The bottom up economic empowerment strategy is presently on the lips of most politicians, some of whom keep wondering whether it can work or not. As a good student of Nicolo Machiavelli, through his book titled “The Prince,”I learnt that there were no principles requiring to be followed in politics. All that matters is becoming number one, as there is no number two in political contests, thus my refrain from discussing politics.
Nevertheless, politicians advocating the bottom up strategy, are only focusing on quick monetary gains associated with their approach, therefore influencing the masses politically. Personally, I have for many years been a strong believer of bottom up empowerment strategy, but based on perspectives that are totally independent from politics. How did this happen?
Upon venturing into training and consulting through a “Divine Calling” in 2005, I continued exploring the different opportunities of gaining a competitive edge in this broad field. Sometimes in 2006, we bumped into each other with a schoolmate, who was managing a manufacturing company in Industrial Area, Nairobi.
Upon discussing about our past and present, Kevin (not real name) indicated interest in us training his junior staff, but subject to one condition. Our firm must be accredited by NITA – National Industrial Training Authority (then Directorate of Industrial Training). That condition was a great challenge, but after struggling for a long while, the accreditation was finally achieved in 2007. An excited Kevin finally honoured his pledge. However, the first step was to understand the challenges associated with junior staff.
Upon explanation, we were now able to develop content that could address such attributes as attitudes, indiscipline, communication, work performance, teamwork and so on. At an agreed date, Kevin released his team for a one day training on a Saturday, in a hotel situated along Ngong Road, Nairobi. Having successfully addressed the issues of concern, the team was freshly back to work on the following Monday.
Within a week or 2, we received a letter thanking us for our efforts, which is upto now (amongst others) uploaded in the customer feedback page at www.newtimesconsultants.com. Seemingly, the experience enabled us to understand organizational challenges from a bottom up perspective.
Soon after, we in a social set up interacted with a former colleague, who was the CEO of one of the Insurance companies. Upon learning about my calling in training and consulting, Samson as we can refer to him indicated need for a culture change program in his organization, which was performing rather poorly and had serious threats of deregistration by the commissioner of Insurance. My advise to Samson was that we had a bottom up empowerment strategy, which could help his organization. ” Come to my office for detailed discussions,” suggested Samson.
Shortly, I visited Samson, and together with his Human Resource Manager, we had detailed discussions on desired change, based on bottom up empowerment strategy for the organization. The first team was to be the junior staff for 2 days, then middle level or supervisory staff for another 2 days and finally the management team.
As I have always stated, our solutions are largely research based. So, when the junior team members were released for training in February 2008, we not only improved their skills, but also tried to understand personal and organizational challenges requiring attention.
All that we had done including the revelations and recommendations became part of a detailed training report that was presented and discussed with the CEO, accompanied by the human resource manager. In April, the supervisory staff were equally released and the same process followed. In addition, we advised them on how to improve their relationship with not only their juniors, but also their bosses.
Before the senior management team was released for similar empowerment, we learnt that the manager of one of the departments, which was found to be most problematic had already been fired. The empowerment of the management team followed the same process of training reports including recommendations and presentations.
Later, the final feedback on our empowerment strategy came from the CEO himself. “Significant organizational change has been witnessed. The commissioner of Insurance had summoned me for an explanation of what exactly occured to experience such noticeable improvements. A company experiencing similar challenges like we were involved in, was already deregistered,” revealed Samson. Imagine saving our client from trouble through a bottom up empowerment strategy!
Thereafter, we have transformed numerous organizations on the same basis of bottom up empowerment strategy. Ideally, most people are used to a top down approach to organizational change, whose impact is totally different. Apparently, empowerment fhrough the bottom up leads to revolution, whereas the the top down approach leads to transformation, as explained clearly in Career Dynamics in the 21st Century.
Interestingly, it is this understanding of the bottom up empowerment strategy that led us into cascading into the school system. Do you recall that we tested our strategy through the form 2 classes of State House Girls HS, Nairobi in 2015, 2016 and 2017? Have you ever realized that the KICD approved Career Dynamics in the 21st Century was not only meant for bottom up empowerment, but also a tool providing us with a crucial pathway to the education system? Now you know, don’t you?
FYI
Circulation of our third edition of the KICD approved Career Dynamics in the 21st Century is in the offing. Please make best use of the same, especially with regard to empowerment of all. Some of the latest highlights captured include:-
INSPIRING REFLECTIONS
1… “The author also endeavors to inform readers how the brain functions and how that determines one’s calling. These and other Career issues makes you glued to the book…,” Daily Nation review, 23rd May 2015
2…”The performance in 2018 made us to become one of the most improved schools. Definitely, the efforts of the author of Career Dynamics in the 21st Century contributed to the encouraging performance,” wrote the then Chief Principal, StateHouse Girls HS, in the foreword of “The 21st Century Student: Are you Creating the Future Today?”
3…”We knew what we wanted with the new curriculum, but did not know how to achieve it, until reading your book, which has now provided a home grown solution to the education system,” revealed the then KICD Research Director, in May 2016.
4…”We wish to commend your endeavors of improving education standards in the country,” wrote the KNEC CEO and former KICD Research Director, on15th Jan 2019, upon request for performance statistics of the schools we had empowered in 2018.
5…”I am the Author of this book presented to your office in March 2016,” I informed Dr. Fred Matiang, then Education CS during a KESSHA County meeting in Nakuru on 25th April 2017.” Thank you! it’s aligned with the New Curriculum,” remarked the elated CS
6…”The MOE appreciates your passion for the youth, especially through your publications guiding on Career paths,” wrote the Director of Quality Assurance & Standards, MOE, Jogoo Hse, 30th Oct 2019
7….A girls’ school in Tharaka Nthi utilized our publications so effectively that their mean grade shot from 3.6 – 5.4 (50% hike) in the 2019 KCSE. This was revealed in this Forum and confirmed by the School’s Principal.
- “I notice that you have adequately dealt with career issues that I have found with students, over the years. You have also given good advice on lost dreams caused by parents who force their children to pursue the courses they themselves missed out,” wrote Professor Jamila Hassanali of Pwani University, Kilifi on 08/10/2018. Having seen our concept online, she secured a hard copy of the same, thus the Interesting feedback.
Rgds
Mwangi Wanjumbi (MKIM)
Personal Empowerment Coach
Seasoned Speaker/Consultant Trainer on Strategy, Performance, Change Management and Leadership.
Competency Based Curriculum-CBC Architect
Author of 1. KICD approved Career Dynamics in the 21st Century, 2. Living Beyond Survival:No More Tiptoeing in Life
- The 21st Century Student:Are You Creating The Future Today? Also, Retired 5 Year Monthly Strategy Columnist (2013 – 2018) for The SME Today Magazine Phone 254772516210
Thanks for sharing. You have brought another angle to bottom up politics. From a theoretical point of view the fact that you ‘conspired ‘ or planned to conduct training in consultation with top management relegated your innovative approach to a top down strategy but that does not mean it’s not a potent approach.
From the politics point of view bottom up approach entails supporting people on what they are doing entirely on their own without government intervention for instance the Bodaboda business started spontaneously with no government intervention and now government is coming in late with legislation and taxes proposal for the sector . So is mkokoteni business and mama Mboga who government bureaucrat don’t even recognize or mention them . So it involves analyzing what people are doing entirely on their own and then devising ways of accomplishing what they are doing in more prudent ,efficient and effective manner thus enhancing their productivity and perhaps upholding their dignity .