First Change of General Director in the Birthplace of ICONIC Group

From this April 2023, I was appointed as the new General Director of ICONIC Co., Ltd. (The largest company of ICONIC Group in Vietnam with 2 domestic offices in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi), where the head office functions of ICONIC Group are concentrated. This is the first change of General Director since the group was founded 15 years ago. 

---

01. Is this really “Right Person for Right Role”?

When the proposal to replace the General Director came up, I spent a month or two considering whether I was really the right person for the role. During a lunch conversation with the founder – Yasukura san in Ho Chi Minh City, I told him my feelings ;
 
Me : "As for the proposal of the change of General Director, I'm worried whether I'm really the right person for the role. Indeed, I could be a kind of right person to handle and solve the currently visible issues. However, when considering the med-long-term development of this company, it is still a big question with me if I’m the right one for the role…”
 
Yasakura : "How worried are you?"
 
Me : “Hmm. Maybe 60-70% confident while 30-40% for a big worry…”
 
Yasukura : “You know, that's a very healthy sense of crisis. I would feel rather worried about the person who say 100% confident before starting anything. This is the perspective of the person who appoint somebody else for a big assignment for sure! ^^“
 
People are more motivated when they have a healthy sense of crisis. I’ve got somehow convinced by his logic, and decided to accept such a big role.

---

02. Roles change people's perspectives and work styles

Well, that's how I became the General Director of ICONIC Co.,Ltd.
 
I am now sincerely realizing again that roles can change the way people work. From the position of managing one business unit to the position of managing the entire company.

It really changed the way I look at this company.
 
It turned out that almost all of the issues that were stuck were kind of cross-functional issues that required horizontal cooperation across the company. Therefore, what I need to do is (1) to grasp what is stuck or is unclear to be handled by who for which part, and (2) prioritize the issues to be solved from the perspective of contributing to the growth of the company, and (3) design working group in which roles are clearly allocated. In addition, I quickly fulfill my tasks and roles in the working group and prove my enthusiasm by taking quick actions to the members. Thus, one by one, I feel that the gears are starting to move, even if they had been difficult to move in the past.
 
Besides, when I directly hear the voices of each member, my perspective on issues time to time changes, and I am reminded of the importance of dealing with primary information and data.
 
I really feel that one of the Toyota Group’s management principle saying “The Three Actuals – Genba(Atually on Site), Genbutsu(Actual Product), Genjitsu(Actual Fact)” is nothing but a really insightful word. 

---

03. No Limit

Mindset-wise, I naturally came to think that it is important NOT to limit myself AT ALL. The important point is "NOT AT ALL". Before I took on the role of General Director, I never thought that I would be able to go as far as to say, "AT ALL".
 
Our company's mission "Create Beyond" means that we support various challenges such as "beyond borders, beyond different cultures, beyond the status quo, and beyond the limit" for companies and people. All of our members must work together to grow the company even further in order to achieve this mission and to have an bigger impact that will lead to a society where companies and people are more active in taking on challenges.
 
I believe that it is my role to remove any obstacles to achieve this mission.
 
I devote myself to make it easier for those members who work in Front Departments to increase sales than before, and to clearly share what the middle-back departments should work on and in which priority to duly contribute to the growth of the company. Nevertheless, we can very easily face a deadlock as soon as we start something new, which happen often in this world of business. Even in such a case, I will keep thinking and coming up with ideas to overcome the deadlock together with my members. When my members can't see the next step forward and can't take actions, I will brainstorm with them and facilitate the discussions and try my best to come up with the direction for us to go forward.
 
I will do whatever make my members feel confident to do their works and give their higher performance more easily.
 
Besides, I will identify and take on the tasks/roles that should be done by General Director without leaving it to someone else.
 
I don't put any limit on myself, change my shape freely like fluid, and do whatever is necessary for the growth of the company and the achievement of our mission thereafter.
 
I believe, as the new General Director, that this is what I should be currently working on at the starting point. 

---

04. Happiness at Work

I like to work.
 
I feel truly happy when I am able to contribute to the solution of customer's problem through my work, and when the customer is happy with my work, I am deeply moved, sometimes even with tears. This, at the same time, brings indispensable profit to the company as well as self-growth of myself too. This is the source of my happiness in working and the source of my love of working.
 
Since being appointed as the new General Director, I have had many opportunities to talk with my members who had little contact with me until now. And I came to have a thought.
 
That is, we all aspire to contribute value to the society, aspire to contribute work performance to the organization where you belong, and strive for self-growth at the end. Although there are differences in how they speak, I feel that there are many members who have really similar source of work motivation to mine. It is the proof that great members are gathering in this company.
 
If so, I would like to simply focus on the followings to handle this company as new General Director;
 
・Do we truly contribute to solve customer's issues?
・Does each and every member contribute his/her performance to the company?
・Is each and every member growing up in the company?
 
I believe, we can make each and every stakeholders of ICONIC Vietnam feel happiness at work if the answers for the above questions are All "YES!".