Leadership starts with listening

Despite a packed agenda, Nguyễn Văn Toản, the newly appointed Party Secretary of Thanh Yên commune, has managed to visit 16 out of the 40 villages under his jurisdiction. He doesn’t just meet village leaders in conference rooms - he walks the narrow village paths, engages directly with residents, and sits down with local management teams to understand each community’s situation. These trips have brought a wave of feedback from villagers: from calls to upgrade rural roads and repair irrigation canals, to improving drainage systems and supporting community-based tourism.

Instead of avoiding these challenges, local leaders have made it clear, they are listening and committed to acting. For issues within their jurisdiction, solutions are already being initiated; for broader concerns, they’re bringing recommendations to higher authorities. The commune Party Secretary also urged village management boards and grassroots self-governing teams to step up their roles and work more effectively to help build thriving, peaceful, and environmentally clean communities.

In one recent example, following a site visit, Thanh Yên’s leadership directed the local Youth Union and Veterans’ Association to join forces and expand a muddy, slippery road connecting On village to Thanh Trường hamlet. Gravel was laid to improve access and safety.

“Our leadership must be rooted in the people. We have to listen, understand, and act in service of the community”, said Party Secretary Nguyễn Văn Toản. “By visiting each village, I can tailor our strategy more effectively, aligning it with local conditions, strengths, and needs. These conversations are sparking ideas for long-term socio-economic development”. He plans to visit all 40 villages to gather direct feedback from residents.

Where leadership meets the people

In Chiềng Sinh commune, the new leadership team has also prioritized on-the-ground work. On July 12, Party Secretary Hà Cầm Hồng and People’s Committee Chairman Đỗ Văn Sơn led a field visit to the Mường Thín waterfall, a site with strong potential for community-based tourism.With its untouched beauty, terraced fields, and surrounding Thai ethnic minority villages, Mường Thín could become a model of eco-cultural tourism.

Right at the site, commune leaders affirmed their commitment to this development path and outlined plans to collaborate with specialists and agencies to draft a formal proposal. Training programs will be organized to equip locals with the skills to develop homestays while preserving natural and cultural heritage.

The leadership team isn’t focused solely on economic development. They’re actively involved in social issues, such as inspecting progress on eliminating makeshift homes and coordinating landslide prevention in high-risk areas to ensure community safety. Their prompt, visible presence is strengthening public confidence in the new commune government.

“Chiềng Sinh commune was formed through the merger of Nà Sáy, Mường Thín, Mường Khong, and Chiềng Sinh communes”, explained Chairman Đỗ Văn Sơn. “We’re operating across a large, challenging area, and many of us were transferred from different districts. So it’s crucial to get out there, talk to residents, understand the local context, and lead with clarity and relevance.”

A new era of grassroots-level governance

Not only in Thanh Yên or Chiềng Sinh, local leaders across Điện Biên province are actively surveying villages, hosting public meetings, and listening to feedback. These efforts go beyond administrative reform; they represent a litmus test for grassroots leadership. True and effective progress only happens where leadership renewal is backed by practical, down-to-earth actions, and where local officials remain close to the people and grounded in real-life conditions.

Bringing experienced and forward-thinking officials from provincial and district levels to commune leadership roles has helped shift the mindset from management to service. Today, the success of local governance is increasingly measured by practical outcomes and public satisfaction.

That said, challenges remain. Some commune officials struggle to adapt, lag in digital skills, or retain outdated bureaucratic thinking. In the context of ongoing personnel restructuring and efficiency-driven downsizing, failure to innovate could mean being left behind.

But when local leaders make regular village visits, conduct hands-on fieldwork, and make sincere commitments to their communities, these actions must become routine. From economic development to poverty alleviation, tourism promotion, or disaster response, grassroots government must be visibly and actively involved. Ultimately, when officials truly engage with the people, trust is built. And with trust, residents become active partners in realizing the promise of an effective, responsive two-tier local government system.