E60: Why foreign leadership styles fail in Vietnam (and how to fix yours!)

Many foreign leaders arrive in Vietnam full of confidence — armed with a leadership style that’s worked everywhere else. But within weeks, frustration sets in. Teams seem hesitant, feedback is quiet, and quick wins are nowhere to be found. In this episode of You Don’t Know Vietnam, cross-cultural leadership expert Julie Sivan joins Ian Paynton to unpack why leadership styles often don’t translate — and what you can do to make sure yours does. 

Julie explains the key mindset shift every foreign leader needs to make: trust comes before performance in Vietnam. She breaks down how hierarchy really works (it’s a roof, not a wall), why silence doesn’t mean agreement, and how to build trust through consistency, presence, and care.

You’ll also hear:

 🇻🇳 The biggest traps foreign leaders fall into — and how to avoid them
 🇻🇳 How to decode hierarchy, respect, and feedback in Vietnamese workplaces
 🇻🇳 Three things to do in your first 30 days to earn credibility and connection
 🇻🇳 What not to do if you want to keep trust intact

Whether you’re leading a team in Hanoi, managing a regional office in Ho Chi Minh City, or planning to expand your business into Vietnam, this episode is your field guide to cross-cultural leadership that lands.

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This podcast is brought to you by We Create Content, the content marketing agency that builds audiences for global brands in Vietnam. You can follow our host, Ian Paynton, on LinkedIn, and follow the podcast on Instagram, TikTok and X.

A special thanks to DJ Jase at The Beats Saigon for the soundtrack, and to YOU for listening.