Canh Ky Huynh, 48, Head of Electronics Category, Lazada Vietnam

Our “Humans of Lazada” series takes a look at the professional and personal lives of the more than 8,000 people who work at Lazada. Click here for more stories from this series.

“I love that at work, no one calls me boss. Instead, I am seen as the big brother to some 100 younger colleagues in the category that I lead. I am by far the oldest person in my team, with others being in their 20s and 30s. I am aware of the generation gap and the potential problems it can create with my teammates, so when a 22-year-old intern approaches me to ask for professional advice or openly share their personal issues, I know I must be doing something right.

Just recently, a young colleague shared that his wife had been complaining about him not spending enough time with his family because of work. I told him that being a perfectionist, as he was, could be a double-edged sword. He needed to learn to trust his subordinates, empower them, delegate work and carry out initiatives that shorten the workflow. When he was able to do that, his productivity increased and his family life improved.

As the ‘big brother, it’s important to me to make everyone in the team feel at home. I remember that when I was a child, my grandfather always told me to genuinely care for and look after others and to put ourselves in others’ shoes before we make any decisions. That has become second nature to me. Even though we are mostly working from home these days, I try to ensure that I can still take care of my team – whether it’s through sending care packages or being available over the phone or through messages or video conferences. I hope that one day we can meet again to grab a beer, enjoy some local dishes and catch up in person, just like we used to.”

Featured photo above shows Lazada Vietnam’s electronics category team. Canh Ky Huynh is pictured in the centre wearing a blue áo dài.

This profile was compiled by Bao Uyen Bui, who was from the Lazada PR team in Vietnam.