Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
In this issue:
The 32nd Dutch Vietnam
Management Supporter
This magazine was first
published in March 2007. It is
digitally distributed among
my Vietnamese and Dutch
business & private associates.
Purpose: to keep them
informed about my activities
in Vietnam and overseas
This amazingly attractive and
energetic country has rapidly
conquered my soul, and
become 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 p s t ak en . c om
M o bi l e :
0 9 0 8 8 8 9 4 5 0
April 18, 2014
8th year, no. 2
Your rear-view mirror
Waste water seminar
1
2
I’m possible
BeNeLux Awards
3
4
Decisions & certainty
Italian Coffee in
Vietnam
5
Trust: your lifeline
Clients
Contact information
6
7
Quality = the
result of care
Robert Pirsig
Do you often look at
your rear-view mirror? An accountant-entrepreneur once told me: “We account-
ants work with facts & figures. That’s why we always fo-
cus on what we se in our client’s rear-view mirror. But
what worries me is that some clients keep looking in their
rear-view mirror, only to fail to see what’s ahead of them.”
In these business-wise difficult times many tend to go for
certainty, try to avoid risk. Yes—the past is certainty.
Yes, the present has some certainty. But the future? No
certainty. True entrepreneurship encompasses all three:
learning from the past, doing what must be done today,
and while looking at the future, making decisions that en-
able great results. It is not risky to deal with yesterday.
There is some risk in handling today’s problems. There is
risk in tomorrow. It is said that in times of crisis the true
entrepreneur shows his true
colors. Dutch De Heus Group
is run by true entrepreneurs
who invest despite a gloomy
economy. De Heus Vietnam is
run by a true entrepreneur
who makes success happen:
Mr. Gabor Fluit. He received
recognition for his entrepre-
neurship: see page 3.
March 2013: CEO De
Heus Vietnam Mr.
Gabor Fluit and his
managers after the
Leadership Code
training in Hai Phong.
This 3-day training was
delivered in cooperation
with Ms. Edith Punt of
Punt Consultancy.
The 32nd Dutch Vietnam
Management Supporter
8th year, no. 2 2
Saigon, April 17, 2014
“How long have you been in Vietnam?”
Nearly every Vietnamese I meet for the
first time asks me this question. Question 2
will be no surprise: “Do you speak
Vietnamese?” Despite serious efforts to
learn Vietnamese by several fine teachers,
I turnd out to be a terrible student. Besides
the many accents, the “diphtongs” and
other pronunciation difficulties, there is
another factor at work: culture. This was
recently confirmed by a Chinese TED
speaker who studied this Asian phenome-
non. For example, in most countries around
the world, an uncle is an uncle and an aunt is an aunt. Not in Vietnam. An uncle can be a “chu”,
“cau” or “bac”. An aunt can be a “di”, a “mo”, “co”, or “thim”. To determine which one to use
requires a lot of fast thinking. For me, not for Vietnamese. The word depends on mother’s side or
father’s side, age, older or younger. More than often this has stopped me in my tracks. In daily
conversation, I have to know who is older, younger, and this has consequences for addressing men
or women. I haven’t given up, but I’m afraid it will take another 6 years: the current answer to
question no. 1.
Other aspects of culture give less problems. Like singing in public. Here we perform “Happy
Together”. Meanwhile, the keyboard player played a different tune. Now, that is Vietnam!
Loek Hopstaken
To put our faith in tangible goals would seem to be, at best, unwise. So we do not strive to be
firemen, we do not strive to be bankers, nor policemen, nor doctors. We strive to be ourselves.
Hunter S. Thompson
April 16—It’s a fact that clean water is a rare article in Vietnam. Worse: most water is heavily
contamina-ted with both industrial and agricultural waste. Vietnamese national health is at stake.
The US Consulate organized a seminar on Waste Water Treatment in the Caravelle Hotel, HCMC. Three
American companies active in Vietnam presented their solutions: CDM Smith, HydroScience & AEC.
Solutions are available. The question is, will the authorities have the sense of urgency to prioritize and the
willingness to invest in waste water treatment projects. I must confess that the “best” stories about this
subject were told in the breaks. Such as sad accounts of red tape and bribery, involving local authorities
who apparently do not have the true sense of urgency, are only willing to cooperate when a substantial
percentage of the money involved changes hands. Words, yes. Action, no. Or at best, rare.
My nomination for the best presentation goes to Dr. George Harris & Dr. Clement Ngo-Anh of HydroScience.
2014 Management
Development Programs Two more companies—one
Vietnamese, the other
Dutch—have embarked on
tailormade MD programs.
For information on these
programs, please send an
email to:
3 8th year, no. 2 The 32nd Dutch Vietnam
Management Supporter
In movies the impossible is often made possible. Those that do this are considered to be
heroes. In these economic hard times we long to see those heroes doing what they are
good at. The current success of movies like The Avengers, Captain America, Spiderman,
Superman, Iron Man, and all those other larger-than-life people seem to provide some in-
spiration or hope to support our dreams. They take big risks, often fail, but in the face of
huge threats they stand up and make the impossible happen. Leaving us as onlookers
with the feeling of “Wow, if only I could do that …”
Numerous are the seminars and countless the books claiming that with the right mindset
we, too can be heroes. Often the same names are listed: Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg, etc.
However, just a right mindset is not enough. Without the right tools and, perhaps even
more important, the right supporters, even the Steve Jobses and Mark Zuckerbergs would
never have realized what they set out to do.
But the truly successful ones do have a few things in common. Apart from the fact that
many of them lack academic credentials, are quite obsessed and stubborn where their ob-
jectives are concerned, they are fortunate to meet the right people at the right time, they
know how to ignite enthusiasm, and believers as they are, they all take massive risks.
Many fail big time. Some succeed and become a source for writers of “How to be a Suc-
cess” books. Those who become their devotees believe in their hero just like we moviegoers
temporarily like to believe that Captain America, Bruce Lee or James Bond will save us
from imminent doom. So what can you do to make the impossible possible? In my opinion,
there is only one way. Refuse to accept it’s “impossible”, don’t accept any “It can’t be done”
from anyone, accept the risks, trigger your creative powers and, well, go for it.
Mission: Impossible?
Visionaries not only believe that the impossible can be
done, but that it must be done. Bran Ferren (see http://on.ted.com/d04iG)
Impossible is not a fact. It’s an opinion.
Muhammad Ali
To do the impossible, you have to ignore the popular. Tim Ferris
The 32nd Dutch Vietnam
Management Supporter
8th year, no. 2 4
De Heus Vietnam: Double Award Winner
Ideas are cheap and abundant. What is of value is the
effective placement of those ideas into situations that
develop into action. Peter Drucker
26-03-2014 - De Heus LLC (Vietnam) has been recognized as the ‘Company of the
Year’ at the Benelux Business Awards 2014. The Belgium-Luxembourg Chamber of
Commerce in Vietnam (BeluxCham) in coordination with the Dutch Business
Association Vietnam (DBAV) made the announcement at the awards ceremony in
Ho Chi Minh City on March 14. Gabor Fluit, the General Director of De Heus
Vietnam, won the award for ‘Best Manager of the Year’.
The Benelux Business Awards aims to promote cooperation as well as encourage and
recognize outstanding achievements of individuals and companies from Belgium, the
Netherlands and Luxemburg in Vietnam. The BeNeLux Business Awards was first
organised in 2011 and is open to companies of all sizes, in all fields and for entrepreneurs
from BeNeLux.
During the award ceremony, Gabor Fluit stressed that the awards not only represent the
success and hard labour of De Heus Vietnam, but that of De Heus Animal Nutrition
worldwide. “Together we have created a success story”. De Heus Vietnam currently has four
production locations in Vietnam, with animal feed factories in Binh Duong, Dong Nai and
Hai Phong and an aqua feed factory in Vinh Long. De Heus Vietnam is part of the Royal De
Heus Group (The Netherlands).
Source: http://www.deheus.com/news. Picture: Dutch Consul General Mr. Simon van der Burg (left)
hands the awards to De Heus General Director Mr. Gabor Fluit.
De Heus Vietnam has been my client since 2011. Through the years, its Management
Team did an Allround Manager program, the Coaching & Mentoring Training, and two
Leadership training programs. Its Sales Managers did a Sales Management program.
The 32nd Dutch Vietnam
Management Supporter
8th year, no. 2 5
How certain are you about your decisions? One of the interesting characteristics of entrepreneurs is their two-sidedness. When making
decisions they appar certain. But when you look into their mind (and heart!) they are very aware
nothing in life is certain, and that every decisions contains an
element of risk. They carefully hide this uncertainty behind a
mask of confidence. The seasoned, wise entrepreneur
knows: decisions may well result in failure. However,
she/he knows that you cannot rule your company on your own,
and because you need to convince others—shareholders,
bank, customers and suppliers—you need to appear
confident and certain about the rightness of your decision. And
when things don’t turn out as you hoped they would, the
(wise) entrepreneur admits the mistake, doesn’t waste time on
the past and presents the next decision. Successful entre
preneurs are, simply put, more right than wrong in making decisions. Is it their smartness? Their
knowledge? Their courage? Their vision? Their sixth sense? The Seven Habits of Highly Effective
People? Sure, but they also know: it takes luck. And a lot of help from your friends who believe in you
and remain loyal to you through hell and high waters. You cannot control your world on your own.
Ask any CEO or President.
Dutch are known for entrepreneurial
spirit. Or at least, for a tendency to set up
shop—trade or otherwise. This is why you
see Dutch everywhere in the world. Like
Alex Thomson, who has lived and worked
in Vietnam for many years. His most
recent activity is setting up Italianpoint.
This company sells high end Italian coffee
machines and top quality italian coffee.
Let Trung Nguyen not hear it; Alex’ coffee
is different from Vietnam’s no. 1, but
excellent all the same.
To acquaint people with his products, Alex
invited friends and friends-of-friends for
Punto Italia coffee-tasting events. See
www.italianpointvn.com.
Who are his clients? Mainly hotels & restaurants who, just like wines and spirits, want to offer their
clientele a choice of international coffees. But you & I are also welcome. The espressos & cappucinos
tasted great. Good to have next to my daily shot of ca phe sua da Trung Nguyen No. 3.
We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because
thorn bushes have roses. Abraham Lincoln
There is only one valid definition of a business purpose:
to create a customer. Peter Drucker
6 8th year, no. 2 The 32nd Dutch Vietnam
Management Supporter
“A cynic is a men who knows the price of everything, but the value of nothing.” Over 120
years ago Oscar Wilde penned this sharp observation. In my life I have met many cynics.
They are not the least interested in content, but seem obsessed by getting the lowest price
for goods, services—for anything. You will have experienced the same: you know the value
of what you offer, but find yourself in a depressing discussion about its monetary value.
Cynics are people who have had one frustration too many, both personal and professional.
With others, and often, with themselves. Frustration created by broken promises, failed
expectations and hurt feelings. If we want a relationship to work, there needs to be a basic
mutual trust. Without it, the relationship—if any—will be defined by stamped and signed
contracts. When we don’t trust anyone, we will live a very lonely life. We will lack success,
in business or any other activity. Out of fear some build paper prisons: sign this and that.
When I ask a cynic: “In your life, did someone whom you trusted completely, betray you?”,
the answer is usually a quick “Yes.” We all have our “stories”. Sadly, the “lesson learned”
from this undoubtedly painful experience is all too often: “No one can be trusted. I have to
keep people at a distance. Criticism, sarcasm, anything that helps to create and maintain
a distance between me and the rest of humanity.” They work hard at social isolation.
Trust is our—your lifeline. Yet, it’s so sensitive. To make things worse, there’s a cultural
angle to trust. So how do you build trust? Perhaps even more important, how do you
maintain trust? There are answers to these fundamental questions. If you are interested
in building and maintaining trust—and healthy relationships, let me know.
Trust: your lifeline
Being a human means accepting promises from other people and trusting that
other people will be good to you. When that is too much to bear, it is always
possible to retreat into the thought, “I’ll live for my own comfort, for my own
revenge, for my own anger, and I just won’t be a
member of society anymore.” That really means,
“I won’t be a human being anymore.”
You see people doing that today where they
feel that society has let them down, and they
can’t ask anything of it, and they can’t put their
hopes on anything outside themselves. You see
them actually retreating to a life in which they
think only of their own satisfaction, and maybe
the satisfaction of their revenge against society.
But the life that no longer trusts another human
being and no longer forms ties to the political
community is not a human life any longer.
Martha Nussbaum (in Bill Moyers’ World of Ideas)
7 8th year, no. 2
In Vietnam: a.o. business field
• Tan Thuan IPC (HCMC) Industrial development
• HCMC University of Technology Master of BA program
• RMIT (HCMC campus) Communication progr.
• Royal Business School (public courses) Courses & seminars
• Vietnam Airlines (RBS; ISM) International airline
• Vietnam Singapore I.P. (SPECTRA) Industrial park
• Petronas Vung Tau (SPECTRA) Chemical factory
• Nike (Tae Kwang Vina) (SPECTRA) Shoe factory
• Le & Associates Training & consultancy
• Training House Vietnam (Sacombank) Training & consultancy
• Ministry of L.I.S.A. (RBS) Civil Servants
• SONY Vietnam (RBS) 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 Int. design, architecture
• Control Union Vietnam Quality inspections
• ERC Institute Vietnam Business school
• Schoeller Bleckmann Vietnam Oilfield Equipment
• Robert Bosch Vietnam Electronics
• De Heus Vietnam Animal food
• Centre for Tropical Medicine—Oxford Uni. Clinical research
• Khue Van Academy Courses & seminars
• Training House Vietnam Courses & seminars
• Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) Business consultancy
• HCMC Finance & Investment Company Investments
• Academy of Finance MBA (Un. of Gloucester)
• ITEQ Vietnam Mono-parts/assemblies
In The Netherlands, a.o.
• ING Bank Financial services
• Philips Electronics
• Heineken Brewery
• Yamaha Musical instruments
• Voerman International Intern. relocations
• Damen Shipyards Ship repair wharfs
The 32nd Dutch Vietnam Management Supporter
Loek Hopstaken’s Clients
Being right
keeps you in
place, being
wrong forces
you to explore.
Steve Johnson
To be a good
human being is
to have a kind of
openness to the
world, an ability
to trust uncertain
things beyond
your own
control.
Martha Nussbaum
The DVM Supporter is published by
Prof. Loek Hopstaken.
Email: [email protected] or
Mobile: 090 888 9450
Assistant: Ms. Vo Ngoc Lien Huong
Email: [email protected]
Mobile: 090 888 9451
Quotes
Certainty is an
uncomfortable
position. But
certainty is an
absurd one.
Voltaire
