Peoples people

For approximately 10 years, I have considered myself a peoples person. Over the past year or so, and more particularly the past couple of weeks I have started to question this idea.

There is no doubt that I love being with my family and one of my favourite past times is long boozy lunches with friends. However over the past couple of weeks in Kenya, as my boarderline introvert personality (can blame myers briggs...and the consulting notion of understanding personality types to improve team work) is becoming more and more evident, while working at the heart of the hospitality industry I have found so many new and more real meanings to the phrase "peoples people".

My true lack of understanding of myself relative to this term became evident almost immediately as I stepped off the airoplane. Every person you meet is so welcoming, the entire time. It is an energy type that I have not yet encountered. As a guest you are here for 5 days experiencing this incredible hospitality and warmth from each individual you meet and truly are made to feel at home. However as a "wekka" you are on the go for up to 2 months at a time, with absolutely no break. So what one may ask motivates the staff here? It might be tips...it probably isn't salary, but one thing is for sure - they are peoples people.

Julius is a masai man from one of the local communities. He went to school locally and then motivated himself to study community development in Nairobi. He has returned to the Mara to assist and work with ( a phrase not well understood by communities here) his community and others around to create growth and sustainability through education, income earning projects and getting things like water to these places. He works with the support of Kichwa. He has potential with guidance and support to make a great impact. For one, he understands East African and masai time, pole pole (slowly slowly), and secondly he communicates well with the local communities, and with American guests, worlds apart.

Managing people is a skill I always thought I was born with. I have recently realised I am wrong! At the open house meeting a few days ago, union shop stewards plus about 160 staff members the meeting was handled with the most incredible patience and understanding of the time needed to deal with each question, no matter how menial (or repetitive). The meeting took 3 hours...it took me a HUGE amount of will power to keep my mouth shut and not state the obvious that the question had already been answered, 3 times. Managing people here means managing exceptionally competent people, completely incompetent people, dealing with landlords, community leaders and the unions. Being available, means completely open to whatever situation may arise.

I am not sure if these talents and skills are innate or if they grow with running a business. I doubt very much that this is my core strength as i have so long assumed. For the variety of definitions of peoples people that I know I could come up with, these people fit into the category and at a heightened level.