The Chopstick Friends Podcast: Where Strategy Meets Governance

WE@WORK
Dec 31, 2025
3 min read

In many organizations, strategy sounds strong—but execution falls short. The real challenge lies in closing the gap between the boardroom and everyday operations.

In this episode of The Chopstick Friends Podcast, Ha Dang (Founder, RespectVN | Chief Technical Advisor, VILM2030) and Natalie Fairlie (Vice President, AusCham Vietnam | Founder, Ascending Strategies)explore how balance, learning, and governance can turn strategy into sustained impact.

The Chopstick Philosophy – Bridging Strategy and Execution

At the heart of the conversation is the lean “Made in Vietnam” Chopstick Philosophy—a powerful metaphor for balance and harmony.

Just as two chopsticks must move together, strategy and execution create value only when they are aligned. Governance, in this sense, is not about control, but about enabling clarity, coordination, and sustainable execution across the organization.

From Board to Team – Turning Vision into Action

One recurring theme in the discussion is the journey from Board to Team.

Clear strategic intent from the board provides direction, but impact is created only when that vision is translated into concrete, actionable priorities for leaders and teams. Strong governance connects these layers, ensuring shared understanding rather than fragmented efforts.

Internal Golden Nuggets – Strength Through Connection

Many organizations already have what they need to succeed—but the value is often hidden.

The podcast highlights the importance of uncovering “internal golden nuggets”: the connections between units, projects, and departments that are typically overlooked. When these links are activated, silos break down and collective strength begins to emerge.

Grow Me – Grow My Leadership – Grow My Team

Execution is ultimately driven by people.

True organizational growth follows a continuous journey:

Grow Me – developing individual capability and mindset
Grow My Leadership – strengthening the ability to lead with clarity and trust
Grow My Team – building collective performance and resilience

These layers grow together, supported by governance frameworks that create space for accountability and learning.

Lean Learning – Closing the Strategy–Execution Gap

Rather than broad, generic training, the conversation emphasizes Lean Learning in organizations—focused development that targets the few capabilities that matter most.

Lean Learning helps narrow the gap between strategic intent and real-world execution, embedding learning into daily work and making strategy a living practice, not just a document.

A New Governance Mindset

More than a podcast episode, this conversation is an invitation to co-create a new governance mindset—one that balances direction with empowerment, structure with adaptability, and strategy with learning.

When governance and strategy move together—like a pair of chopsticks—organizations gain clarity, alignment, and sustainable momentum.

Watch the full episode

Respect Vietnam is more than a consulting firm—it is a movement reimagining how organizations thrive from the inside out.

Rooted deeply in Vietnam’s culture and committed to human-centric excellence, RespectVN has spent the last decade pioneering transformative solutions that redefine the future of work—not only in Vietnam, but across the region. Our award-winning approaches break old patterns, debunk outdated myths, and challenge conventional wisdom. We've empowered thousands of individuals and hundreds of teams to unlock their inner potential, turning everyday workplaces into engines of innovation, resilience, and meaningful success.

From elevating manpower quality and labor productivity to driving organizational transformation, aligning business models, and advancing both local and international standards—Respect Vietnam is helping shape a future where excellence is not imported, but inspired from within.