When I became the Head of Business Process Solutions at Grant Thornton Baltic two years ago, I knew that I wanted to be a good leader for my team. But how? Fortunately, Grant Thornton pays great attention to training managers, and Kristel Tiits (Head of Legal) and I had the opportunity to participate in Grant Thornton International's year-long management training program, where one session took us to Vietnam.
Last summer, when our HR team came up with the idea of participating in the program and the partners approved my participation, I was afraid that it would be a dry and boring management training, full of different simulations for optimal profit growth and team motivation. Thank God, it hasn't been that way :)
The Grant Thornton International Advanced Leaders Program (ALP) has a long history. The 13th class, in which Kristel and I are participating, started in September 2023 and it will end in the middle of September 2024. This class brings together more than a hundred current or future managers of Grant Thornton from all over the world. Just think of the networking potential this class has!
The program is divided into four sessions - two sessions are conducted via Teams and two are face-to-face. One of the face-to-face sessions took place from February 26th to March 1st in Hanoi, Vietnam on the principle of “city as a classroom”.
Vietnam - a country with a diverse history, many military conflicts and many contrasts - offered so many emotions and discoveries to a "cold" Estonian like me that it is difficult if not impossible to put it into words. For example, my mind still refuses to accept the reconciliation of a communist state regime and a free market economy. Apparently, the things seen and experienced in childhood are also to blame. The strangest associations appeared to me when taking group pictures, for example, at the Hồ Chí Minh mausoleum - I had the same feeling as if I was looking at my mother and father's Soviet-era work trip album, which I often liked to flip through as a child.
In the role of a top specialist, everyone can develop themselves to a greater or lesser extent, be it with the help of trainings, podcasts, books, etc. But how do you lead people? How do you deal with variables that you cannot control yourself? How do you meet the owners' profit goal without burning out the team? How can you support your team when you obviously cannot help yourself in everything? Two years ago, when I accepted the role of the head of the service line, these questions hammered in my head, because a good specialist does not equal a good leader. But I want to be a good leader for my team and I know that at Grant Thornton there are several inspiring future leaders who are growing and waiting their time!
When I rejoined Grant Thornton, I did not really perceive what this international network to which we belong could offer me. Yes, the cooperation network of the Baltic and Nordic countries works, and it worked even when I was once a young tax advisor at Grant Thornton Baltic. But what the GT UK team is able to cover or how it is useful for the small Estonian GTB to know what services GT India can support for Estonian companies, for example, is eye-opening.
Yes, of course, going through such intensive training also requires quite a lot of self-transcendence: getting out of your comfort zone, getting to know new people, being really present, listening and being listened to. This meant socializing from early morning until late at night, discussing and sharing interests, also starting the day with a morning yoga class or jogging in the waking Hanoi in the morning. During the first few days, falling into bed at night I felt like a well-squeezed lemon. But it's all worth it. When researching the background of my colleague Tarmo Rahkama (Tarmo is an alumnus of the 11th class of GT ALP), the main keywords were networking and new acquaintances.
Now that I am back in Estonia, I have already been able to contact several colleagues in the world to help my client here in tiny Estonia.
What have these meetings and trainings given me? People, of course. Building such a network on your own would take years, and you could probably retire before it is ready. At the same time, I probably don't have anything to do with Brazilian or Mexican colleagues and contacts in terms of the "benefit" of the accounting team, but that doesn't mean that I don't have something to learn from these people or learn something new about Grant Thornton.
The GT leaders of today and tomorrow, with whom I have been able to meet more closely at the ALP, each have their own story, their own victories and their own losses. But what unites them is the will to get up and keep trying, keep fighting.
Now, several months after the meeting in Hanoi, when emotions and experiences have settled, the most important realization for me is that a good leader can only be the one who dares to ask difficult questions and gives its team a sense of security - a sense of being listened to and taken into account . But in order for the leader to be able to do this, she must also care and take care of her own resilience. The manager’s own well-being is not a "nice to have", but a must.
The main topics covered in Vietnam were like textbook examples of what I experienced in my first year as an accounting team leader - laughter through tears.
Pulitzer Prize-winning writer and multi-bestselling author Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai was able to magically make us tell sincere, very personal stories. And these stories spoke to me then and speak to me still. A good leader is a great storyteller. Every time I get to share the stage with Mart Nõmper, Head of Audit, Partner and colleague, I realize how lucky I am to have such a companion with magical storytelling skills to learn from.
“Dust Child”, a novel given to me by Quế Mai, which intertwines the history of Vietnam, the war and the destinies of the people there, absorbed me - the best symbiosis of travel and book. I definitely recommend it! For example, the path of one of the book's main characters leads to a post office in Saigon, which is, among other things, a great example of French colonial architecture there. So I had no choice but to go to the post office in Saigon and send a few postcards to my dear loved ones!
Hal Gregersen's workshop encouraged asking those hard and complex questions that would help to get to the real core of the problems and thereby grow your team's and your own resilience, change your organizational culture.
Mental health gains more and more attention in Estonia. However, we tend to see it very narrowly in the context of excessive workload and burnout. However, resilience is broader than just the mental side. I like our HR manager Marge Litvinova's point - sometimes you have to look in the mirror. I also feel a great responsibility towards my colleagues. And this change starts with me! That's how I dragged my colleagues along with @maratonimees Roman Fost to the running track. Big things start with small steps! But it doesn't have to be a jogging trail. Maybe it's a pancake morning instead, or a late brunch with some old friends you haven't seen in a while? Yes, I remember, Reena! :)
The funniest mishap on the trip was definitely Kristel's phone saga - her "modern phone" didn't recognize any eSIM, and Kristel could keep in touch with people at home mainly via Wi-Fi or using my phone. As Kristel affectionately told me: "can't go anywhere without my mum". We managed these two weeks perfectly, but Kristel has a new phone now.
I also remember a great story where an ALP participant asked how I would describe Estonians in terms of appearance and character. When I explained to him that an ordinary Estonian is a bit distrustful and aloof, but at the same time a loyal friend, his reflection was instead related to "Game of Thrones", my blue eyes and light hair - it seemed to him that all Estonians are cold and evil. At least we both got a good laugh out of the stereotypes.
Another great story that comes to my mind is the Vietnamese breakfast. In Vietnam, they eat a lot in the morning, much like we do at dinner: hearty pork stew, rice, rich meat soup and salad.
Thirdly, I remember that each participant had to choose one potential client from his or her portfolio, in which he or she believes in and sees great potential for international cooperation. I chose a small Estonian start-up, not a large internationally known corporation, and I did not believe that it could speak to my colleagues around the world. But – from 11 projects selected into final round, one was mine and Kristel's project!
And those street crossings in Saigon and Hanoi - successfully crossing a five-lane road felt like getting a black belt in karate. It really tested courage, self-belief and willpower. And as you can see - we survived and returned home safe and sound. From here on to the new heights!
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