spends time to develop subordinates'

is effective at developping colleagues'







Excellent

100%

Good

67%

not good enough

33%

very poor

0%

has a long term ie for b siness

Relative importance in foreigners' opinion ofmanagement skills

64%celebratesachievements

Vietnamese's performance assessment by Foreigners onmanagement skills


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works hard
















manages priorities effectivelyhas good analytical skills


takes initiative




26%

28%

30%

32%

34%

37%

38%

38%

40%

41%

41%

43%

44%

45%

48%

48%

49%

50%

50%

51%

51%

52%

56%

58%

60%

62%

64%

20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%




takes initiative






















works hard


Excellent

100%

Good

67%

not good enough

33%

very poor

0%


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Vietnamese's performance assessment by Foreigners oninterpersonal skills

Relative importance of interpersonal skills in foreigners'opinion


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37%

41%

45%

48%

50%

50%

51%

51%

56%

58%

58%

59%

63%

64%

66%

67%

68%

70%

73%

76%

30 % 3 5% 4 0% 4 5% 5 0% 55 % 6 0% 65 % 7 0% 75 % 8 0%

says what he/she thinks usually

is straightforward (tells the truth)

expresses his/her ideas with confidence

is open-minded

speaks English well

listens well

expresses his/her ideas in a clear manner

tries to understand foreign Cultures

develops harmony between people at work


knows how to manage seniority at work


Develops personal relationships with colleagues

is patient



is fun to work with


is friendly

is polite



is friendly

is fun to work with

Develops personal relationships with colleagues




is polite

knows how to manage seniority at work

expresses his/her ideas with confidence

tries to understand foreign Cultures

is patient

says what he/she thinks usually

develops harmony between people at work

listens well

is straightforward (tells the truth)

is open-minded

expresses his/her ideas in a clear manner

speaks English well

Excellent

100%

Good

67%

not good enough

33%

very poor

0%

Geert Hofstede Cultural dimensions for Asian Countries


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Power Distance Individualism Masculinity Uncertainty

Avoidance

Long-Term

Orientation

India 77 50 56 40 61

Thailand 64 20 34 64 56

Singapore 74 20 48 8 48

Vietnam (est.) 70 20 40 30 80Malaysia 104 26 50 36 NA

Indonesia 78 14 46 48 NA

China (est.) 80 20 66 30 118

Japan 54 46 95 92 92

South Korea 60 18 39 85 75

Asian average 68 22 53 58 90

World average 55 43 50 64 45

010203040506070

8090

100

France

Japan

Australia

Vietnam

http://www.geert-hofstede.com/hofstede_dimensions.php

A few significant differences in environment
http://www.geert-hofstede.com/hofstede_dimensions.phphttp://www.geert-hofstede.com/hofstede_dimensions.phphttp://www.geert-hofstede.com/hofstede_dimensions.phphttp://www.geert-hofstede.com/hofstede_dimensions.phphttp://www.geert-hofstede.com/hofstede_dimensions.php


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High unemployment

Job & compensation highlyimportant

Labor market& compensation

Education

Exposure

to the World

Western countries* Vietnam*

Fairly easy to find a job

Family support between jobs

High interaction-level

between teachers and

students

Focus on memorization

Low emphasis on critical thinking

Most Western expats have

travelled quite extensively

Significant coverage of

international issues in most

foreign media

Limited travel outside of Vietnam

Limited coverage of international

issues in Vietnam media

* We obviously simplify, with the objective to trigger in-depth discussions between Foreigners & Vietnamese

List of companies which participatedAccor
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/reference_maps/jpg/political_world.jpg


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Accor

Allied Pickfords Vietnam

Arkema Ltd.

Artus Vietnam

Astrazeneca

BBI

Blue Gate Solutions

Bouygues Batiment International

CCIFV

CEACENTRE MEDICAL INTERNATIONAL

CNRS (Bureau rgional ASEAN)

Comin AsiaCng ty TNHH Sofrecom Vit NamCong ty Truyen hinh So Ve tinh Viet Nam VSTV

CTV INGENIERIE

Danone Vietnam

degw

Dextra Transport Vietnam Co., Ltd.

DHL Global Forwarding

Dongtam

ERIDAN Co., Ltd., Hochiminh Branch

Farindo Trade servicesGras Savoye Willis Vietnam

Hanoi French Hospital

Hi-Tech Wires Asia

Holcim Vietnam Ltd.

Hopital francais de Hanoi

Interfracht Overseas Ltd.

Lafarge Boral Gypsum Vietnam

Lam Kieu

LEGRAND REPRESENTATIVE OFFICE

MAZARS VIETNAM

mediapost

Mekong Energy

Out-2 Design

Phoenix voyages

Resident Vietnam

Schneider Electric

SEAS

SITEasia

SODEX

Synapsys

Tap doan dien luc Phap EDF

TQCSI Vietnam

VINE Group

Vins Descombe Vietnam

virbac

VPDD EDF Vietnam

VSl VietnamYara Vietnam Co. Ltd.

Tips for Thais to become international team-playersDirector Magazine Thailand; article by J-F Cousin


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Director Magazine, Thailand; article by J-F. Cousin

Tips for Foreigners to become effective in ThailandDirector Magazine Thailand; article by J-F Cousin


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Director Magazine, Thailand; article by J F. Cousin


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in Vietnam

Thank you for your participation!

Your feedback will be appreciated

22nd June 2010, HCMC

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Cross Cultural Management in Vietnam

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