Why Countries Get the Leaders They Deserve
A Simple Way to Spot a Narcissist
Narcissists create tremendous damage, frustration and suffering. They are everything but mature. And they believe they are so grandiose that they are entitled to hurt and damage other people. Narcissists are not always easy to detect, but it is important that you do, to know what you stand up against.
What has worked for me is to show that I do not agree with them.
I am not a psychologist, and I will not dwell on the differences between a narcissist and a psychopath. When you hear the words “narcissist or “psychopath” you probably think on a “it-is-all-about-me” person. And that is what I mean about a narcissist in this article. A person who probably has what is called a Narcissistic Personality Disorder.
Two Examples
The most ridiculous example I have experienced was a Head of a department, where I once worked, who summoned all his staff to an urgent meeting, telling them, while he was sobbing, that his wife had left him, and what a terrible time he was going through. And this was a government agency, not a local corner shop. No wonder the wife left him. [Read more…]
Integrity Can Be Tricky But Too Important To Be Left To Others
Harriet Tubman is the face of the 20 US dollar banknote.
Harriet was born a slave, adamant in her claims for better conditions for her fellow slaves. She was continuously beaten by her owners. The beating included a head injury that gave her headache for the rest of her life. Her back looked like a battlefield.
She escaped to the north and started helping other slaves to escape to Canada. During the American civil war, she headed an army expedition and after the war she was involved in the female suffrage movement. One can hardly find a better example of a person possessing high integrity.
There is a dearth of integrity in the world. Corruption, poverty, conflicts and environmental degradation are mostly results of decisions made by people with little integrity. The same regards bad work environments causing stress and ill-health. People with authority, too often, do not act as the leaders and role models they are supposed to be. We cannot wait for “they” to change. We have to do it ourselves. [Read more…]
Feel Safe and Flourish : A video with Simon Sinek
You have good friends at work, and though some tasks are tedious, you usually look forward to coming there.
Your colleagues support you; and you do your best to support them.
Most often you solve problems together, and your team leader clearly shows that she appreciate you and your efforts.
She sees you as a person, encourages you to develop and she focuses on common results.
Unfortunately, you belong to the lucky ones. According to a survey some years ago, merely 13% of workers world-wide are engaged in their jobs. In East Asia the figure was down to 6 %.
For aid workers, the main problem is not lack of engagement, but lack of support. According to a survey done by the Guardian, 79% of the respondent aid workers had experienced mental health issues. 66 % stated a lack of support from their employers as the main factor behind their ill-health. [Read more…]
Disasters & Corruption: Solutions
In a previous post I wrote about the connection between disasters and corruption.
In this post I will focus on solutions.
The detrimental effects of corruption on development (and hence disaster risk) are established. The same regards what constitutes a good, efficient and low-corrupt society. “Accountability”, “transparency” and “rule-of-law” are usually part of that package.
The tricky thing is how to get there. How can the transition take place? From a society permeated by corruption to a, if not perfect, much more well-functioning one? [Read more…]
The Election in Kenya: a Lesson in Immaturity
The resent election in Kenya is a perfect example of immature behaviour. Raila Odinga, the opposition leader, has claimed that he lost the election due to fraud. I have chosen Kenya as an example; but this whole business of blaming others, exhibited by politicians who are supposed to serve and lead by example, are all too common.
Even the toddler in White House has claimed voter fraud, despite the fact that he won. (I am so tired of hearing about him, that I try not to use his name). President Maduro in Venezuela, is blaming the U.S. for the economic chaos in the country. And not his own egregious policies and lack of leadership skills.
Such behaviour are excellent examples of immature behaviour. Sadly, these baby boys (mostly boys), are being praised when they do not act like three year olds, merely as five year olds. Like when Yahya Jammeh stepped down, after 22 years as a president in the Gambia, having lost the election; and the international community responded with “Good boy!” [Read more…]
Amazing Elderly Women and a Remarkable NGO in Nepal
This is a feel-good story from Nepal. It is about a national NGO called Ageing Nepal and their “Basic Literacy Class for Older Persons” that ran for six months in 2016. Among all the bad news about “end of aid” and funding cuts, we do need some good stories. It is also about a remarkable NGO; showing a profound care and respect for the participants in the project.
There is Nothing New Under the Sun: The Irrelevant UN Mission in Myanmar
I read an article on IRIN the other day about the dysfunctional UN mission in Myanmar, and felt an urge to write some spontaneous, but heartfelt comments.
Myanmar – A Case In Point
What is described in the article is unfortunately not unique. Quite the contrary:
- The absence of leadership. In Myanmar, through a UN representative who is apparently not suited for the job.
- Internal, detrimental strife between different agencies.
This is, unfortunately, the case with many UN missions around the world. As a result, the UN is not able to take a stand and focus on essential matters.
Such as the horrendous situation of the Rohingyas in Myanmar.
Furthermore, this cowardice mixed with internal battles makes the UN look ridiculous, and more and more insignificant day by day. [Read more…]