In this issue:

The 36th Dutch Vietnam

Management Supporter

This magazine was first

published in March 2007. It is

digitally distributed among

my Vietnamese & Dutch

business & private associates.

Purpose: to keep you

informed about my activities

in Vietnam and overseas

This amazingly attractive and

energetic country has rapidly

conquered my soul. It is my

home away from home.

Loek Hopstaken

Pr o f . L oe k H o ps t ak en

Em a i l :

l o ek . h o ps t ak en @ gm a i l .

c om

C e l l : 0 9 0 8 8 8 9 4 5 0

April, 2015

9th year, no. 2

Managing training

Picture Tet

1

2

A Learning Attitude

Givers & Takers

3

4

Truth in recruitment

Patronizing CEO’s Customers decide

Is work meaningful?

HRM & Leadership

5

6

7

Clients, services &

contact information

8

How do you manage

your training time? Why do companies train their staff? Most CEO’s will re-ply: “To increase productivity”, “To motivate staff”, or “To keep staff from quitting”. They expect a return on invest-ment. MNC CEO’s go for the middle or long term, most Vietnamese CEO’s for the short term. During our first meeting we identify the need for training. Usually this is

followed by intake interviews with prospective partici-

pants. The average time between a first meeting about a

workshop and the actual delivery is 5 months.

Speed record: less than 24 hours to decide & organize.

Procrastination record: 3 years, 3 months.

One often-heard reason to postpone training is: “We are too busy”. Another: “It is hard to get everyone together for two days.” How do you manage your training time?

Be who you are and say what you

feel, because those who mind don’t matter & those who matter don’t

mind. Bernard M. Baruch & Theodore Geisel (Dr. Seuss)

The 36th Dutch Vietnam

Management Supporter

9th year, no. 2 2

Shortly before Tet a VTV producer called me. She wanted to make a

program about a foreigner having a Vietnamese family, as they prepare for &

celebrate Tet. After consulting my wife I politely declined the invitation. Tet is

private: family, food, drinks, laughs, plus a short holiday. No tv crew please.

Therefore my 7th Tet was like the previous ones: family fun, followed by a

short holiday in Dalat. A great destination, just a bit too crowded during Tet.

We spent a few nights at one of Cadasa’s redecorated old French villas on Tran Hung Dao. A local pundit told me Villa Cadasa is losing money: “Vietnamese don’t like old houses.” I don’t believe it. Fact: the villas have been poorly redecorated, & refurbished with low quality furniture. Can’t blame Vietnamese for disliking that! Tip: restore & get quality furniture.

Tip 1 for Dalat visitors: try bun cha

Ha Noi at 28 Quang Trung.

Tip 2: avoid Duong Ham Dieu Khac.

This “theme park” pretends to give an overview of Vietnamese culture,

history & myths. Whomever

“designed” & executed it did an awful job. Never seen anything so

ugly. Still, some visitors don’t mind.

To me Dalat’s main attraction is its nature, coupled with a fine climate.

I’m not the only one who dreams of retiring in a restored Dalat villa,

somewhere in the hills, with a lake

view. Xuan Hung lake will do, but

Lang Bian lake (right) as well.

Is there life after work? Villa Cadasa, Dalat Duong Ham Dieu Khac theme park

3 9th year, no. 2

The 36th Dutch Vietnam

Management Supporter

Anyone who has ever been active helping new colleagues do a task knows the phe-

nomenon. Some listen attentively, ask specific questions and display eagerness to start

working. She easily connects with her new colleagues. Her attitude confirms you have

hired the right person. She becomes productive fast. This kind of recruit makes onboard-

ing fun. Then there is the other kind: bad listener, know-best, displays disagreement (or

lack of understanding), doesn’t socialize. Perhaps the CV was impressive, but a CV is on-ly part of someone’s full profile, saying very little about character or behavior.

Working with all kinds of groups taught me: forget satisfying everyone’s needs & expecta-tions. Groups consist of individuals, each individual having personal needs & expecta-

tions. Many have express them easily. They participate & contribute. Afterwards the re-

sponse of contributors is always positive. The person who hardly contributed however, is

not. He was passive & quiet, often distracted. Kept a distance (often sitting in the back),

sneaked out for a while, didn’t share thoughts. He’ll use a team assignment as an oppor-tunity to talk about other topics, disrupting the team process. Later he’ll complain: “It was not what I expected.” Or: “I don’t see the relevance for my job.” To others, not to me.

Of course there are many more than just these two types of learners. To keep it simple:

not everyone has a learning attitude. No. 1 Learning Inhibitor is believing you already

know everything. Ears are open to confirm known insights, but closed the instant some

unknown insight is highlighted. Learning Inhibitor 2 is having no, or a wrong purpose.

Examples of wrong purposes: to get a certificate; to please the boss (or family); to take a

break from work; to gain status. Learning Inhibitor 3 is wilful ignorance (= stupidity).

Learning Inhibitors are tough. Those who display them actively inhibit learning by the

group. However, you cannot tell a person he doesn’t know everything. Or change his pur-pose. Or explain that choosing to be ignorant is just a stupid, childish decision. My client

may insist this person participates (“It’ll be good for him.”). But I know what will happen when we deliver the training: he will not participate, drop out, disrupt others’ learning, make phone calls, play with his smartphone, and is likely to have negative comments.

To know everyone’s training needs, I usually conduct intake interviews. During an intake interview I check the participants’ Learning Inhibitors. While designing the training pro-gram, to maximize satisfaction of everyone’s individual needs & expectations, I will make it the best possible compromise. But I’m always aware of William Shakespeare’s wise words: “You can take a horse to water, but you cannot make it drink.”

Do you have a learning attitude?

Learning is finding out what you already know. Doing is

demonstrating that you know it. Teaching is reminding

others that they know it just as well as you.

You are all learners, doers, teachers. Richard Bach

4 9th year, no. 2

The 36th Dutch Vietnam

Management Supporter

Traditional for profit companies aim to maximize profit. Often ignoring its social & natu-

ral environment. It’s all about: conquer the market & make money. Nowadays, more & more young entrepreneurs disagree with this taker’s attitude. Their companies do not aim

to enrich the owners as their no. 1 goal. They actually care about people & nature, and

don’t want to cause damage. These entrepreneurs adopt the principle of sharing, or “giving back to society”: a giver’s attitude. It is based on the idea that a commercial com-

pany has a responsibility for both its social and natural environment. A famous example

is the “Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation”. Gates uses his immense fortune to fund many worthwhile causes, many in the field of science and education. These entrepreneurs —you

will find them all over the world—add action to words, funding orphanages & housing for

poor people, paying for operations, and arranging scholarships for children whose parents

cannot afford to pay tuition fees. They often set aside a fixed percentage of their profit.

In Vietnam we see a similar development. Both Vietnamese & foreign enterprises adopt

this giver’s attitude, some seeking publicity to enhance their reputation, others matter-of-

fact like, or just quietly. You know Pomina Steel from television. Lesser known—you have

to look for it—is Future.Travel, a travel agency in Ho Chi Minh City. On their website

there is a tiny link: corporate and social responsibility. There you can find out how a mod-

ern yet small company incorporates the idea of a giver’s attitude: “On check-out for a purchase, customers are presented options for supporting a Social

Enterprise that is endorsed by Future.

Travel. It may be building a house for

marginalized people in Southeast

Asia, buying a wheelchair for someone

who has no possibility of affording

such a luxury, or simply repairing a

congenially ‘broken’ heart through a simple operation.”

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

is a way to answer the question:

“How can we give back to society?”

See what you can do to incorporate

CSR. It enhances your corporate image

& will make your staff proud.

Are you a giver or taker?

85% of your financial success is due to your personality

and ability to communicate, negotiate, and lead.

Only 15% is due to technical knowledge.

Carnegie Institute of Technology

The 36th Dutch Vietnam

Management Supporter

9th year, no. 2 5

In recruitment the market mechanism of demand &

supply is always in full force. A job applicant is a

sales person who displays knowledge, experience &

skills. When he/she has a 13-in-a-dozen

combination, the recruiter determines the salary.

But when a company desperately needs a rare

combination of know-how & skills, the job applicant

may dictate the terms. That is, if she negotiates

cleverly.

The world of job market self-promotion has changed

dramatically. Internet dominates the job marketing

mix. It took 10 years, but today social media offer

the no. 1 networking & meeting platform for both

recruiters & job seekers.

The CV is still part of the mix. It’s a fairly detailed “product description”, with the sole purpose of convincing the recruiter that the person behind the

CV will be the perfect match for the job. And just

like in marketing & promotion, little & big lies slip

into the process. The recruiter must be aware of

this, and able to look behind the self-promotional

effort. It all starts with knowing the job—for many

recruiters a weak point. All they have is the vague

description of tasks as posted on internet. They

have no clue. In addition, they can’t detect lies. Yet, they should select a person who not only has a clue

& will deliver a top performance.

Another weak point of many recruiters: their

inability to appreciate corporate culture & to see if

a candidate would fit in. I had a talk with a

recruiter who flatly told me “culture is irrelevant”. Yet, it makes a big difference whether you work for a young Vietnamese startup or a Korean multinational, a state-owned enterprise or a factory run

by a European expat, a traditional Vietnamese family company, or an NGO. On top of that, job

requirements are often unrelated to the job. I see “bachelor degree” as a requirement for jobs where completed high school + on-the-job training would suffice. They are unable to recognize genius if they

met one. Who would identify the Vietnamese Gates or Musk?

Some recruitment agencies ask the right questions, both to client and candidate. They frequently

succeed in finding job-fit candidates. Still, I keep meeting highly qualified job seekers who had been

interviewed by “recruitment executives” who couldn’t answer one simple question about the vacancy. In need of a second opinion? When in doubt, let me know: loek.hopstaken@gmail.com.

Recruitment: searching for truth

Oh what a tangled web we weave / When first we practise to deceive!

Sir Walter Scott

The Fairy to Pinocchio:

Lies, my dear boy, are found out immedi-

ately, because they are of two sorts. There

are lies that have short legs, and lies that

have long noses. Your lie, as it happens, is

one of those that have a long nose.

From: Pinocchio (Carlo Collodi)

If you tell the same story five times, it’s true. Larry Speakes (White House Press Secretary under Reagan)

Not everything that sounds like a lie, is a

lie. It may be a viewpoint different from

yours. Reality often has many sides!

The 36th Dutch Vietnam

Management Supporter

9th year, no. 2 6

Ever worked for a patronizing CEO? How was it?

In the Top 10 of Vietnamese management

issues the non-listening, patronizing CEO

is a contender for the no. 1 position.

As you will know, most people don’t leave jobs, they leave managers. Some of these

managers are simply incompetent across

the board. But most—so it seems—are out

of touch with their staff. They only

communicate with their inner circle of “yes men & women”. Their problem is that they don’t see it as a problem. They continue to accuse resigning staff of disloyalty &

incompetence. Their friends are likely to

be managers with a similar problem. They

will meet, and agree that today’s staff is ... disloyal & incompetent. What to do?

I’m afraid there is nothing we can do for a patronizing CEO. Shakespeare’s words on page 3 apply: “You can take a horse to water, but you cannot make it drink.” Cartoon: Nick Galifianakis/For The Washington Post

But … that doesn’t make any sense! It does, when you’re a goat.

Linda Medley

We mature with the damage, not with the years.

Mateus William

Finding out what the end user wants is hard.

However, many marketers & product manag-

ers just skip it. Deeply in love with their own

ideas, they like to justify this omission with a

Steve Jobs quote. They convince themselves

they know what consumers like & are willing

to spend money on. 25 years ago it was a fact:

4 out of 5 new products failed upon introduc-

tion in the market. Reason: no market re-

search. They didn’t fill a need—despite slick

packaging. It’s 2015 & it seems to get worse. Wilfully ignorant marketers? At the end of the

day it’s the customer who decides. Be wise.

Photo: Valer Parvu—LinkedIn

The 36th Dutch Vietnam

Management Supporter

9th year, no. 2 7

Ever wondered why you do your job? The easiest reply: it enables me to have money. Suppos-

ing this is true for many, if not most, what would be a second reason? When I pose this ques-

tion to learners, I often get answers like: I need to do something I’m good at. And: I like work-

ing with nice colleagues. I like producing something. Some say: without work, I’m disconnect-ed from society. An Asian one: Being jobless means no money, but also loss of face.

The question “Why?” is a hard one. It immediately makes you think. It can paralyze discus-sions. Parents go nuts when their kid asks: Why do I have to go to school? “Why?” may halt

careers, cause confusion & wrong decisions. “Why?” is the phi-losopher’s question. HRM’s philosophers are the Ulrichs.

In their book The Why of Work (2010) Dave & Wendy Ulrich

ask seven questions to address the issue of why we do our jobs.

Answering these questions is a personal journey of discovery in

finding The Why of your

work. No why-

questions, but what,

where, who(m), how.

The road to answering

Why? is paved with

worldly questions, such

as: “What am I known for?” (your identity). And: “What challenges interest me?” (your per-sonalized contributions).

Why? triggers the philosopher in us. We need to contemplate these fun-

damental life issues. Contemplation helps us understanding who we are,

and getting a clear view—on the road in front of us, and behind us.

In The Leadership Code (2008) Dave Ulrich & his co-authors present a

handy model for your journey when you intend to lead people. I see it as

a companion volume to The Why of Work. I use the Leadership Code in

my leadership courses. It is part of Authentic Leadership (see: DVMS no.

35). As a mirror it reflects one’s core leadership duties. The Leadership

Code is a complete toolset to improve & refine them. Oh yes: it works.

I believe leadership is of crucial importance to successful business + life.

Not everyone has the talent to lead. But when you have it, use it.

Is your work meaningful?

Q: What is the meaning of life?

A: I think people ask that question on the assumption that

meaning is something you can look for, then: “Oh, I found it”. And it doesn’t consider the possibility that maybe meaning in life is

something that you create. Neil deGrasse Tyson

8 9th year, no. 2

In Vietnam: a.o. business field

Tan Thuan IPC Industrial development

HCMC University of Technology internat. MBA program

RMIT (HCMC campus) Pro Comm faculty

Royal Business School Courses & seminars

Int. Business & Law Academy (IBLA) Training & consultancy

Vietnam Airlines (ISM) International airline

Vietnam Singapore I.P. (SPECTRA) Industrial park

Petronas (SPECTRA) Chemical factory

Petronas Carigali (PACE) Oil & gas

Nike (Tae Kwang Vina) (SPECTRA) Shoe factory

Le & Associates Training & consultancy

Sacombank (Training House) Training & consultancy

Ministry of L.I.S.A. Civil Servants

SONY Vietnam Consumer electronics

CapitaLand Vietnam (SPECTRA) Real estate

Institute for Potential Leaders / PACE Courses & seminars

Dalat Hasfarm (Agrivina) Pot plants, cut flowers

Hoanggia Media Group Key to Success TV Show

Fresh Green Earth Hi-tech agriculture

Unique Design Interior Design/archit.

ERC Institute Vietnam Business school

Schoeller Bleckmann Vietnam Oilfield Equipment

Robert Bosch Vietnam (PACE) Electronics

De Heus Vietnam Animal food

Control Union Vietnam (SPECTRA) Quality inspections

Centre for Tropical Med.—Oxford Uni. Clinical research

Khue Van Academy Courses & seminars

CARE Vietnam (AIT) NGO

Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) Training & consultancy

HCMC Finance & Investment Cy (AIT) Investments

Academy of Finance MBA (Un. of Gloucester)

ITEQ Vietnam Mono-parts/assemblies

Vietnam Breweries Ltd (Heineken) Brewery

In The Netherlands, a.o.

ING Bank Financial services

Philips Electronics

Heineken Brewery

Yamaha Musical instruments

Damen Shipyards Ship repair wharfs

The 36th Dutch Vietnam Management Supporter

Loek Hopstaken’s Clients

Live long &

prosper.

Spock

Leonard Nimoy

1931—2015

The DVM Supporter is published by

Prof. Loek Hopstaken

Email: loek.hopstaken@gmail.com

Cell Vietnam: (84) 090 888 9450

Cell The Netherlands: 06 510 97328 Assistant: Ms. Vo Ngoc Lien Huong

Email: jane.hopstaken@gmail.com

Cell: (84) 090 888 9451

Profile: http://www.linkedin.com/in/loekhopstaken

Wisdoms

There must be

quite a few things

that a hot bath

won’t cure, but I don’t know many

of them.

Sylvia Plath

You take a poll of

any people. What

is it they want? The

right to write an

editorial as you

like? They want

homes, medicine,

jobs, schools.

Lee Kuan Yew

1923—2015