What I Learnt from a Tailor in Vietnam:

Modesty Does Not Serve Me or My Clients

During my visit to Vietnam, I had an insightful encounter with a tailor that reshaped my perspective on self-promotion and confidence. The previous day, I had met another tailor, but when I returned, his shop was closed. As I stood there, Heung approached us. "I'm a tailor," she declared. I replied, "It's okay, we met the tailor yesterday." Undeterred, she confidently asserted, "I can do anything you want, and do a good job. Come and see."

Her shop was smaller than most, lacking the extensive catalogs of designs many tailors flaunted. Yet, she backed herself 100%.

In Hoi An, there are hundreds of tailors, each claiming to be the best. Similarly In Hanoi, streets are lined with shops selling the same products—shoe street, coffee street, fan street, and so on. Competitors co-exist side by side, and ironically, they support each other. If one shop doesn’t have what a customer needs, they source it from next door. It’s all good, as long as the customer is satisfied.

This experience made me reflect on my own market—LinkedIn—where I am one among many coaches. Many of us have similar education, backgrounds, and tools. Yet, just like Heung, it’s our confidence and unique value proposition that set us apart.

I asked Heung, who was as fabulous as she promised, where she learned her trade. Her response: she learned from both parents and had been tailoring all her life. Her confidence came from deep-rooted experience and skill.

So, why am I coaching, and why could I be the best coach for you?

Reflecting on my journey, I realised my passion for leadership and development started early. Growing up in a country town with only two TV channels and a picture theatre 28 kilometers away, I organised neighborhood kids to put on concerts, whether they wanted to or not. A decade later, on a kibbutz in Israel, I had 100 volunteers sing, "We Are the World." They showed up at practice, and we delivered.

As a business unit manager, I saw motivating my staff as my key role. However, I knew the stick-and-carrot approach wasn’t enough for full commitment, so staff development became my passion. In one role, I aligned my team members with their @DiSC profiles. It worked—we went from 44% to target to 136%. It was risky, but everyone showed up and delivered to their strengths. When I discovered @Gallup and CliftonStrengths, I felt I was home. I also integrate values into my coaching, a philosophy that inspired me through my cancer journey. (The book on this is on its way!)

This experience with Heung reinforced a critical lesson: when we speak up and say, "Come to my shop," and our "why" is to truly make a difference, we need to use our voice confidently.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this. How do you find confidence in your profession? How do you stand out in a crowded market?