Leading from behind, growing together
What does football have to do with leadership? For Viet Pham, quite a lot. Inspired by one of football’s greatest minds, Viet brings a unique mindset to his role as a consultant at Sofigate; one grounded in trust, empowerment, and servant leadership.
We asked Viet a few questions about how this leadership style influences the way he works with teams and delivers transformation.
Who or what has shaped your approach to leadership?
“When I think about leadership, I always go back to Pep Guardiola. I’m not even a big football fan, but I’ve always been drawn to how football managers behave, especially how they protect and support their players. Guardiola stood out to me not just because of his success, but because of how he shows up for his team.
When he joined Bayern Munich, he moved his locker away from the players, just so they could talk about him freely, even complain. That kind of self-awareness, that level of trust, it’s rare. But that’s what bonds teams: the freedom to speak openly and still feel supported.”
What is it about that style or mindset that speaks to you?
“It’s the idea of servant leadership. You’re not leading to be in the spotlight. You’re there to support your team, to take responsibility when things go wrong, and to create space for people to grow.
When I’ve taken a hit for someone on my team, I’ve always noticed—they work harder afterwards. Not out of guilt, but out of commitment. They know I’ve got their back, and that makes them want to step up even more. That’s real leadership to me: protect first, grow together.”
How do you apply that style in your role at Sofigate?
“I try to lead with trust. If someone on my team thinks a different approach will deliver more value, even if the client asked for something else, I’ll back them. I tell them: do what you believe in. If it doesn’t work, I’ll take the heat.
That space to take ownership, to try something bold, is what drives innovation. I don’t believe in micro-managing, I believe in building confidence.”
Can you share a moment where this leadership style really made a difference?
“There was a project where a teammate delivered something that didn’t quite meet the client’s expectations. In the meeting, I immediately stepped in and said: “That’s on me. I reviewed it. I approved it.” I didn’t blame anyone.
Later, I gave the person honest feedback, but privately, and with care. Because the goal isn’t to call people out. It’s to help them grow. And they did. That project turned around because they felt safe, trusted, and motivated to do better.”
Viet Pham is the CTO of the Öresund region at Sofigate, working in the Transformation team in Copenhagen.
Viet Pham
CTO of Transformation – Denmark and Southern Sweden
viet.pham@sofigate.com
+45 31 61 69 99
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