In-Depth Q&A With Four Senior Executives On Leadership Mindset

On November 1st, the Lumia Leadership Seminar: Illuminate Yourself was held successfully at Friendship Tower in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City. Co-hosted by Lumina Learning and Vietnam Innovators Digest, with headline sponsorship by Navigos Group, the seminar brought together high-profile speakers and participants to explore impactful leadership.

With keynote speakers from top corporations like Cushman & Wakefield, Pfizer Vietnam, Nestlé Vietnam, and Navigos Group, the event attracted 180 engaged attendees. Beyond listening to the inspiring stories of the speakers' leadership journeys, the audience actively participated, posing insightful and challenging questions that spurred an interactive and thought-provoking dialogue.

Here are a few of the questions that prompted these senior leaders, each with decades of experience, to pause and reflect before responding.

What defines a great leader?

Dr. Stewart Desson - Founder and Global CEO of Lumina Spark

"A great leader is someone who embraces paradoxes."

Dr. Stewart shared this insight from his research, which aggregates employee feedback on promoted managers. According to him, leaders must face two critical paradoxes:

• They have a vision yet also ensure it can be delivered and that others are empowered to deliver it.
• Leaders have a drive that energizes the team, giving direction and momentum, yet also stepping back to lead through others, trusting them to bring their own energy and get things done.

Dr. Stewart also reflected on his own journey, acknowledging he is stronger on vision (he already has a 10-year plan for his organization) and rely on others for execution.

"For me, vision and drive come naturally, but I need support with detailed execution, and I recognize the value of those who bring that to the team," Dr. Stewart shared.

What if “staying true to oneself” causes damage to others?

Binu Jacob - Chairman & Managing Director of Nestlé Vietnam

Last year, when the company's performance fell short of expectations, Binu Jacob maintained his routine of posting positively about the company’s achievements. His posts drew criticism, with some questioning how he could celebrate when the business was down, challenging the message he was sending.

Reflecting on his decision after a break from posting, Binu realized, “I write for myself and my team because I believe it’s the right thing to do. So why should I let others’ interpretations hold me back if I know my intentions are genuine?”

In this sense, staying true to oneself means living by one’s personal purposes which must be in service of other people and communities. Binu emphasizes this, noting that leaders often sometimes leaders make decisions based on the expectations others have on them instead of .actions based on clarity of intention and purpose.

Does changing one’s leadership style mean sacrificing part of oneself?

Trang Bui - Vietnam Country Head at Cushman & Wakefield

For much of her career, Mrs. Trang was deeply committed to creating value by offering solutions, solving problems, and providing guidance. Yet, over time, she recognized that her hands-on approach sometimes left others feeling constrained rather than empowered, because her need to be over-involved and adding value, came from a desire for external validation. This realization led her to reassess how she could bring value while giving her team the space to grow and take ownership of their work.

Learning to create "less value" has been a challenging adjustment for Mrs. Trang, especially after 15 years of a hands-on style. She admits that her ego part sometimes finds its way back to familiar habits as default.

However, she knows that evolving her leadership approach is essential, aiming to contribute and support others in a more balanced way that encourages independence and growth. Understanding the core drivers of her behaviour did not mean she was losing a part of herself, but leading in a more healthy way.

What is a lesson you had to "unlearn" on the leadership journey?

Darrell Oh - Country Head of Pfizer Vietnam

Twenty years ago, as a fresh graduate joining Pfizer in Canada, Darrell Oh found himself surrounded by "Type A" leaders—extroverted, highly competitive, and often the center of attention. As an introvert, Darrell initially assumed that this assertive, outwardly confident style was the standard for leadership in a large corporation.

However, over his career, under the mentorship of 15 remarkable managers, Darrell gradually distilled valuable lessons and chose his own leadership approach: servant leadership—a philosophy where the leader’s primary role is to serve and empower their team.

Another key aspect Darrell had to “unlearn” was perfectionism. As he rose through the ranks and took on increasingly complex responsibilities, he realized that aiming for perfection in every detail only added unnecessary stress for himself and his team.

To his surprise, he discovered that no one—not even Pfizer, with its famously high standards—demanded perfection. His bosses instead wanted from him ways to mitigate risks, strategise for solutions when things were not perfect.

Learning to let go of perfectionism allowed him to approach unexpected challenges with greater agility and resilience, understanding that the path to success is rarely a straight line.

Discovering Your Potential with a 20-Second Clap Test

Ryosuke Kanemoto - CEO of Navigos Group Vietnam JSC

Tang Tri Trong - Chief Sales Officer VietnamWorks & BOD of Navigos Group

In closing the seminar, Mr. Trong engaged the audience in a simple but powerful exercise: clapping and counting their claps over 20 seconds. The outcome? Nearly everyone counted only about 80% of their actual claps.

What does this reveal? "Sometimes, we underestimate our own potential," Mr. Trong concluded. By simply shifting our perspective and changing our mindset, we can see there is still ample room to learn, grow, and explore our untapped potential.

Alongside mindset, there are also skillset and environment—three pillars that make up the CareerSelectAbility (CSA) framework introduced by Navigos Group at the seminar. The goal of the CSA framework is to encourage companies to nurture their employees not only to benefit the organization but also to help them thrive in any professional environment.

This process requires leaders with the right mindset to lead by example and create a positive, healthy work environment. It also calls for training individuals to develop an excellent skillset, equipping them to take on new roles and responsibilities.

Additionally, the seminar marked the first introduction of a roadmap for the partnership between Navigos Group and Vietcetera in talent development. With the mission of "Creating a Better Vietnam," the two organizations are collaborating to create content around the CSA framework and drive sustainable development for Vietnam’s workforce.

Lumina Spark is a personality assessment developed by Lumina Learning, an organization specializing in in-depth research and consulting on human resource management solutions. The assessment provides a non-binary and diverse perspective on the various facets of human personality.

Upcoming events by Lumina Learning to introduce Lumina Spark include:

Lumina Spark Experience Workshop
- Date: November 16, 2024
- Workshop participants will receive their Lumina Spark Personality Report, along with additional tools such as the Splash app, Digital Spark Coach, and well-being digital tools, all at a 80% discount (places are very limited).

Lumina Spark Qualification Course to become a certified practitioner
- Date: January 18-19, 2025
- Register by November 25, 2024, to receive a 50% discount, or between November 26 and December 31, 2024, for a 35% discount.

Learn more and register for these events here.

For any questions, please contact us at vietnam@luminalearning.com.