Comments on: How to Work in Someone Else’s Country (A Book Review)

By: Learning from Kony 2012 (Part 2 of 4) | CIHA Blog

Learning from Kony 2012 (Part 2 of 4) | CIHA Blog — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 21:54:24 +0000

[...] This article first appeared on how-matters.org. [...]

By: Dickens Ochiel

Dickens Ochiel — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 12:54:26 +0000

This is very interesting issue and though may seems not serious thing for some of us but it is when it comes to success of our work.

Setting of our own expectations from others and what we are sure we can give others we work with. One should also be ready to meet the opposite expectations while working with others and especially while working with anyone from a different country since policies, laws, and culture may differ and thus makes everything very challenging.

I may not read the book but am happy that this is addressed I will try and get the book may be around September/October.

By: Oscar Marleyn

Oscar Marleyn — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 06:40:25 +0000

“Development” is a two way process. We are being developed too. At least if we are open to it. And for that some essential skills are needed to create room for: feelings, listening, equality, appreciation, encouragement beyond competition, diversity and incisive questions from all those involved. Methodologies and tools are necessary but they need to be used with care and insight as tools to visualise the thinking around us.

By: Marcus Catsam

Marcus Catsam — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 15:53:55 +0000

I’m so happy someone is addressing this issue. The so-called “soft skills” are what most of use on a daily basis. How many “technical” practitioners are there these days? A monkey could learn to apply many of the “technical” principles in much of our field. Given the high capacity of local staff, most of us expats are basically paperweights- there so donors can feel comfortable giving money (…a whole other topic). Most of what we do every day is (should be) based on building and sustaining relationships. And frankly, most of us do a downright lousy job at it. As part of my performance appraisal at one of the big US NGOs my boss once told me that I “thanked local staff too much,” an apparently errant behavior that would lead to staff not knowing their place. Within months she was promoted to a Vice Presidential position in the organization. Although anecdotal, the example speaks volumes…

By: Marcella Reis

Marcella Reis — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 13:47:48 +0000

Simple is always a good frame work from which to start any thing in life and in particular when entering anyone elses world be it overseas, out of your native home or right at home. Culture shock doesn’t seem to be a phrase used much these days but that is part of what anyone, and I mean anyone experiences when leaving their home circle. It is knowing how to assess our response to change and the unknown that needs to be planned for – and taught – those soft skills Alessandra referred to in her comment, good manners and sensitivity. The challenge with this is those who do well cross culturally live less cerebrally and allow themselves to feel the discomfort of not being the ‘big man of the village’ the one in the know. And as the author says – to be humble, even once we make our new place ‘home’. Thanks for the review and thoughts.

By: Deborah Eade

Deborah Eade — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 09:54:20 +0000

I’m unlikely to read the book, but having left my country of birth in 1982, I couldn’t agree more with the importance of ‘soft’ skills. In fact the ‘hard skills’ can be positively dangerous in the hands of aid workers who lack the range of social skills required to read the environment in which they plan to intervene.

By: Alessandra Pigni

Alessandra Pigni — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 08:43:40 +0000

Thanks for this review Jennifer, I totally agree that we need training on so called soft-skills, rather than more workshops on log-frames!

It may be a simplistic take, but it seems to me that at times the lack of understanding of another culture amounts to a lack of good manners, and a lack of sensitivity. There is no need to be a cross-cultural anthropologist to have those in place. We all need to read Ruth’s book and take its message on board, in order to get beyond the widespread attitude: “we are here to teach you how to be developed”, which understandably can fuel resentment in our hosts.

Knowledge and self-awareness help, especially self-awareness of our own biases and personal motivations for “doing good”.