‘Precision vs speed': Ex-Google employee shares key mindset differences between Singapore and Vietnam

Hindustan Times

2 days ago

Moving between countries often means adapting to new ways of life. For one Vietnamese man who spent three years working at Google Singapore before moving permanently to Saigon in Vietnam, the differences in culture, work, and mindset were eye-opening. Quang Do, founder of Overseas Vietnamese, revealed 11 eye-opening cultural differences between Singapore and Vietnam.(Pexels/Representational Image)
Quang Do, a Vietnamese founder, shared how moving from Google Singapore to Saigon revealed two contrasting worlds, one driven by precision and planning, the other by flexibility and relationships.
He shared the post on X (formerly Twitter) with the caption, 'I spent 3 years at Google Singapore, visiting Vietnam monthly for work. Each trip revealed 2 radically different mindsets for life, work, and fulfillment.'
The founder shared 11 key cultural differences he noticed between Singapore and Vietnam.
Singapore vs Vietnam:
Precision vs speed:
According to him, in Singapore, everything must be done with perfect accuracy. A single typo or mistake can ruin a whole project. The system demands 100% precision. In Vietnam, things are different. People value getting things done quickly, even if it's only about 80% perfect.
Trust and relationships:
Singaporeans trust systems and rules. They believe strangers will follow the laws and agreements. In Vietnam, people start with caution and warn each other to be careful.
Negotiation culture:
In Singapore, prices and rules are fixed. There is no room for negotiation. Vietnam operates the opposite way; nearly everything is open for discussion and bargaining.
Entrepreneurship and opportunity:
Walking through Vietnam, it is clear that many people are hustling, starting new businesses, selling, and creating. In Singapore, the high salaries mean fewer people take risks to start their own business.
Scale and possibility:
Do said Singapore's tall buildings and global companies can make a person feel small and like a tiny part of a huge machine. Vietnam, by contrast, offers a sense of possibility.
Other differences:
The founder also noticed how Singapore plans decades in advance, while Vietnam adapts in weeks.
Communication in Singapore is direct and documented; in Vietnam, it is flexible. While Singapore values multicultural blending, Vietnam treasures cultural roots.
He explained that trying to live by Singapore's system in Vietnam or vice versa can be exhausting. The key is learning to switch between the two ways of thinking.
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The founder also believes that understanding these differences is essential for anyone working between Singapore and Vietnam.
Adapting to each mindset using precision when it is needed and flexibility when it works best is the key to building strong relationships and achieving success in both worlds.