Love is all you need...

It’s quite funny. I always had this little idea in my head that most organisations worldwide have the same processes to reach success, with the differences lying in each community’s definition of ‘success’.

In Sauder we are taught a specific way of thinking which involves a very logical, mathematical (hah) way of thinking. I came over here with the expectation that our focus groups regarding the evolution of the bank would follow this thought process. Yes, I had factored in the fact that the majority of the members present at these focus groups would not have a formal education past high school (if that) but my strong belief of the one way to implement this Board of Director structure won out.

Naturally and slightly ironically, everything I had been taught about the ‘way’ to do things was wrong. To the villagers of Kanyawegi, this Board of Directors would not just be a group of seven well-liked individuals from the community who had the capacity to learn the hard skills of commerce (such as auditing and reasonable decision making). While we were envisioning the Board as a group of members liable to the community, who would act as a check against Maurice, the community feels that this Board will have the power to achieve great things. This Board will change Kanyawegi. This board will be courageous, honest, loyal, transparent and determined.

And the word that was used more times than any other word? Love.

Love is not a word I have ever associated with formal business. Saying that the Board will have to have love, that they will be bonded by love, that they will work out of love for the Bank, those things would just never ever be said in a Western society looking at the same challenge. They feel that love will conquer corruption and jealousy. I’ve never thought of love this way. But to these villagers, the Bank has surpassed just being another place. The fact that each participant in this initial focus group felt so strongly that any member elected to the Board must feel this love shows the impact our little Bank has had.

Truly humbling.