REAL LIFE STORIES

 MARK ZUCKERBERG AND HIS WIFE PRISCILLA CHAN

Monday, May 14,2012 Mark Zuckerberg turned 28, on the Friday the same week Zuckerberg made IPO for his company Facebook. In the same week, his girlfriend Priscilla Chan graduated and to end the eventful week, the two couples married on Saturday May 19.

We have something to learn from the two couples, not from the series of events in one week but how inspiring they are in achieving their dreams. Click the link below to read more.MEET THE NEW FACEBOOK BILLIONAIRE’S WIFE | PRISCILLA CHAN AND SEE HOW INSPIRING SHE IS 

HOW AFRICANS ARE DIFFERENT FROM WESTERN PEOPLE

In 2009, I got a contract work as a management consultant for a non profit organization based in the USA. It was my first time to have a 9 months contract working with a board of directors whose members were all westerners except one who was African.

In that job, I was a link between local community in Tanzania and the western organization which was the donor to what would a $1 Million project.

I am sorry to tell you, the project didn't materialize because of many reasons including the cultural difference on how the local community primarily the founders of the local Tanzanian organization wanted things to go on and how the westerners - the donors wanted things to be done.

Primarily the conflict was on how to handle financial matters. 

David Maranz, a western who worked and lived in Africa for over 25 years wrote his observations on how Africans handle differently financial matters as compared to their western counterparts. A few examples of Maranz's observations are:

• If a Westerner has a misunderstanding about finances with an African friend, it is virtually impossible to straighten it out directly with the offended individual.

• Showing solidarity with friends at such times at funerals, naming ceremonies, feast days, and weddings is extremely important. This is primarily done by attendance at these events and by contributing financially.

• The place in society assigned to people who have perceived ample financial resources is that of givers and/or loaners, and not of receivers.

• The use of the word loan when requesting money from someone is often a euphemism for gift.

• The response, “No,” to a request for money, a loan, or a material object, is understood as an insult, indifference to need, a lack of respect, or a sign of rejection of the petitioner
• Africans do not budget for special events; rather, they spend as much money and other resources as they can marshal for each one. (The wedding! The severance payment. )
• Precision is to be avoided in accounting as it shows lack of a generous spirit. (Also Africans prefer a “one pocket” system to a “two pocket” system. Ie. No separation of personal and business finances, or individual and corporate.)

Read more of this observations here. OBSERVATIONS

I recommend you read this book especially if you are a westerner working with Africans or you are an African working with westerners.

You can buy the book at Amazon from this link AMAZON.