1. Conflict Resolution
If an issue or friction arises with a volunteer or community member, steps to resolving it professionally are:
- Step back or away from the incident. Do not respond instinctively and be ‘reactive’.
- Discuss issue or incident with the Leadership Unit, and where beneficial, your Project Coordinator to agree on key discussion points.
- Find suitable time and private space to speak with the individual for a 1 to 1, never in a group setting.
- Adopt a soft and understanding tone and always focus on key points and learning outcomes, and not individual or specific examples for the point being made.
- Always state “we have become aware of X”, without giving individual name / source to ensure it is not personalised.
- Advise the individual if key points shall be raised more generally with the team or community as a whole if necessary, so that they are aware.
NB: ‘Pick your battles’ – Avoid friction on issues such as scores in sports, team games, quiz answers etc.
2. Diet/Food
As an area that many volunteers find challenging and often an area that host families feel unsure about, it is vital for Leaders to set the standard, ethos and example around food for volunteers in the village, and to reinforce key points for the community – Fresh food, Fijian food, Balanced diet.
Encourage the families to cook rourou, bele, dalo, cassava, dhal, and advocate for boiled rather than fried and lots of fruit wherever possible. This is to reduce the strain on resources and to encourage the families to live day-to-day as they would without the volunteers present.
NB: Always be a positive energy on food for volunteers and reinforce to families that the Fijian foods are what we would like the team to experience.
3. Leader Gender Equality
It is vital for Think Pacific as an organisation, and for our Leadership Teams as a unit, to ensure that there is absolute equality for male and female staff in how they are received and perceived by the Community and Team Members.
Rural Fijian society is ‘patriarchal’ in structure and whilst this may be slowly shifting in some aspects, often men continue to fill certain positions e.g. TNK, and lead meetings and discussions. The village may therefore appear to approach male leaders / engage male leaders more regularly, and we must make sure we are conscious of this, and implement measures to ensure equality is maintained.
To ensure equality across the Leadership Unit, it is important to ensure ALL Leaders attend discussions with the TNK / x5 key youth, so that all leaders have consistent interaction in the community.
NB: It is also vital to share responsibilities evenly across the Leader Unit, including public speaking/speeches in the Community and Church, and sitting above the bowl if invited to do so, as examples. As a Leader, it ensures you are actively engaged in all aspects of the role and not just those you’re most comfortable with. It will also give you the best opportunity for personal / professional growth!
4. Leadership Team Dynamic
Each Think Pacific project has multiple leaders who make up a team. Leadership teams are always mixed ‘international’ and Fijian, mixed genders, experienced and inexperienced and leaders that individually may bring different strengths to the table. However, it is essential that the leadership team is seen as a unit in the eyes of the team and community.
No ‘Main’ Leaders… Every leader has equal responsibility within the leadership unit. Regardless of experience, you have been selected to lead because you have the qualities we believe are suitable for the role and for you to succeed. It is easy to unknowingly portray uneven leadership dynamics, here are some things to keep an eye out for:
4.1 International and Fijian Leaders: As each team is made up of ‘international’ and Fijian leaders, immediately there are some obvious strengths for each:
- International leaders are potentially more inclined to be in a position to empathise with the volunteer experience as they themselves are not from Fiji and are in a new environment. We find that volunteers will often approach international leaders in regards to homesickness or when struggling to adapt to village life.
- Fijian leaders have immediate strengths in liaising with the community, speaking Fijian and being highly aware of cultural factors and protocols. We find that village members are often more inclined to approach the Fijian leaders in the team.
These strengths are natural, useful and to be valued, but to ensure that all leaders are viewed equally by team and community, roles must be delegated equally and leaders should take turns delivering every aspect. This will ensure that all leaders are approachable and trusted in all situations, and one leader will not be putting in more work.
4.2 Leadership Responsibilities: Small tasks during the day such as Health Check-ins, Daily Briefings or supporting the delivery of sessions must be delegated evenly amongst all leaders and intentionally include variety during the week. Visually, if one leader leads all briefings for example, they may slowly become acknowledged as the ‘main leader’ in the eyes of the team. Likewise, if one leader conducts all health clinics, they may be seen as the ‘doctor’ and become the only one approached for health related concerns.
NB: It is useful to write down a rota each week for which leader is performing which responsibility each day.
4.3 Leadership Meetings: Meeting intentionally as a unit everyday is essential, not only to discuss the above, but to discuss all aspects of the project and allow all leaders to function as ‘one brain.’
NB: If one leader gives information/advice on a subject that differs from another leader, trust is lost in the unit quickly by the team and tension may be created.
NBB: Disagreeing or arguing in front of the team/community is also something that should be avoided as they have a similar effect. Use your leadership meetings for any discussion/debates around decisions and actions.