Sylvia's Journal

My colleague provided me with some medicine to stave off the laryngitis. I followed his directions without questioning – which, when I read the instructions later, I probably should not have done. He gave me some anti-inflammatory and antibiotic tablets, suggesting a dose higher than suggested. I took one without the other, not wanting to contribute to the creation of super bugs here in Burkina. Although I didn’t feel in top form during the day, I was good enough to manage my malaise and keep my voice. I also drank about 3 liters of water.

Now, in the evening, having discovered I already took the maximum daily dose, I am fading fast. The cough and throat ache are worsening. I will make it a 12 hour night.

We had a slow start for the first day of our 2nd leadership development workshop. Two people showed up at nine, and slowly, over the next one and a half hour the remaining 7 showed up. I used to get really upset about such things and wanted people to be more disciplined. But all this wanting and pushing didn’t make a difference and now I simply accept it rather than judge it as a lack of interest. Who am I to know what the reasons are for people’s behavior? It’s better this way. From time to time I would ask whether we could start and then waited for my cues.

As a result we sort of slid sideways into the workshop; more of a conversation than anything else, during which I learned some interesting things – so it wasn’t lost time, as I used to think. Time spent speaking with others about things that matter is never really lost.

I had expected that we would have more than enough time to complete today’s program, and even continue sessions from the second day. After all, the program is timed for the entire morning and part of the afternoon during which at least 7 teams are supposed to present the results of their scanning activities over the last 2 months.

We never had 7 teams. We started with four, then one dropped out and it was clear that another team had been inactive. Still, in spite of having only two teams present, we weren’t able to complete all sessions scheduled for today. In some ways it is easier to work with a very large group because you move on even if not everyone is there. When there are only 9 people in the room, in 3 teams of 3, you can’t do that.

Nevertheless, I think we are off to a good start. We continue to move back and forth between two languages, with the Liberians being good troopers and mostly participating in French; occasionally we switch to English and then the Francophones are good troopers. We have the handouts and facilitator guide in two languages handy and so the bilingualism of this program is working out OK. Sometimes I don’t even know which language I am speaking.

We spent quite a bit of time talking about positional versus relational approaches to leadership and gender, which in French is sexospecificite; a mouthful that trips me up each time. We agreed finally to just say gender and use the English only, after having agreed that we don’t just mean women.