In the bustling metropolis of the Far East, two accomplished managers at a major tech firm, Crescent Holding, were renowned for their dedication and superior capabilities. However, their management styles were worlds apart.
The autocrat: Hùng (The pursuit of perfection)
Manager Hùng, a rigorous and disciplined man, was known for his relentless pursuit of excellence. He was hardworking, resolute, and demanded the same from his team. His motto was inspired by Aristotle: “Excellence is not an act, but a habit.” Hùng possessed a near-superhuman ability to spot even the most minute errors that others missed.
However, his approach was harsh and unforgiving. He frequently interrogated subordinates with pointed questions like, “Why don’t you know this?” or, “You got everything wrong.” Hùng would continue to cross-examine team members until they were stressed into admitting their mistakes or incompetence.
Hùng’s team lived in constant fear of making errors and incurring his criticism. This relentless pressure began to take a toll; their self-esteem withered with each critique. Many eventually resigned, feeling that no matter how hard they worked, their quality and competence would never be sufficient for Hùng.
The servant leader: Ngọc (The cultivation of progress)
In stark contrast to Hùng was Ngọc, a leader defined by compassion and boundless patience. Ngọc was equally demanding regarding work quality but employed a unique coaching style. She emphasized change and improvement over perfection. Her motto was: “Efforts and progress are first.”
Whenever a team member made a mistake, Ngọc would first acknowledge their efforts, showing appreciation for the work already done, even if the final outcome was lacking. Instead of pointing out flaws with sharp, biting words, she took the time to model and demonstrate the correct way to execute the task.
This approach often exhausted Ngọc, and there were times she required hospitalization due to burnout. Yet, she believed deeply in the value of leading by example. Her team members, inspired by her patience and empathy, felt motivated and empowered. They felt valued not only for their skills and achievements but for their commitment to improvement. Gradually, as she empowered them, Ngọc was able to delegate more, allowing her to dedicate more time to her health and personal life. She demonstrably improved both her personal well-being and her career.
The leadership lesson
The stories of Hùng and Ngọc offer a vital lesson for all leaders. Both were undeniably excellent managers, demonstrating dedication and competence. But their leadership styles yielded vastly different outcomes.
Hùng’s demanding style bred anxiety and self-doubt, while Ngọc’s empathetic and supportive coaching style fostered self-respect, trust, and alignment within her team.
This dichotomy comes from my own management experience. I was Hùng over a decade ago—a manager whose pursuit of perfection inadvertently caused deep trauma to subordinates. I regret that former employees later told me, “You made me so scared; I never felt happy during that time.”
Becoming a manager like Ngọc seems impossibly time-consuming for the impatient, especially given the pace of organizational development. Many managers choose the Efforts and progress are first path precisely because it appears to be the easiest and fastest way to achieve results.
It takes boundless patience and a deeply humane philosophy to manage like Ngọc. But when you succeed, your work will be smoother, and you will gain a team that is fiercely loyal and dedicated to your success.
Your actions and words as a leader can easily shatter your team’s spirit. Even unintentionally, you can make subordinates feel incompetent or unworthy. This is incredibly detrimental, as you risk creating a demoralized workforce that will never truly fight for you.
Remember that you manage people, not just tasks. A motivated and valued team will always outperform one that is stressed and dispirited.
Ultimately, the true measure of a good leader lies not just in their ability to achieve results but in their capacity to inspire, nurture, and develop the people who follow them.
Building an average team into a great team is far more effective and less frustrating than endlessly waiting to hire a mythical dream team.
