Changing behavior through control
“I have to go pick up my kid now. If I’m late, the school charges 300,000 VND.” “We have CCTV footage of you placing trash next to a full bin. That’s a 500,000 VND fine.” “If you turn right at a red light, the penalty is 6 million.” In daily life, it sometimes feels like […]
Writing a report about your participants
“Can you write a report about the participants? Just something short—how they performed, how they improved during the training. And maybe how likely they are to do well in their job? It’s like a hand-over to their manager!” The new-hire trainer in this international company did not question the request. She just started writing a […]
Hierarchy in the Training Room: Which Side Are You On – A or B?
Let’s talk about something we don’t talk about enough: what happens when hierarchy walks into a training room. Especially in cultures like Vietnam, where seniority and respect are deeply ingrained, this is more than just a logistical issue—it’s a learning killer. Here are two stories. True ones. You decide: Are you Team A or Team […]
The observer in the training room
“I will just join the training as an observer”, the HR manager said, installing herself in the corner of the training room. The junior trainer was a bit surprised, but apparently this was agreed with management of the training company he worked for… It was at this moment, he knew the training was going to […]
Please Give Me a 5-Star Rating!
The trainer just wrapped up the group photo. You know the one: awkward thumbs up, a second version where everyone shows heart signs, and at least three people already halfway out the door that need to be called back, because if there is no picture after a training, the training didn’t actually happen…. Then comes […]
Your once-a-year team outing is not Teambuilding!
We see it a lot here in Vietnam. Once a year, there is budget for a trip. The bigger the budget, the farther the trip. It is seen as a show of appreciation to the staff. And it is! It is a really nice gesture and a good chance to see your colleagues in a […]
Neuro-Linguistic Programming: Science or Just a Good Sales Pitch?
Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP, not to be confused with Natural Language Processing, a proper science) has been around since the 1970s, promising to “reprogram” your brain for success. It sounds appealing—after all, who wouldn’t want a shortcut to better communication, stronger relationships, and success? But there’s a catch. NLP isn’t based on science. It’s a mix […]
Staff Engagement Surveys: Groundhog Day for corporates
Staff Engagement Surveys, nobody really likes them. And for good reasons….. So many questions! People think, the more data we can get from this survey, the better it is, so they add more questions, more analysis tools and a neat visualization program to show it all. Open questions? Let AI analyze the text and place […]
Accreditation does not equal quality
Why Accreditation Isn’t the Silver Bullet You Think It Is… Accreditation: the shiny badge everyone loves to show off. It’s sold as the ultimate proof of quality, a golden ticket to trust and credibility. But here’s the inconvenient truth—it’s not. Accreditation isn’t a magic wand that guarantees results. It’s a stamp on a checklist, not […]
The Skills-Based Organization Nonsense: rượu cũ bình mới (old wine in new bottles)
You heard it here first: The skills-based organization is not going to come to Vietnam in the next 20 years. Here’s why: It is a fad to begin with. It requires a complete overhaul of systems and methods that have only just started to establish themselves in HR in Vietnam. It diminishes the value of […]
English 
Vietnamese