Why listening is about understanding

In my last post I discussed what I have learned about art of difficult conversations during my career: how to have a proactive discussion with someone that does not leave them feeling that they have been backed into a corner and need to come out fighting. Part of the skill in handling those conversations and… [Read the full article]

How understanding Vietnamese consumers means thinking beyond Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh

Do a quick Google search and you will find multiple articles about Vietnam’s dynamic growth and rising income levels. Both factors are now taken for granted, year in and year out. The country is a magnet for foreign direct investment (FDI), as companies move their supply chains out of China. It is also an attractive… [Read the full article]

THP’s 2021 in review: gone but unlikely to be forgotten

Regular readers of this blog will know that at THP we live by the maxim that “Nothing is Impossible.” It is one of the company’s seven core values, embodying the spirit of both of my parents who faced one challenge after another establishing a livelihood in the aftermath of the Vietnam War and then setting… [Read the full article]

Why camaraderie is now more important than ever

What do managers mean when they talk about fostering a spirit of camaraderie in the workplace? And why is it so important for a well-functioning company? If we take a look at the origins of the word itself, then it derives from the Middle French for camarade, which means a group sleeping in the same… [Read the full article]

Adapting to the new normal

It’s been an incredibly intense few months at THP, without a single day off. But it’s been necessary to make sure that we could pull off the government’s three-on-the-spot policy and kept our factories running safely and smoothly during the lockdown, which has just ended and we are approaching the new normal. Many factories around… [Read the full article]

Climate Change – Why companies must lead the way

For almost two years, the Covid-19 pandemic has dominated the news headlines. Yet I think we are all well aware of climate change which is an even larger threat facing humanity and it’s not one, that can be put off and dealt with over the long-term. The COP26 (UN Climate Change Conference) taking place in… [Read the full article]