Sylvia's Journal

Today I watched Anddy do the kind of work I used to do here; facilitating the change of thinking processes. It made me go back to my files from those trips and look at the designs I used to bring people together. Nostalgia.

Anddy is from Nigeria. It took us months to get him here. And now that he is here I discover that no one was prepared for him. He is finding one obstacle after another on his path because we had not communicated well with key stakeholders. I remember those times too – constantly having to change course, adjust expectations, roll with the punches, and keep smiling all the while. That is what Anddy does, and he does it with grace.

I find myself in a different position. I am no longer like an Anddy; I am senior management. I am the one to talk to senior colleagues of our sister project, and confront them – if you are not available to work with your primary client, then what the heck are your people doing, sitting in front of their computers? Who are you serving?

One person’s mental map is light years away from another. We are on different planets, speaking different languages and pretend we are communicating. I am relying on Anddy’s magic to align these mental maps and create a common language, maybe not on Sunday, but hopefully on Monday.

As if this is not challenging enough, the Peace Jirga is coming to town next week, accompanied by threats from insurgents to blow up prestigious and highly symbolic targets that lie exactly on the road between us and the ministry. If the event is not postponed there will surely be a travel ban which means that Anddy’s work might be cut short by half. I prepared him for that eventuality. “Why the hell are you working here?” he asked.

Still, he keeps smiling and remains dedicated to his assignment, whatever part of it he can fulfil. I like people like that. He can come back anytime, if he wants to.