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From Jan's Journal:
An Analysis
| Now that you've finished this chapter, reread the excerpt from Jan's journal and note any additional observations/behaviors you now think are suspect; then read the analysis below:
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Paragraph 1-Jan has experienced a number of the classic frustrations PCVs often encounter as they go about their work. Even so, she is probably being a little too hard on herself, as she seems to realize by the last paragraph.
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Paragraph 2-She laments her lack of progress, and then in the next breath says that a few people at the clinic do confide in her. She should be cheered by this fact, for it means she has made enough of a positive impression that certain people are sharing some of their innermost thoughts with her. Under the circumstances-she only goes there once a week, remember-this is progress.
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Paragraph 3-When she says she didn't talk to Mr. Beton when she first met him because "he was with a lot of other people," she is speaking like someone from a monochronic culture. If hers is a polychronic culture, she could probably have spoken to him in front of those other people (though not to complain or berate him) and not caused any problem. Indeed, she might never get a private audience with him, unless it is for something especially important.
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Paragraph 4-When Mr. Beton's boss toured the clinic, Jan told her she wasn't getting any money for her work. This statement was ill advised, for several reasons. First of all, you don't normally tell big bosses your problems; you tell them what you think they want to hear and tell your immediate boss your problems. Worse, by going over Mr. Beton's head and complaining to his boss, Jan has committed a cardinal sin in high power distance/high uncertainty avoidance cultures: going around the chain of command. When Mr. Beton finds out, he will probably be quite upset, which may be why Jan hasn't gotten the meeting she requested yet.
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Paragraph 5-Designing a new sign-in form without being asked or without asking for permission-taking some initiative is what Jan would probably call it-is probably not a good idea in high power distance cultures. Bosses like to make decisions and don't like it when subordinates seize authority; in this case, Jan isn't even a subordinate but a volunteer. What's worse here is that this sign-in form may have been left to languish for a good reason: If money is based on clinic usage, then more tick marks (which is in the control of the secretary) means more money and is rather easy to arrange. But sign-in forms are less accommodating. Jan may wait a long time before her sign-in form ever shows up at the front desk.
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Paragraph 6-Jan says you can't just "wait around to be told what to do," like her colleagues. But in high power distance cultures, this behavior is the norm. Doing things without being told is usurping authority. She then says that at the staff meeting she mentioned she wasn't getting her money, so she had nothing to do. This statement might have been embarrassing to the man who handles volunteers or even to Mr. Beton, who will now look bad because Jan's project is going nowhere.
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Paragraph 7-She probably also embarrassed the deputy by asking in front of others when construction on the clinic was going to start. That it has not started could be perceived as a failing of the boss, and to have that failing brought out into the open could cause a loss of face. Another interpretation of this exchange might be that in the deputy's mind, to get to the point of breaking ground was a great achievement, representing considerable progress, and the fact that construction hasn't actually started yet is a minor detail. The hard work has been done.
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