Replying to LO29382 --
Dear Organlearners,
Alfred Rheeder <alfred@pvm.co.za> writes:
>These social and cultural dynamics were completely alien
>to me, but I ealise how important it was to understand
>and respect their culture and social system as much as
>possible. During the first 30 minutes of the discussions I
>realised that we are talking in vein to each other. The other
>party had not sensitivity for our social and cultural background.
>
>Not only is the identity of the medium important but the
>context of that medium too ........
Greetings dear Alfred,
Thank you for telling this story from real life. You had prepared yourself
in advance for greater sureness ("identity-contex"), but was disappointed
with the sureness in the other person. You expected more.
Perhaps you should not have expected more since you are sensitive to all
the 7Es. For example, it is otherness ("quality-variety") which made you
realise that this person's culture and social system is far different from
yours. It is fruitfulness which made you aware to have discussions with
him according to their customs rather than yours.
Although nothing came of those negotiations, i think that you have left
something very valuable behind. That person gained experience in dealing
with a creative person, finding out that a deal with bribes is not all
which matters in the world. Leaving positive experiences behind is the
only way in which we can help other to become more contructively creative.
We just need to stay patient because it takes a long time for such
experiences to take effect.
With care and best wishes
--At de Lange <amdelange@postino.up.ac.za> Snailmail: A M de Lange Gold Fields Computer Centre Faculty of Science - University of Pretoria Pretoria 0001 - Rep of South Africa
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