The Issue of Intimidation

Everywhere I go here in Mozambique I am constantly challenged by my own standards for quality, for behavior, for initiative and for forward thinking versus those of my colleagues (nationals) and other nationals that I encounter who appear to be lacking of these principles and behaviors. For the most part, because of those standards in which I am invested, my age and my position here in the work I am doing, I find that I am so intimidating to those with whom I work (those nationals spoken of earlier), that most of what I am attempting to pass on to them (new technology, ideas, concepts, standards, etc.) is lost as long as I am in their presence. I have attempted on occasions to simply leave the scene to let them struggle on their own, turning over the entire operation to them, but when I return I often find that most of what I believed was leaned by them is not put into practice, though I know that they have learned it. When I ask them or attempt to determine why those principles I know that they know were not put into practice, I am convinced, though they will not always admit it, that they are afraid they will make a mistake or will do wrong what I know they know.

When the frustration level has become too high for me, I have criticized my colleagues (the nationals) by saying things like, “Do you remember the conversation we had a few days ago about how I want you to think ahead about what has to be done?” or “We just did this operation over there and this one is exactly the same. Is there some reason that you are unable to see that we simply have to repeat what we did there?” But these questions are usually met by a hanging head and a quiet, “I’m sorry,” or some other statement that leaves me believing that once again my presence and the criticism that I had expected would assist them in seeing the importance in taking initiative, has been lost within this over-powering intimidation they feel by my position, age, or whatever.

Just the other day, for example, me and my national colleague were working on one of our rope and washer pumps, making some changes that would cause the pump to work a little more efficiently. He and I discussed what needed to be done to make these corrections, and together we made them and the pump worked like we wanted it to. Making these changes were simple tasks that required drilling some holes, cutting some wire, tying the pipes off, and reworking a bracket used to hold the riser pipe in place.

We had two of these pumps to revamp. They were both within a few dozen meters of each other so we walked over to the second pump with the same tools and wire that we used on the first one. I stood off to the side to let my colleague make the first move to begin this operation, and nothing happened. After waiting some time, while he walked around the pump and assessed the situation and talked some to one of the people who lived on the farm where the pump was located, still noting happened. He took no initiative to begin the work on this second pump. Finally, not wanting to just jump in and start working on this pump, and feeling a good deal of frustration by that time, I said to the young man, “We just finished doing the other pump and this one is to be revamped the same way. I am just wondering why you haven’t taken the lead to begin work on this pump. I am sure you know that we have to do here is exactly what we just finished doing on the other pump.” His answer to me was something like, “I was afraid that if I started doing this work, it would not be right or that I would not do it like you wanted it done.” With that I just stepped in and began directing the work and in a few minutes we had it done. But I knew I had hurt the young man’s feelings, and that he was very ashamed that once again I had brought up the matter of his taking initiative. Another man who was standing by, a U.S. Intern who was working with us, took the young man’s side and told me I was too intimidating to the young man, and that was why he didn’t start work on his own. I knew that and it was interesting to me to see the relief on my colleague’s face when he realized he had someone on his side. I let the matter drop then, but I am not sure that the process that I am in with this young national is over.

I am continually struggling with these questions about how far I can go before my work here becomes useless or counterproductive. I am clear about my mission of being a mentor for these people, and I am also convinced that this mission is valid and that when the people I am working with realize the importance of such things as taking initiative and thinking beyond “the box” that their lives will forever be changed for the good. I have seen the results of these changes in some of the people with whom I have worked, and I know the process is workable. But to what extent do I go to make it happen before I hurt people like I did my young colleague the other day before he becomes so resistant and fearful that he will become unreachable? That seems to be my overriding challenge for the moment while I am on this quest.