Managing an international team comes with challenges and wonderful lessons, especially when part of your team is on the other side of the globe.

So, how can you maintain open communication across your team and what values are needed for a leader to succeed in an international role?

Meet Jesper Thor, our Head of Development at Trapets! In this interview, Jesper shares his journey at Trapets, his views on effective leadership, and practices for maintaining open communication within an international team.

1. Tell us about yourself.

My journey at Trapets began 20 years ago when I joined as a system developer, fresh out of school. Little did I know then that I would be leading our research and development as the Head of Development today.

Back then, Trapets was a consulting firm that mostly had assignments in the financial sector. I felt right from the start that Trapets was a good fit for me. 

Looking back, I always conclude that I felt safe, and that's the main reason I have stuck around and moved through different departments.

For the past few years, I've held the role of Head of Development and been responsible for our research and development, something I wouldn't have even dreamt of 20 years ago.  

2. What has your experience been like working as a leader with a team located in Vietnam?

Having no experience prior to Trapets, and no experience working with a remote team or in Vietnam, I didn't know what to expect.

We started up the Hanoi office just before the pandemic hit. Three years in, and it's been one of my most rewarding experiences so far. 

Right from the start, I decided that the new remote team would contribute to our core solutions, like the team in Stockholm. This way, we would avoid having "not-invented-here" scenarios, among other benefits. 

Our decision to establish a remote team in Vietnam has been a resounding success. Looking back, I'm filled with gratitude for the teams, both local and remote, who embraced this setup. Their dedication and hard work were vital to our achievements.  

3. What values do you believe are crucial for effective leadership at Trapets?

Many of my team members are "hungry" and want to achieve a lot. It's important to be transparent and inclusive to align everyone's efforts. 

As a leader, especially in an international team, I suggest being open-minded and focusing on your team's similarities rather than the differences (if any). 

Trust is a cornerstone of my leadership philosophy. I firmly believe in placing people in the right roles and empowering them to make decisions. 

This approach has been rewarding in numerous ways, fostering a sense of ownership and commitment within the team.

4. What practices are valuable for maintaining open communication and transparency within an international team?

As with many things, what you get out is based on what you put in. I decided that I should be able to pronounce everyone's first name in Vietnamese. 

I'd say I did pretty well, though not exactly 100%. My ambition shone through, and I can say that our Hanoi team has the same passion. 

In more practical terms, the tool I used was authentic (it came very naturally for me to be able to pronounce names), which requires low effort but has the potential for a huge impact.