Frantic as the travel schedule is, it's actually been a softer start to the year (business wise) than I had hoped. This is only to be expected as the business has it's ups and downs. The downs, I find, concentrates the mind and enables tough(er) measures to be enacted: the proverbial kick up everyone's behinds.
So, as I land into Hanoi, I shall deliver this kick in this market and then hope to see the results :-). And if the results are anywhere as pretty as the street decorations are, we'd be in fine shape!
Truth is, the word kick is poorly used. In leadership, it's all circumstantial. For some, it's a kick. Most times (especially for smart people) it's about persuasion. The lesser of this group would respond to logic. The more sophisticated it's about WIIFM, ie What's In It For Me. And for a small group, it's about threat. For a small (underdeserving, I might add) minority, it's about enticements. I have never used the last ploy though.
But I understand that in all cultures such ploys are widely used and remain rather effective. In this country, esp as the festive occasion comes around, it's a great opportunity to greet one's business associates and to thank them for business done in the past and business anticipated in the future.
