Realize Who You are Getting Involved With
It is not always clear straight away what the position is of a person or organization in a country or which relationships play a role. We have learnt this can be risky. By knowing the whole context and asking the right questions at the beginning of a project, surprises can be avoided.
Objectives
What are someone’s objectives? When their objectives are in line with those of the project and the goal and vision is shared, this can provide an incentive and strengthen the project. If a person’s own interest prevails and the objectives diverge, it can be harmful. Conflicts of interest can then occur. It is therefore a necessity to clarify the interests of each party at the start of a project.
Leaders
The position of a person within a context must also be understood. We have noticed that conflicts of interest can easily occur when working with leaders and politicians. The project can, for example, be used to strengthen a position of power. One must question whether it is wise to include this person in the project team as it may prevent others from speaking freely. When a politician does something or pursues a certain policy which you do not support it can cause damage to your organization.
Having good relationships with politicians can be very useful, especially if they also want to support the people in any way they can. Someone in power can also be of help when it comes to putting an important theme up for (political) discussion and lobby on a higher level. But ask yourself whether project responsibility and financial responsibility should be something they are in charge of.
Policy
The policy of an organization you collaborate with should be in line with the focus of your own organization. If there are fundamental differences here, problematic situations can occur. Another religious conviction does not have to be an issue as such, but translated into policy it can be a problem.
Overview of Lessons Learnt