April 05, 2006

That P Word

One of the ultimate war tactics that generally works is the divide and control method. This is when a leader tries to divide a solid group, break their unity, and little by little gain control over them. Sooner or later, the group will realize that they are already under the same person they were all against to.Either they surrender and quit or they stick it out. I find this method very powerful and I think it works.

When I came back here in Istanbul, I was quite excited to go back to my volunteer work. It was a twice a week ESL teaching class to refugee children. When I got there I was quite disappointed and felt like I was again starting from square one. During my absence, my students didn't have a permanent teacher and forgot most of the English words they know. My main student is a 6-year old girl from Iran who only speaks Turkish and Farsi. Before I left, she was beginning to identify the letters of the English alphabet on her own. Now, she can't even remember half of them. I couldn't blame her or anyone since I know, at home, they do not use English and it doesn't really help that she wasn't going regularly to class.

I was also surprised to find out that most of the teachers I was with were gone. The overall atmosphere was bleak. The students were not responsive and the teachers' moral were down. After a couple of meetings, I find myself becoming uninspired to go and help teach. It's like trying to force yourself to go to a job you don't like.

Recently, I was having a discussion with a friend over here about the divide and control method.
This was her description of how the headmaster runs the school. Apparently, when I was gone, most teachers felt frustrated and tried to talk to the head of the program to ask for directions. Instead of getting encouragement, they got a load of "blame it on somebody" talk. Volunteers here and there were blamed for not doing a good job teaching their students and at the end of the day, they chose to leave. Now, people have to play their cards right to get into the good side of everyone.

Ahhhh politics, can we ever live without them? I thought, I was free of any politics the moment I left the corporate world. I didn't know that even in volunteer work, I would still hear that annoying term. Is it human nature to gossip and play politics everytime they can?

Posted by duke at 4/05/2006 10:50:00 AM

8 Comments:

Anonymous said...: Politics will always play a part in anything no matter what. Divide and Conquer is one of their tactics to take over an disagreeing team. The only way is to learn how to work around it. Listen to both sides and make a good argument.; 4/05/2006 06:41:00 PM
Anonymous said...: Sadly politics is a game of survival of the fittest or should I say most sly. I am sorry to hear about your volunteer work. But next time you come to work, think of the positive influence you are imparting to the kids. That will cheer you up!; 4/06/2006 03:55:00 AM
Anonymous said...: I din't know you were on this kind of "mission" over there. All along I thought you were just having a great time with hubby.

I'm shocked!; 4/06/2006 06:15:00 AM
tin-tin said...: it's like you were gone for a very long time. gossip and politics is everywhere. even in some family clans, right?; 4/06/2006 07:31:00 AM
MrsPartyGirl said...: thank God i'm no longer in the workforce. i've fallen victim to the P word twice on two of my previous jobs. i resigned on both occasions because i won't stand for that kind of system. pero it's hard din kasi not to play that game, sometimes its really a matter of survival. but politics can go both ways, pwede din siyang tool for the good of many. that is, kung may political will.

anyway, i hope you can find another volunteer group/activity to share your time with, soon. it's very fulfilling no? :); 4/06/2006 08:48:00 AM
duke said...: anonymous thank you for the comment. I think that is a very sound advice.

Pat So true. The kids make a whole lot of difference!

K hahahahaha.. yes, in my own little way I am doing volunteer work over here :)

Tintin True. Even in families politics play a major role esp when it comes to big clans.

Meeya hay naku! I've seen and witnessed how politics can make one lose his job.That is why I hate it. It's just a sad fact that even when you do volunteer work, there will still be small amounts of P.
Looking at the bright side, seeing the kids learn and their willingness to know more makes a whole lot of diff!; 4/06/2006 01:58:00 PM
silentmode_v2 said...: "p is everywhere, even in the most sacred stuffs. the alphabet is incomplete without it."

stop, look and listen is not always for the train signs. stay sharp. :); 4/06/2006 02:53:00 PM
EKENYERENGOZI Michael Chima said...: It was called "Divide and Rule" System and the British Empire used it to govern all the 250 ethnic groups in Nigeria during their colonial rule. And it was very effective. But, immediately the British left Nigeria, the natives fought amongst themselves and fought a bloody civil war.; 4/06/2006 10:43:00 PM

Confessions of an Expat's Wife

April 05, 2006

That P Word

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