Today, I’m pleased to be leading THP by managing its communications and procurement. But it hasn’t always been that way. In fact, it’s taken decades of learning at every level of the company to adequately understand how THP operates, why it operates the way it does, who we serve and what we serve. Sure, growing up with THP in my family has given me a unique perspective and accessibility to the underpinnings of the business; however, my ability to serve in the capacity that I do today had been due to the on-the-job-experience I’ve gained at each level of the organization.
After leaving my family and the business to pursue education and work experience outside of Vietnam, I returned to fill an entry-level position in THP that would help me learn and grow. It was a position that would help turn the company from a paper-based one to a digital one by implementing Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP). My father emphasized the unique access this role would provide – it would expose me to every corner of the organization.
Ultimately, that’s what differentiates the best leaders from the rest: experience working “in the trenches” so-to-speak and an understanding of every nuanced aspect of the company. It’s that knowledge and understanding that will eventually help you make informed, strategic decisions that propel the business forward.
That’s the track my father intentionally placed me on. The most important stage of my journey at THP had begun. Before I had lived there as a child, now I was one of the employees, later a manager, and today, a director in charge of communications and procurement. Since then, I have striven to be a worthy successor to my parents by learning how to be a manager, while living and teaching THP’s core values. It is a work in progress.
Learning to be an effective manager is certainly a mix of first-hand experience and the assistance of outside resources. For example, many of the management techniques I have learned have resulted from my decision to join the Young Presidents Organization (YPO), a global platform for chief executives to engage, learn, and share. Every CEO needs outside resources and learning opportunities for insight and perspective, but there are generally only a limited number of people they can trust. Thanks to YPO, I can have confidential peer-to-peer conversations with other people like me.
The opportunity to lead people and companies doesn’t just happen. It requires the cumulative experience of knowledge gained through hands-on work and learning opportunities provided by expert resources. The ability to effectively lead take constant nurturing through learning and humility. Learn more about my experience by reading my story today!
