Why being liked isn’t leadership
In Vietnam, leadership authority is expected to be visible, stable, and protective. Trust is built through consistency rather than warmth.
Western leaders often attempt to reduce power distance quickly by becoming informal, friendly, and emotionally open. While well-intentioned, this can create confusion rather than connection.
Being liked does not substitute for being reliable.
Vietnamese teams look to leaders for containment. They want to know who absorbs pressure, who makes final decisions, and who shields the group when things go wrong.
When leaders over-emphasise approachability without demonstrating authority, staff often compensate by withholding initiative.
Trust is not emotional closeness. Trust is predictability.
Leaders earn influence by showing that responsibility ends with them.
Lesson for leaders
Trust in Vietnamese workplaces is built through consistency and protection, not likability.
Reducing hierarchy too quickly often creates uncertainty rather than psychological safety.
Authority must be demonstrated before it can be softened.
Leaders who reliably absorb responsibility earn discretionary effort over time.