The way a leader exits defines their legacy. While most leadership transitions are fraught with ego, resistance, and resentment, I once witnessed a handover that was a masterclass in humility and organizational commitment.
This is the story of Dr. Le Thi Thanh, a Vietnamese intellectual with a Ph.D. in Literature from the University of Massachusetts, who served as the founding principal of Viet My College and Broward College Vietnam. She was erudite, gracious, soft-spoken, and deeply devoted to her students.
The debt of a pioneer
Dr. Thanh’s work was pioneering. Securing permission for Broward College—one of the few highly-accredited U.S. college programs—to operate in Vietnam was an ordeal. I remember hearing tales of her small, frail figure traveling tirelessly between Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi in the cold rain, sometimes waiting for hours, hungry and exhausted, just to meet with ministry officials to explain and persuade them of the program’s value. Her contribution was monumental. If Broward College grows into a major university in Vietnam, Dr. Thanh will forever be regarded as a founding visionary.
Shortly after my team and I formally took over, Dr. Thanh requested a private meeting. She took my hand—her hand was small and thin—and tears welled up in her eyes. She said, “I believe and trust that you are talented and honorable people. You will succeed in building Viet My College and Broward College into great institutions. This has been the dream and passion of so many. Therefore, I sincerely hope you succeed.”
She made a commitment that remains the gold standard for leadership transitions: “I will help you transition the work flawlessly. If you need me to persuade anyone to stay, I will do it; if you need me to recruit teachers or assist in any way, I will help; if you need me to teach supplementary classes, I will teach them. After the handover, find my replacement so I can resign. I am getting older, and I fear slowing down your momentum. You move so fast, and I cannot keep up. I stayed this long only for my honor, and I cannot leave until the school is stable and capable people are in place.”
The test of the organization
Over the following six months, our reform and restructuring of the college was often drastic and rapid. Sometimes, we “forgot” to consult with her on decisions, which included painful steps like cutting compensation and benefits for senior leaders and demanding strict, frequent reporting. For an intellectual of her generation, this top-down decisiveness could have been deeply offensive and unacceptable.
Yet, Dr. Thanh supported every single change without a word of complaint or blame. Her loyalty was not to her salary or her position, but to the institution’s future.
We eventually found a suitable candidate for the principal position. Dr. Thanh spoke with the candidate, gave her full, trusting support, and the handover proceeded seamlessly. After nearly fifteen years of dedication, she resigned without demanding a ceremony, farewell party, or public fanfare. She simply met quietly with the faculty to say her goodbyes, wanting to ensure her departure did not disrupt the school’s academic activities.
Today, while my team and I are no longer running Broward College, the current generation of leaders is managing and growing the schools brilliantly. That success is the forest grown from the seeds she planted.
Whenever I reflect on Dr. Le Thi Thanh, I remain deeply impressed by her character and attitude. She was fiercely principled but flexible. She had great merit but demanded no recognition. She understood her historical role and knew exactly when to stop, prioritizing the students and the school’s necessary evolution over her personal ego. We, and the institutions she helped build, will always owe Dr. Thanh a debt of gratitude.
