Van Le

A Call to Lead

On this week’s episode of A Call to Lead, you'll meet Van Le, Co-Founder of Xinja. I sat down with Van on a recent trip to Australia, where Xinja is the country's first "neobank," empowering customers to bank 100% digitally, via a mobile app. Van is an expert on mobile technology and customer experience. She also has an inspiring personal story. She arrived in Australia as an 11-month-old refugee from Vietnam, grew up in Perth, got a law degree, and later traded law for entrepreneurship. I sat down with Van in Sydney, Australia. We shared ideas about technology, team-building, and the parallels between parenthood and leadership. Here are some highlights from what Van told me:

1. There are many commonalities between being a parent and being a leader, including how you deal with the unexpected. Van noted that "the way in which you deal with the unpredictable teaches your kids about what to accept and how to respond."
2. Expectations matter. Van: "One of the easiest ways to erode a leadership relationship is to not be aware of the expectations people have of you as a leader."
3. It’s more important than ever to acknowledge great performers and great performances by your people. Van made the point that, “the absence of acknowledging that someone did something [great] can leave people feeling like they're invisible."
4. Customer experience matters now more than ever. Disruptors and new entrants to market are filling gaps in the customer experience. Van noted that in the experience economy, your customers must love you: "We need to think about what makes our customers feel loved."
5. Embrace your curiosity and remember that if you think have all the answers, it’s even more likely that you don’t. Van: "Knowing all the answers upfront is a very fragile place to be."

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