The Dutch Vietnam

Management Supporter
It’s all about FACE, is it?
To a Vietnamese, Face is an ever-present factor in
human relationships. It determines whom to speak to,
Prof. Loek Hopstaken
when to speak, what to say, and how to say it. Even more,
it determines body language and attitude in general. Email:
loek@hopstaken.com
Most foreigners have some idea about Face, but
Mobile:
usually underestimate its full meaning and impact on 090 888 9450
human relationships with (and among!) the Vietnamese.
5th year, no. 1
One of the gravest mistakes people from all over the
world make is to think and behave as if their own norms January 17, 2011
and beliefs are superior. This magazine was first
Showing contempt for the published in March 2007. It is
digitally distributed among
other people’s cultures is my Vietnamese and Dutch
a recipe for conflict. business & private associates.

In Vietnam this means Purpose: to keep them

you make your Vietna- informed about my activities
in Vietnam and overseas.
mese host lose Face. But
This amazingly attractive and
in Vietnamese eyes, you energetic country has rapidly
also lose your Face: big conquered my soul, and
become my home away
time! End of relationship. from home.
For both Vietnamese Loek Hopstaken
and foreigners one
simple rule applies: when
you want to build a In this issue:
mutually beneficial
relationship, you need to: It’s all about FACE 1
Dear Reader 2
study and understand the
norms and beliefs of each Photo: Peter van Oosten Understanding 3
Vietnamese & foreign 4
other’s culture, and then Cultures & Etiquette 5
treat each other as he/she wishes to be treated. 6
E-Leader; Dutch
Read pages 3-5 (2 new courses) & 7 (Corporate Arrogance) Economic Mission; 8
Corporate Arrogance

Study and understand the norms Standing offer; list of

clients; mini catalog
9

and beliefs of others, and do as Contact information

Resumé
1
0

THEY wish to be treated. It Don’t Mean A

Thing If It Ain’t Got
Ijaz Rana That Swing
5th year, no. 1 2
The Dutch Vietnam Management
Supporter
Dear Reader, Intercultural Communication: solution
to successful international
2011 is the Vietnamese Year of the Cat.
This new year has already been declared The
cooperation
Year of Intercultural cooperation, The Year After living and studying the Vietnamese life, and working in
of Trust, The Year of the Forests, and The Vietnam for 2,5 years, I now offer two new services:
Year of Business Ethics. 1. Understanding Foreign Culture (for Vietnamese)
January 4 I have lectured about ‘Developing 2. Understanding Vietnamese Culture (for Expats)
Ethics Awareness’ at the E-Leader Confer- Each workshop takes 2 full days.
ence in Ho Chi Minh City. This year I offer On pages 3, 4 & 5 you will find more information.
two new courses to enhance intercultural
communication skills: one for Vietnamese, Photo: Dao Chi Kien
one for Foreigners. Since my visit to Dak
Nong (see Supporter no. 14) I support the
Vietnamese forest. And: I was born in a Year
of the Cat. My Year!
So, I keep up with the times! In this special
edition of the Supporter I intend to inform &
inspire you to further develop yourself, and
keep yourself growing in this new year.

Loek Hopstaken (loek@hopstaken.com)

PS. Later this year I’ll be back as Examiner
on VTV1’s Key to Success Show.

Be who you are and say what you feel, because

those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don't mind.
Dr. Seuss

Recruitment Tip in the Year of the Cat

A Cat* has great career possibilities. Their

compassionate attitude makes them fit to be
effective therapists, actors and doctors. Evok-
ing great emotion, they could also become ef-
fective administrators, public relations people,
writers, publishers, and fashion designers.
Ambitious, talented and articulate, a cat has
excellent business and communication skills.
* Cats were born in 1951-1963-1975-1987-1999
Source: Viethoroscope
The pessimist complains about the wind. The optimist expects it
to change. The leader adjusts the sails.
John Maxwell
5th year, no. 1 3
The Dutch Vietnam Management
Supporter

FACE TO
Are you Vietnamese & work with non-
Asians? A quick survey:
• Do you sometimes NOT say or ask the
foreigner because you don’t want
him/her to lose face?
• Do you find it hard to deal with the
foreigner’s ‘direct communication’ style?
• Are you familiar with international
Business Etiquette?
• Would you like to be a Global
Communicator?
If you answered YES to 3 or more
questions, turn to page 4.
FACE
Are you a foreigner & work with
Vietnamese? A quick survey:
• Do you sometimes wonder if the
Vietnamese really understands what
you want?
• Do you find it hard to deal with the
Asian ‘indirect communication’ style?
• Are you familiar with Vietnamese
Business Etiquette?
• Would you like to intensify your
business & social contacts?
If you answered YES to 3 or more
questions, turn to page 5.

Fresh import: Research Project Maastricht

HCMC, January 6—Mr. Jos
Schellaars, the Dutch Consul
General in Ho Chi Minh City,
welcomed 14 Dutch students to
Vietnam. Until late April they
conduct field research for their
clients: companies seeking
business opportunities in
Vietnam. After their work they
will submit their reports to their
clients.

Their efforts may very well lead

to more Dutch investments and
business activities in Vietnam.

Their stay is organized by the

Research Project Maastricht
(RPM).

Luck is where preparation meets opportunity.

Seneca
5th year, no. 1 4
The Dutch Vietnam Management
Supporter

Why should a Vietnamese

understand foreign cultures?

Have you ever been abroad? Do you recall the first time? The first thing you observed
may well have been that ‘abroad’ people act somewhat differently. You may have thought:
they do things the wrong way. The ancient Greeks, who sailed the Mediterranean Sea to find
new business opportunities, had a word for a person who couldn’t speak Greek: “barbaros”.
They considered all foreigners to be below their level of civilization. Yes, all non-Greek were
“barbarians”.
Foreigners have been coming to Vietnam for ages. Many were hostile. They soon found
out that fooling with Vietnamese is fatal. Check history: Chinese, Mongolian, French,
Japanese—they all tried to conquer this territory, suppress and enslave its people. Only to
find out that this assembly of ethnic communities who form Vietnam act as one strong
nation when their independence is at stake. Since Vietnam “opened its gates” Vietnamese
have become increasingly interested in “expanding abroad”, and working with foreigners.
Once this happens, Vietnamese discover it’s not that easy. It takes time, and more:
understanding the culture of the foreigners is mandatory if you want to have a successful
career. Some Vietnamese are fortunate to have gained experience abroad, through work,
study or internship. They are often ahead of those without this experience. But by far most
Vietnamese feel uncomfortable, unfamiliar with, for example, direct communication.
I have met many Vietnamese who wish to work for foreign companies—particularly, non-
Asian (with the exception of Singapore-based companies). Some Vietnamese companies
intend to set up cooperation with foreign companies, as they are involved in import/export or
a supply chain. Some entrepreneurs are approached by a foreign company seeking
collaboration. Others ambitiously wish to “go global”, reach out and take the initiative.
To make this work, you need to know how. A book may help. But getting the skills to work
in a multicultural environment is an altogether different “ball game”. So consider this:

2-Day workshop:
Understanding International Business Culture & Etiquette
For Vietnamese professionals working & living in Vietnam
who wish to be successful in dealing with foreigners in business and social
environments.
This is an interactive course, filled with intercultural know-how & games.
The workshop is delivered in-company to groups of 4—20 participants.
Contact loek@hopstaken.com for booking and details.

Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but

anyone can start today and make a new ending. anonymous
5th year, no. 1 5
The Dutch Vietnam Management
Supporter

Why should a foreigner

understand Vietnamese culture?

Do you recall the first time you ever went abroad? I do. Germany. The first thing I
observed was that German behavior differed from Dutch. And I didn’t speak German!
The ancient Greeks, who sailed the Mediterranean Sea to find new business opportunities,
had a word for anyone who wasn’t Greek: “barbaros”. To their ears, their language sounded
like bar-bar-bar. They considered all foreigners to be below their level of civilization. To
young and ignorant me, Germans were barbarians.
Foreigners have been coming to Vietnam for ages. Some were hostile, and they soon
found out that you don’t fool around with Vietnamese. Chinese, Mongolian, French—they all
tried to conquer, exploit and keep this territory, only to find out that this assembly of 54
ethnic communities who form Vietnam per tradition act as one strong nation when their
independence is concerned. Nowadays foreigners flock to Vietnam—as guests. Since in 2007
Vietnam joined the World Trade Organization (WTO) they arrive in even larger numbers.
Some establish a successful working relationship with Vietnamese. Some don’t. I
won’t forget what an official at the Dutch Embassy in Hanoi told me, nearly 4 years ago:
“Business people come here and expect to do business during the one week they spend here.
They organize meetings with several Vietnamese CEO’s and then want to go home with a
stack of signed contracts. These guys are deeply disappointed when this doesn’t happen.
Doing business in Vietnam takes time. I reckon it takes at least two years of steady
presence to convince the Vietnamese that you are serious about a mutually beneficial
business relationship.” He added: “But when you succeed, you can build up a lasting and
solid win-win relationship.”
Meanwhile, I have met many foreigners who have been investing lots of time and money
to get established. Their success appears to be in direct proportion to the degree that they
are open to and understanding Vietnamese culture and etiquette. So, consider this:

2-Day workshop:
Understanding Vietnamese Culture & Etiquette
For expatriates working & living in Vietnam wishing to be successful in
dealing with Vietnamese in business and social environments.
This is an interactive course, filled with cultural know-how & games.
The workshop is delivered in-company to groups of 4—20 participants.
Contact loek@hopstaken.com for booking and details.

If you think it's expensive to hire a professional to do the

job, wait 'til you hire an amateur. ‘Red’ Adair (oil field firefighter)
5th year, no. 1 6
The Dutch Vietnam Management
Supporter

E-Leader Conference Vietnam January 3-5, 2011

HCMC, Jan. 3-5. HCMC
University of Technology
(HUTECH) & TOPICA hosted E-
Leader, the international
conference on E-Learning, Ethics,
Excellence and Entrepreneur-
ship. From left to right, some of
the speakers: Dr. Donald Hsu
(USA; Founder), Mr. Akram Saad
(United Arab Emirates), Thai
Minh Hanh MBA & Dang My
Chau MBA (Vietnam; TOPICA),
Dr. Clifford Tyler (USA), Ing.
Dagmar Skokanova & Mr. Jiri
Kotab (Czech Republic), Loek
Hopstaken.
E-Leader Vietnam was attended
by staff & students of HUTECH
and TOPICA.

March-April: Dutch Economic Mission + Royal Visit

March 26—April 2 a Dutch
Economic Mission—government
+ business—will visit Vietnam.
Dutch companies have been
invited to join the mission. It will
focus on
- agro technology
- water & delta technology
- maritime technology
- oil & gas technology
- transport & logistics
Mission Chief is Mr. Bleker, Secretary of State for Economic Affairs, Agriculture & Innovation. Secretary
of State for Infrastructure & Ecology, Mr. Atsma, will also visit Vietnam to discuss Dutch-Vietnamese
cooperation in the areas of water management and climate adaptation. Last-but-not-least: Crown Prince
Willem Alexander & future Queen Princess Maxima (photo) will be joining parts of the mission program.

Effective leadership is not about making speeches

or being liked; leadership is defined by results not
attributes. Peter Drucker
5th year, no. 1 7
The Dutch Vietnam Management
Supporter

14 Signs of Fatal Corporate Arrogance

Excerpted from a Bloomberg Business Week article by Alaina Love (President of Purpose
Linked Consulting), assisted by Marc Cignon (CEO PLC) - December 21, 2010

Arrogance is running your company if:

1. You hire and develop great people but then fail to listen to their input if it is nonconform-
ist thinking.
2. Your company rationalizes its mistakes instead of learning from them.
3. Your company focuses almost exclusively on financial success with little regard for legacy
and social impact.
4. Your company lobbies against sound regulations because they may add complexity to the
way you operate.
5. Your leaders pat themselves on the back when the company succeeds financially, even
though success derived from market forces rather than actual performance.
6. Your leaders believe the company can’t fail.
7. Your leaders dictate more than they listen.
8. The company underestimates its competition and minimizes the success competitors
achieve.
9. Access to top leadership in the company requires wading through multiple layers of bu-
reaucracy.
10. There is a focus on amassing the trappings of success: large, well-appointed offices,
chauffeured cars, private jets, and the like.
11. Your company doesn’t become a partner in a merger; it takes over, losing the value of the
culture and learning the other organization might have provided.
12. Your company suffers from “Not Invented Here Syndrome,” believing it holds the monop-
oly on great ideas, so that innovations coming from the outside (“Not Invented Here”) are
deemed to hold little value.
If you answered “yes” to more than six of these signs, your company has a dangerously
high arrogance index. As a leader in such an organization, it’s time to take stock of the cul-
ture you’re creating. As we have seen over the past 24 months, corporate arrogance can lead
to company failure, economic decline, a burgeoning deficit, and exponential growth in unem-
ployment and homelessness. It robs future generations of the financial stability they deserve
and saddles them with a mountain of debt.
As a leader, you are the steward of the corporate culture that others experience. You have
responsibility for the impact decisions generated from that culture have on the larger world.
Moving into the New Year, make a resolution that you keep. Commit to addressing arro-
gance in your company. As a first step, wholly own your role in creating it.
Note: commenters have added two more signs:
13. Your company preaches but doesn’t practice. After a while, the propaganda surpasses re-
ality.
14. Ignoring customer and suppliers concerns and complaints.

There are none so deaf as those who won’t hear.

Anonymous
5th year, no. 1 8
The Dutch Vietnam Management
Supporter
Every picture tells a story
In The Netherlands
I deliver services to Voerman
International, a major
relocation company. Among
its clients, IKEA and the
Dutch Ministry of Foreign
Affairs. At Wittenborg
University I deliver a
Masterclass. In Amsterdam
I have my office and library.

Back in Saigon it’s time for

the ERC Institute’s Dinner
& Dance Party at Park
Hyatt Hotel, and the Saigon
CityNetEvent at Kumho
The Voerman International graduates of the 4-day workshop Plaza’s Rooftop Garden.
Communication & Coaching. The Hague, November 17

Masterclass Conflict Management at Wittenborg The new premises

University. Apeldoorn, November 9 of Wittenborg in
Apeldoorn

Chris Harvey, CEO

Vietnamworks, at
ERC Institute CityNetEvent At work in my Amsterdam office
Party at Saigon, Dec. 9
Park Hyatt
Saigon,
December 20

Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.

Neale Donald Walsh
5th year, no. 1 9
The Dutch Vietnam Management Supporter

Standing Offer + Client List + Mini Catalog

Standing Offer for New Clients MINI CATALOG
Overview of Prof. Loek’s services
A training serves its purpose when it deepens your understanding,
WORKSHOPS
but also increases your practical skills. There is one way to get to know
A workshop is a 2-4 day group
my training style: by experiencing it. activity with a defined purpose,
One way of getting this experience is to invite me to deliver a where theory, practical exercise
FREE LECTURE (1—1,5 hours) in your company. You choose the topic. and exchange of experiences are the
For ideas, see the mini-catalog (right). Three conditions: main ingredients. Areas: HRM, PR,
Communication, and Management.
1. the participants (max. 40) should be able to understand English,
• Team Engineering
2. in case the distance from my home to your location or venue is
• Communication
>15 km, you take care of transportation
• Commercial Communication
3. your company provides a lecture space, projector & screen.
• Public Relations
Interested? Drop me an email or sms. Name the topic & the period in
• Effective Meetings
which it will be feasible for you & your team to attend the lecture. Then
• Organizational Design
we can start scheduling.
For contact information, see page 10. • Intercultural Communication
• Time Management/Efficiency
•
List of Hopstaken Clients Personnel Selection

CONSULTING
in Vietnam: a.o. business field Consulting is any specified expert
• Tan Thuan IPC (HCMC) Industrial development activity to help solve a defined
• HCMC University of Technology Master of BA program problem. This can take the form of
coaching, but also, conducting a
• RMIT (HCMC campus) Bach. of Comm. program
research. By definition, it is tailor
• Royal Business School (public courses) Courses & seminars made. Areas: HRM, Strategy, PR.
• Vietnam Airlines (RBS) Airline • Management Coach
• Vietnam Singapore I.P. (SPECTRA) Industrial park • Corporate Strategy
• Petronas Vung Tau (SPECTRA) Chemical factory • Personal Coach
• Nike Shoe factory • Mediation
• Le & Associates Training & consultancy • Executive Selection
• NutriWay Vietnam Animal food • In- & External Surveys (360°
• Training House Vietnam (Sacombank) Training & consultancy Feedback)
• Ministry of Labour, I. & S.A. (RBS) Civil Servants
SEMINARS
• SONY Vietnam (RBS) Consumer electronics A seminar is a 3-4 hour interactive
• CapitaLand (SPECTRA) Real estate transference of core know-how,
• PACE Education (public courses) Seminars & courses including practical assignments.
• Alliance ITC Training programs • People Management
• Hoanggia Media Group Key to Success TV Show • Emotions in the Workplace
• Fresh Green Earth Hi-tech agriculture • Strategic Thinking
• Unique Design Interior Design • Business Ethics
• ERC Institute Vietnam Management education • The Allround Manager™
• The Allround
in The Netherlands, a.o. Communicator™
• ING Bank Financial services • The Soft Skills Program
• Philips Electronics
Investments (ex. 10% VAT / 25% PIT)
• Heineken Brewery
Workshops: US$ 1,000 per team/day.
• Yamaha Musical instruments Consulting / Coaching: US$ 90-125 per
• Voerman International International relocations hour.
• Campagne Communicatie Advertising, promotion Seminars: US$ 550 –850 per seminar
(except the ‘Allround’ programs).
• Damen Shipyards Ship repair wharfs Lecture: US$ 250 per lecture.
• Wittenborg University IBA—BBA, MBA Train the Trainer: US$ 1,200 per day.
• AFAS ERP Financial software
• Royal Van Zanten Pot plants, cut flowers Contact me for longterm conditions.
5th year, no. 1 10
The Dutch Vietnam Management
Supporter

The Supporter is published by Loek Hopstaken.

Email: loek@hopstaken.com or
loek.hopstaken@gmail.com
Mobile: 090 888 9450
Assistant: Ms. Vo Ngoc Lien Huong
Email: jane.hopstaken@gmail.com
Mobile: 090 888 9451
Website: www.hopstaken.com
Loek Hopstaken’s company in The Netherlands:
Hopstaken Bedrijfsadvies Gouden Leeuw 628, 1103 KN
Amsterdam ZO. Website: www.hopstaken.com

Who is Loek Hopstaken?

Not the eye is 1951: born in Haarlem, The Netherlands

important, but what 1971-1972: travels: Europe & Asia

1972-1975: Amsterdam City University
1976-1977: travels: North & South America

it sees. V.S. Naipaul 1977-1993: career in banking: NCB,

Postgiro, Postbank, NMB Postbank Group,
ING Group, ING Bank
1979-1982: Business Admin. studies
1983-1988: Project Manager
privatization process Postgiro to
Postbank (field: P&O / HRM)
1989-1993: Project Manager formation
NMB Postbank Group & ING Group
(fields: PR and TQM)
1991: founding Hopstaken Bedrijfsadvies
1993: left ING Bank; started career in
training and consultancy
1996-2000: Dutch business club MC
2001: start of mediation career
2003-2008: combining training &
consultancy with teaching at international
business schools (IBA—MBA)
2005 + 2007: Professor appointments
2007-2008: 5 visits to Vietnam: lecturing,
consulting, surveying, delivering courses,
workshops & seminars at universities
November 2008: establishment in HCMC
2009-2011: delivering lectures, seminars,
coaching, workshops & training courses,
mediation; business visits abroad
2010: Examiner VTV1 Key to Success Show
2011: Chairman Advisory Board ERC Inst.
http://www.linkedin.com/in/loekhopstaken

Full CV: mail loek@hopstaken.com