Now that I am thinking of retiring from active project work, something which I have been engaged in for more than 40 years both in my country and abroad, perhaps it is time to pause and reflect on some lessons in the hope that these can somehow be useful to anybody thinking about a career in development work. Or somehow ease the emotional burden I carry since I have been thinking during the past few days that such engagement did not really amount to anything quite different from the experience of previous development workers or prefessionals.Nothing qualitatively different from what other project implementors, consultants or volunteers have experienced about working with government or local government units, in particular.
I will try to talk about these lessons as actually advice to those who will be in projects involving local governments -
First, be prepared to be creative in dealing with political leaders. They share a common idea to be seen as doing something good for their constituency. This is a fact to be accepted rather than serve as source of cynicism about the political influence in decision-making regarding service delivery at local level. There will always be political interference, but you need not be afraid to face this fact and do a good job of explaining the project, its purpose and methodology, and sell the idea to the politicians it will be good for them to be perceived as having technical criteria in the provision of services to the people. Project resources will always be short of demand and the sooner they understand that prioritizing beneficiaries based on relative levels of deprivation, the better it will be for their image.
Second, right from the start of the project, show respect for local people and their leaders and reject all efforts of government agencies from higher levels or donors to short-cut the process by immediately plunging into the business of distributing largesse to the people to help local governments win some political points.
Be good at making local communities and their leaders feel they are really the ones making the decision, not the project, on matters such as selecting individuals or households who will receive priority assistance.
Third, it will be good to get broad-based support from civil society institutions as leverage in dealing with local governments. Be good at social mobilization work without being an added burden to local project stakeholders. Respect authority of ideas as against authority of command. More likely than not, political leaders and the government officers under their jurisdiction will substitute authority to technical criteria or information as basis for decisions involving your project. It can be discouraging and frustrating at times, but we are development workers and must persevere in the vital task to win people by ideas. Educate political leaders without lecturing them but by the sheer power of demonstration or concrete examples.
Fourth, never be afraid of those in the bureaucracy who will marginalize your managerial role and functions. That comes in the territory. Be good in managing the situation. The governance protocol in projects is often not observed because some people have been given ad hoc or informal authority. Be calm and composed and do not go into unproductive cat fights for control of turf. Always show principled leadership to overcome the damage which may occur on account of ad hoc or informal exercise of management functions.
Fifth, practise servant leadership and go an extra mile with political leaders and government officers you deal with. Have an extra storage of patience and if you feel you cannot bear the elitist tendency of the people you work with, take a little walk for some fresh air and say, "This, too, shall pass." Then come back and try to make sense of the situation and decide on what you have to do under the circumstances without putting the project in a bad light.
Sixth, always be professional and maintain the dignity of being in the service of the the disadvantaged and marginalized through development projects funded by the people of other countries. Not all development workers are given this opportunity. Show respect to fellow workers despite differences.
Seventh, smile though your heart is breaking, as the song says. In case the project is declared a failure or get aborted, never engage in a blame game.Consider the whole thing as a learning experience for all.It will be productive if you will be able to get everybody together and honestly look into the experience and reduce self-serving statements from everybody to a manageable level.
I will try to talk about these lessons as actually advice to those who will be in projects involving local governments -
First, be prepared to be creative in dealing with political leaders. They share a common idea to be seen as doing something good for their constituency. This is a fact to be accepted rather than serve as source of cynicism about the political influence in decision-making regarding service delivery at local level. There will always be political interference, but you need not be afraid to face this fact and do a good job of explaining the project, its purpose and methodology, and sell the idea to the politicians it will be good for them to be perceived as having technical criteria in the provision of services to the people. Project resources will always be short of demand and the sooner they understand that prioritizing beneficiaries based on relative levels of deprivation, the better it will be for their image.
Second, right from the start of the project, show respect for local people and their leaders and reject all efforts of government agencies from higher levels or donors to short-cut the process by immediately plunging into the business of distributing largesse to the people to help local governments win some political points.
Be good at making local communities and their leaders feel they are really the ones making the decision, not the project, on matters such as selecting individuals or households who will receive priority assistance.
Third, it will be good to get broad-based support from civil society institutions as leverage in dealing with local governments. Be good at social mobilization work without being an added burden to local project stakeholders. Respect authority of ideas as against authority of command. More likely than not, political leaders and the government officers under their jurisdiction will substitute authority to technical criteria or information as basis for decisions involving your project. It can be discouraging and frustrating at times, but we are development workers and must persevere in the vital task to win people by ideas. Educate political leaders without lecturing them but by the sheer power of demonstration or concrete examples.
Fourth, never be afraid of those in the bureaucracy who will marginalize your managerial role and functions. That comes in the territory. Be good in managing the situation. The governance protocol in projects is often not observed because some people have been given ad hoc or informal authority. Be calm and composed and do not go into unproductive cat fights for control of turf. Always show principled leadership to overcome the damage which may occur on account of ad hoc or informal exercise of management functions.
Fifth, practise servant leadership and go an extra mile with political leaders and government officers you deal with. Have an extra storage of patience and if you feel you cannot bear the elitist tendency of the people you work with, take a little walk for some fresh air and say, "This, too, shall pass." Then come back and try to make sense of the situation and decide on what you have to do under the circumstances without putting the project in a bad light.
Sixth, always be professional and maintain the dignity of being in the service of the the disadvantaged and marginalized through development projects funded by the people of other countries. Not all development workers are given this opportunity. Show respect to fellow workers despite differences.
Seventh, smile though your heart is breaking, as the song says. In case the project is declared a failure or get aborted, never engage in a blame game.Consider the whole thing as a learning experience for all.It will be productive if you will be able to get everybody together and honestly look into the experience and reduce self-serving statements from everybody to a manageable level.
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