[Vnbiz] Leadership -- A little more on Honesty

[Tran Dinh Hoanh]

Dear Brother Phong & CACC,

Good point about different types of leader.  But there are different types
of lawyers, different types of doctors, different types of teachers,
different types of military generals, different types of painters.

In any profession, there is a set of general attributes for people in that
profession.  Then each specific job may require some additional attributes.
Say, the code of ethics for lawyers is a general code for all, even
though different types of lawyers face so many different types of situation,
and may have an additional set of guidance.  Same thingm, code of ehics for
doctors, code of business ethics.  (I use code of ethics as example, because
code of ethics is a big part in measuring success in the profession.  say,
you can't be a leader in the legal profession if you are known as
unethical).

I am saying that there is a set of attributes that help (morally)
good leaders succeed.  Of course, I am not working on producing unethical
leaders of the mafia type.   And I assume that everyone here is of the same
thinking.  If not, please let me know.  There are people who win a war by
horrendous killing, and there are generals who win a war by brain,
compassion and little killing.  I am thinking about the latter type.  If
that is what brother Phong called "parameters" then that is my parameters.

"Making money" may be a good kind of result to measure leader's success.
But I would contend that we are aiming at producing leaders that make money
honestly and ethically, versus making money the mafia style.  The result by
itself is not enough of a measurement.  It is the result and the method
together.  At the minimum, the method has to be ethical (however we define
"ethical," which again may differ sometimes).

About leaders who lie and cheat, of course they can be "successful,"
depending on what you define as "success" for yourself.  But there are lots
of them in Vietnam already, if you have followed the press lately, with all
kinds of government prosecution.  Why does anyone want us to waste our time
trying to produce "leaders" of that type?  Or even allowing a promotion for
that kind of leader in this forum?

The kind of leader I am aiming at producing is the leader who wins by "being
brilliant and ethical."  I thought I am very clear on this point, but if I
have not been clear, I hope this message makes it clear.

Thanks, brother Phong.  Great day, everyone.

Hoanh

On 7/27/07, Hong-Phong_Pho at ita.doc.gov <Hong-Phong_Pho at ita.doc.gov> wrote:
>
> [ Vietnam Business Forum ]
>
>
>
>
> This is an interesting but time consuming exercise that will not result in
> a final list that is universally agreeable to everyone.
> However, there is still value in discussing, if reaching a single final
> list is not a goal.
> I have observed a couple of things.
> 1.  This discussion on leadership qualities did not establish necessary
> parameters.
> Instead of qualities/attributes for all leaders, it may be necessary to
> define the specific type of leadership/situation.
> War-time leader vs. peace-time leaders?  Religious leaders vs. secular
> leaders.
> 2.  It is impossible to have a perfect leader with all the "good"
> attributes and no faults.
> A leader should be judged on whether and how he accomplished his mission.
>  I use the "and"  rather than the "but" test.
> Ex.  He improved women's right according to his campaign pledge,* and* he
> was unfaithful to his wife = he was a good leader. vs.
>  He improved women's right according to his campaign pledge,* but *he was
> unfaithful to his wife = he was a bad leader.
> HPP
>
>
>
> --
> Tran Dinh Hoanh, LLB, JD
> Washington DC
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