Hierarchy and respect

Yesterday Edem pulled a chair, sat beside me and made the following question “if you would manage this place [the NGO] how would you do it?”. Immediately I thought that I had gained his respect once he wanted to have my opinion. So started sharing my points of view on how the NGO could be less fund-dependent, how it could manage the volunteers in a more efficient ways and what kind of activities it could run to have more impact in Hohoe and in the Volta Region.

Later, during the conversation he said “you know… I know you were President of AIESEC in Portugal (…)”. Out of a sudden all my happiness about having gained his respect fell apart and I started wondering: was he asking for my opinion because he valued what I’ve been doing here or just for the simple fact that I was President of AIESEC in Portugal?

Today I know why he asked for my opinion. The NGO director just entered my office room and said: “I would like to have a conversation with you later on. I heard you were President of AIESEC in Portugal so I want to have your opinion on how we can better manage the volunteers; I want us to create a strategy to make the program better and improve the volunteers’ experience.”

In fact I do have some suggestions to make but I wanted to be heard because I’ve proven I’m worth to be heard and not because I have a label saying “Former President of AIESEC in Portugal” – he doesn´t even know if I did a good job there.

I do know that sometimes the same happens back home but for sure not has much as here. The power distance is quite high in this country.

29/08/2012