Looking across cultural boundaries
Managers from Mozambique learn to delegate instead of dictate
By Stijn Jaspers
"I was wondering if I would be able to find new insights and challenges, during the weeks of training in The Netherlands, that could change the way I work as a manager and that would bring new visions on a more personal level", says Altino Mavile, financial director of FIPAG, the biggest water company in Mozambique. Mavile was one of the group of managers from Mozambique who were trained in The Netherlands in cooperation with the Dutch water company Vitens, Management for Development Foundation (MDF) and the management & training organization de Baak. Martijn Seijsener, program director at de Baak, talks with them.
Altino Mavile has been rewarded for his curiosity; he deeply feels that he has been able to learn new ways of being a manager. "The whole experience really refreshed my mind and gave me a new framework to work with", says Mavile. "I have been able to look across cultural boundaries. The most important lesson is that being a manager is a matter of trust between the boss and his employees. During our field excursions to several branches of Vitens I noticed that Dutch managers trust their people and because of that they are able to share responsibilities with them. In Mozambique the manager is the boss, nobody argues with him." Mavile admits that this 'dictating of the employees' suppresses the initiative and creativity of the staff. The most important change in his management style is a desire to implement the competence to delegate, so his leadership will change for the better.
'They made us think!'
Three regional managers from FIPAG, Luis Fernandes de Sousa, Carmen Bilale and Agnelo Mabote, all experienced the training in their own way; but during a conversation with program director Martijn Seijsener, to discuss the past few weeks, they discover a lot of similarities in the way they look at their profession and role as regional managers. Luis Fernandes de Sousa is the most forthright with his remark, 'they made us think!' He hopes that his communications with his staff will change for the better now that he has realized that he has to show them confidence. "I don't mean confidence in an arrogant way, but in a way that your staff respects you and will come to you when there are problems that need to be solved. As a manager you have to be curious, you have to be interested in your people. Do you know your staff and do you understand their feelings?"
Focus on solutions
One of the key points for Agnelo Mabote is that a manager has to be focused on solutions. "By focusing on this, internal problems can be solved much easier. Our idea of finding a solution in general is finding the one responsible for the mistake. Of course you have to determine the background of any error, but focusing on the solution, combined with strong communication between all those involved, is a big step forward". This way of working has triggered Mabote to be more aware of his surroundings. "I learned that it is important to look how others do their job, how we can learn from each other and how we can share the knowledge that is available in our organization."
Power sharing
Carmen Bilale is very aware of her position as a manager: "I talk too much. I have to learn to think before I speak." She also feels very responsible for everything that happens around her, which is good in a way, she admits, but the burden becomes too big sometimes. "I really have to get the monkeys off my back", is Bilale's contemplating thought. Luis Fernandes de Sousa remarks that 'power sharing' can be a big help to managers to cope with the huge responsibilities and tasks that they are confronted with. He hopes to be able to implement trust in his day-to-day management. "I have already thought about some internal changes that have to be made to achieve this. Some managers are on their way out! The ones that are remarkably talented will be given more trust and duties in the coming period."
Heating up the fire!
The three regional managers gained a lot of insight during their stay in The Netherlands and became even more inquisitive about the different aspects of being a manager. Carmen Bilale: "I will definitely explore the whole field of managing and good leadership as well as I can, so I can become even a better manager then I already am." Agnelo Mabote is happy with the knowledge that he received, but sees a great task in sharing the gained insights. "Receiving and Sharing, and finally implementing these two, will be my main point of interest as soon as I am back in Mozambique", is Mabote's strong point of view. They learned a lot without forgoing their own ways. Their skills became stronger and their vision clearer. It is simply a process of heating up the fire that is already burning inside them.