"How many of you have worked with a terrible manager?"
That was the opening question from Tanya Truong, Founder of Coach On Tap, and it immediately stirred the audience of over 200 at Elevate 2025, a conference on growth and development in Asia, held on March 15 in Ho Chi Minh City.
A few hands shot up boldly. Others responded with knowing smiles.
Reflecting on her career, Tanya shared that only about one-third of the managers she had encountered were truly good. The rest weren’t necessarily bad people – they simply had never been trained to lead.
Why do ineffective managers get promoted over competent ones? And where does HR fit into this?
These questions led Tanya to coaching over a decade ago, and eventually to founding Coach On Tap. Together with Colina Dreamcatcher and SmartR, she launched the Elevate Conference with the mission: To help future leaders avoid the same mistakes, and become the kind of leaders who uplift others.
So what helps make great leaders? That was the core theme explored by dozens of speakers at Elevate Conference 2025. Below are some of the key insights they shared.
5 People You Need in Your Personal Growth Network
Lynnea Brinkerhoff – Executive & Team Coach, MSOD, PCC
Visiting Vietnam for the first time, Lynnea was captivated by an unusual morning ritual: older men gathering in cafés, bringing their songbirds and letting them learn from each other’s songs.
To her, this was the perfect metaphor for growth through connection: we don’t just exist in a community; we learn and evolve from those around us.
She emphasized that personal development is shaped by 5 key relationships:
- The Guide in front – who provides vision and direction.
- The Supporter behind – who quietly uplifts and instills confidence.
- The Companion beside – who shares your journey and ensures you never feel alone.
- The Challenger above – who pushes you to excel and evolve.
- The Nurturer below – who fosters self-awareness and inner growth.
A balanced mix of these 5 roles creates an integrated personal growth ecosystem. These also mirror the 5 coaching styles professionals use to guide others.
For Lynnea, her first coach was her father, a sharp strategic thinker and a “benevolent autocrat” who always set high standards.
She shared a defining moment in her career.
During a layoff at a major insurance company, she knew she would lose her job, yet her employer still asked her to work one final day. Feeling resentful, she decided not to show up.
Then, her father called. But instead of offering advice, he simply asked one question:
“Lynnea, what would make you proud of yourself at the end of today?”
Then he took a big breath and paused.
That moment forced her to reflect. The answer became clear: she would feel proud if she fulfilled her responsibility. So, she went to work.
Her father didn’t pressure her, he simply created a space for her to discover her own answer. That lesson became the foundation of her coaching philosophy.
Everyone has a unique song to sing. Learning from others is essential, but even more important is integrating that knowledge into your own identity. Choose your environment wisely, build meaningful connections, and dare to express your true voice.
So, ask yourself: What’s your birdsong?
A Mature Leader is an Integrated Leader
Mai Khoi – Founder & Master Coach Trainer, Toàn Vẹn Institute
Having coached thousands of high-achieving professionals, Mai Khoi noticed a recurring pattern: Even top leaders often feel lost and hit roadblocks in their careers.
As she explored the reasons why, Mai Khoi came across the 8 Stages of Leadership, where:
- Stage 1 is to learn and adapt.
- Stage 2 is to develop expertise.
- Stage 3 is the transition to leadership, where many professionals get stuck.
Why?
Because at this stage, many become trapped in KPI-driven mindsets, sacrificing emotions for efficiency and relying too much on external validation.
Mai Khoi argued that many companies hire coaches to make leaders perform better, but without integrating personal growth, and this approach is unsustainable.
Her key insight?
True leadership maturity isn’t about how much you sacrifice, but how integrated you are.
She introduced the 3P Model of Integrated Leadership, which integrates three essential personas:
- The Peasant – Represents dedication, discipline, and hard work.
- The Princess/ The King – Represents courage, self-worth, and compassion.
- The Priestess/ The Magician – Represents wisdom, purpose, and service to others.
Most professionals, she observed, let the peasant dominate while suppressing the princess and the priestess, leading to burnout and a loss of sparks. Only by integrating all three personas can a leader unlock their full potential.
3 Traits of Future Leaders
Steven Tran – Talent Manager, Techcombank
Returning to Vietnam after years in Australia’s banking sector, Steven Tran set out to introduce a data-driven approach to talent management. However, he quickly faced resistance. When he proposed an objective talent assessment model, a senior executive told him:
"I’ve worked here for 30 years. I know who’s talented. I don’t need an external assessment."
Or others would say:
"This person is important to the company. Just keep them."
But Steven saw talent management differently. It wasn’t just about retaining employees, but about identifying the right future leaders, then building, engaging and mobilizing them.
He persistently advocated for a talent evaluation model based on three core factors:
- Aspiration – Do they genuinely want to become leaders, or are they simply chasing a title and power? Leadership is not just a position, it’s a responsibility.
- Ability – Beyond technical skills, can they inspire, guide, and help others grow? A good leader leads by example at work. A great leader leads by example in life.
- Commitment – When challenges arise, do they have the resilience and determination to steer the team forward? Leading is easy when things are smooth, but real leadership is tested in tough times. To Steven, this is the most crucial factor.
He also emphasized that knowledge only holds value when applied in the right context. As the saying goes: "Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is knowing not to serve it as a dessert."
We all have our own “tomatoes” - the knowledge, skills, and experience we’ve accumulated. But the real question is: What will you do with yours?
The Journey of a Professional
Văn Nguyễn – Founder & CEO, SMARTR.CO
During his talk, Van Nguyen posed an interesting question to the audience:
"If you were a character in Journey to the West, who would you be?"
Using this classic tale as a metaphor, Van offered a fresh way to look at career growth:
- Pigsy – The promising employee who starts strong but struggles with persistence. Many professionals begin their careers full of enthusiasm, but over time, ego, comfort, and self-doubt hold them back.
- Sandy – The diligent, reliable employee who works hard but lacks a breakthrough mindset. They tend to stay in their comfort zone.
- Monkey King – The talented yet directionless professional. They are highly capable and adaptable, but impulsive and in need of guidance to unlock their full potential.
- Tripitaka – The visionary leader. They may not be the most skilled, but they have the ability to unite experts, lead with purpose, and create lasting impact.
Regardless of which role we play, a common challenge persists: the constant pressure to increase productivity and efficiency. However, Van Nguyen emphasized a key reality: Performance doesn’t improve unless businesses invest in the right areas.
To succeed, both individuals and especially organizations need 3Ps:
- People – Hiring and developing the right talent.
- Processes – Establishing effective workflows.
- Platforms – Leveraging the right tools and systems for growth.
Just as Tripitaka and his disciples had quiet supporters (like the White Dragon Horse), mentors and coaches appearing at critical moments (such as the Buddha and Guanyin), success, whether for an individual or an organization, requires a strong support network.
Van encouraged everyone to identify their career stage, make informed decisions, and seek meaningful connections to accelerate their growth.
A great leader doesn’t rise alone, they grow within the right system. And in turn, they build such systems to uplift the next generation.
Beyond these insights, Elevate 2025 also featured:
- Over 10 top executive coaches from Vietnam and around the world.
- 2 Expert-led panel discussions on leadership and career transformation.
- Over 5 interactive workshops on HR strategy, personal development, and community building.
After an eight-hour journey with over 200 attendees, the conference ended on a powerful note, with a song composed by Paul Kwiecinski exclusively for Elevate 2025.
Its lyrics captured the event’s core message:
Elevate as we resonate!
As Elevate sets its sights on 2026, the three co-organizers are actively expanding partnerships with businesses, experts, and community leaders worldwide. Their mission goes beyond empowering individuals, they aim to co-create thriving communities. Stay updated on Elevate Conference here.