The second IBM team has now landed in Calabar. They will continue the work we started with the same customers. Greg and I gave hand over to Kristina from Canada and Yvonne from Germany.
Kristina's blog: http://kristinaroberts.ca/Blogs/
Yvonne's blog: https://www-146.ibm.com/corporateservicecorps/user/1355/track
Looks like they were upgraded a bit in terms of accommodation (pool, no disco beat), but otherwise they seem to have pretty much the same program as we did.
Wishing Kristina and Yvonne lots of good times with ICT in Calabar! Will be following your blogs frequently.
torstai 15. lokakuuta 2009
maanantai 5. lokakuuta 2009
Other blogs from our CSC Nigeria assignment
Greg (the Frenchman who works in IBM Australia, my parter at ICT):
http://gregoireleclercq.blogspot.com/
Ron (from US, working in Communications):
http://www.favali.net/http:/
Lindsey (from US, workings as a Strategy Consultant):
http://lindseynigeria.blogspot.com/
Hermann (German working in IBM Ireland):
http://hermannnigeria.blogspot.com/
Michelle (US, originally South American):
http://michellekelfkens.blogspot.com/
http://gregoireleclercq.blogspot.com/
Ron (from US, working in Communications):
http://www.favali.net/http:/
Lindsey (from US, workings as a Strategy Consultant):
http://lindseynigeria.blogspot.com/
Hermann (German working in IBM Ireland):
http://hermannnigeria.blogspot.com/
Michelle (US, originally South American):
http://michellekelfkens.blogspot.com/
perjantai 25. syyskuuta 2009
Goodbye Calabar, goodbye ICT
Yesterday we wrapped up our project and said goodbye to everyone at ICT. Here's Greg with the accountant and office-Ben outside or office:
Victoria and another lady from ICT surprised us at the hotel in the evening: they had gone shopping for farewell gifts. Got some nice traditional Nigerian clothing including the hats in the second picture:
Few other guys from ICT also dropped by at the office, they wanted to have a picture taken with us before we depart. The second guy from left is actually a tailor, Greg is wearing trying on his new outfit at the corridor:
This morning Hermann and I were surprised at the airport. Hermann's customer Edak, the Commissioner of Ministry of Social Welfare game to say goodby together with the CDS representative Ann Oden:
Sitting in my hotel room in Abuja I am feeling grateful I had the opportunity to participate in the CSC program. I will definatelly miss the warmth and hospitality of the people I met during the past month. I made great contacts across the globe within IBM. Lindsey, Greg, Juan Pablo, Kish, Ron, Hermann, Michele and Cynthia are not my colleagues, they are my friends. I learned so much in a month. About Africa & Nigeria in general, doing business in a developing country and the living conditions there. I admire how the Nigerians are so optimistic even though they would have all the right to lose their hope. I learned a lot of myself also, both personally and professionally. In deed, this is a month I will not forget.
Now it's time look forward and hand the project over to the second IBM team who will arrive in Calabar in just few weeks. I have already talked to Kristina from Canada and Yvonne from Germany, there's so much they can do to help ICT in their ambitious goals. Looking forward to reading their blogs and hearing about their experiences.
Thank you IBM, Sosóŋ Calabar!
Victoria and another lady from ICT surprised us at the hotel in the evening: they had gone shopping for farewell gifts. Got some nice traditional Nigerian clothing including the hats in the second picture:
Few other guys from ICT also dropped by at the office, they wanted to have a picture taken with us before we depart. The second guy from left is actually a tailor, Greg is wearing trying on his new outfit at the corridor:
This morning Hermann and I were surprised at the airport. Hermann's customer Edak, the Commissioner of Ministry of Social Welfare game to say goodby together with the CDS representative Ann Oden:
Sitting in my hotel room in Abuja I am feeling grateful I had the opportunity to participate in the CSC program. I will definatelly miss the warmth and hospitality of the people I met during the past month. I made great contacts across the globe within IBM. Lindsey, Greg, Juan Pablo, Kish, Ron, Hermann, Michele and Cynthia are not my colleagues, they are my friends. I learned so much in a month. About Africa & Nigeria in general, doing business in a developing country and the living conditions there. I admire how the Nigerians are so optimistic even though they would have all the right to lose their hope. I learned a lot of myself also, both personally and professionally. In deed, this is a month I will not forget.
Now it's time look forward and hand the project over to the second IBM team who will arrive in Calabar in just few weeks. I have already talked to Kristina from Canada and Yvonne from Germany, there's so much they can do to help ICT in their ambitious goals. Looking forward to reading their blogs and hearing about their experiences.
Thank you IBM, Sosóŋ Calabar!
Rewards Nigerian style
Staff motivation and retention is one of the biggest challenges in the local government. We once suggested them to recognise staff with the right attitude in the monthly department meetings. Given the fact that budget for awards is non-existent we encouraged them just to acknowledge the high performers with a simple "thank you".
Yesterday we were participating in this months townhall meeting. The meeting started with a prayer followed by an Enterprise Architecture presentation by Greg and myself. We started in a class room but as more and more staff crowded in we ended up moving the meeting to the hallway. At the end there were maybe 60-70 ICT employees listening to us.
After a three-hour meeting before the closing prayer our customer mentioned that he will from now on reward the ICT staff on a quarterly basis. He nominated an employee from each unit and gave them prizes which included a microwave owen, a printer, a flat screen 21 inch TV, an a stereo system. He had bought these with his own money.
Patience, the office barbie girl got an iron.
Sad thing is that people were not necessarily rewarded based on their performance, but on how long hours they are working or at what time they answer their phones. One staff member stood up and claimed he would answer his phone in the middle of the night if the Special Adviser would just call him.
Yesterday we were participating in this months townhall meeting. The meeting started with a prayer followed by an Enterprise Architecture presentation by Greg and myself. We started in a class room but as more and more staff crowded in we ended up moving the meeting to the hallway. At the end there were maybe 60-70 ICT employees listening to us.
After a three-hour meeting before the closing prayer our customer mentioned that he will from now on reward the ICT staff on a quarterly basis. He nominated an employee from each unit and gave them prizes which included a microwave owen, a printer, a flat screen 21 inch TV, an a stereo system. He had bought these with his own money.
Patience, the office barbie girl got an iron.
Sad thing is that people were not necessarily rewarded based on their performance, but on how long hours they are working or at what time they answer their phones. One staff member stood up and claimed he would answer his phone in the middle of the night if the Special Adviser would just call him.
Safety first
Our drivers have not been around that much lately, so a couple of times we took a taxi from work back to the hotel. Taxis are blue cars with a white stripe painted at the side and they drive the main roads. You just stop the car, jump in and jump out for about 0,25 € per person. They take other passangers along the road. If you want a "special route" i.e. off the main roads, you'll need to pay 1€ per person and then the taxi is reserved exclusively for yourself.
Most of the taxis are old, wrecked cars, types you would not fnd in the Western countries anymore. There might not be side windows or the doors will not open from inside. What's funny though, is that if you st in the front seet the driver will tell you to fasten the seat belt. I mean, so far I haven't seen anyone using a seat belt in Nigeria! The first week we went for a dinner with our client, his wife and a seven-months-old baby. I was sitting at the back seat of the clients car holding the baby on my laps, feeling terrified. Yesterday we took a taxi again. Greg sat at the front seat and was told to fasten his seat belt. Taking a closer look at the picture below you'll see that the way it was fastened was probably not the safest one.
Most of the taxis are old, wrecked cars, types you would not fnd in the Western countries anymore. There might not be side windows or the doors will not open from inside. What's funny though, is that if you st in the front seet the driver will tell you to fasten the seat belt. I mean, so far I haven't seen anyone using a seat belt in Nigeria! The first week we went for a dinner with our client, his wife and a seven-months-old baby. I was sitting at the back seat of the clients car holding the baby on my laps, feeling terrified. Yesterday we took a taxi again. Greg sat at the front seat and was told to fasten his seat belt. Taking a closer look at the picture below you'll see that the way it was fastened was probably not the safest one.
keskiviikko 23. syyskuuta 2009
Last couple of days ahead
I haven’t had access to internet for about a week now, so haven't been able to update the blog either :( Now the end of Ramadan celebrations are over and we're back to the office with internet connection. Wohoooo!
Our team has now spent three and half weeks in Calabar. Often times we have discussed would some of us be willing to work in a developing country for several years. Personally I feel that the work here could be so much more rewarding than back home. Here the challenges are so fundamental, that solving them could really make a diffrence. But would we be able to cope with the frustration, the slow pace, the poor living and working conditions? And, an especially tough one for myself, the not-so-healthy-nor-delicious food. Aren’t we lucky that we that choice.
Last week we collaborated a bit more with the other IBM teams. Some of us worked in the other teams’ premises and consulted their customers on their own expertise areas. I have actually learned a lot about IBM offerings myself this week, listening to Greg’s Asset Management and Juan Pablo’s hardware presentations.
The past couple of days we have been finalizing our work and recommendations, which we presented to His Excellency and the whole Executive Council of the State Government this morning. The feedback we got was excellent. Now there are still a few trainings and presentations that we want to deliver before the project wrap-up.
I truly hope that the work we have done here will make a diffrence, no matter how small.
Our team has now spent three and half weeks in Calabar. Often times we have discussed would some of us be willing to work in a developing country for several years. Personally I feel that the work here could be so much more rewarding than back home. Here the challenges are so fundamental, that solving them could really make a diffrence. But would we be able to cope with the frustration, the slow pace, the poor living and working conditions? And, an especially tough one for myself, the not-so-healthy-nor-delicious food. Aren’t we lucky that we that choice.
Last week we collaborated a bit more with the other IBM teams. Some of us worked in the other teams’ premises and consulted their customers on their own expertise areas. I have actually learned a lot about IBM offerings myself this week, listening to Greg’s Asset Management and Juan Pablo’s hardware presentations.
The past couple of days we have been finalizing our work and recommendations, which we presented to His Excellency and the whole Executive Council of the State Government this morning. The feedback we got was excellent. Now there are still a few trainings and presentations that we want to deliver before the project wrap-up.
I truly hope that the work we have done here will make a diffrence, no matter how small.
tiistai 15. syyskuuta 2009
No diesel, no internet
Today was the third day in a row we didn't have power at the office. The generator was not working either. We found out that there was no diesel for the generator and no one could go and buy it, because the accountant was not there to release the money! Oh wow wow. We were seriously thinking of going and buying two litres of diesel just to keep the generator going for our workshop. Luckily, they found the accountant, the money was released, the diesel was bought and we got our workshop running with our slides projected to the screen. We wanted to use the whiteboard as well, but IBM team who is working for the Social Welfare Department borrowed it on Thursday - haven't seen it since. Maybe we'll go whiteboard hunting tomorrow.
Six men wondering how to get the generator working. This is actually an old generator. The department had a brand new one, but that was stolen.
Six men wondering how to get the generator working. This is actually an old generator. The department had a brand new one, but that was stolen.
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