Through the Eyes of Others

by?Jeremy Solomons

(This is an edited version of a column that was published by the New Times of Rwanda newspaper on 20 May?2022)

“Oh, would some power the gift give us, to see ourselves as others see us.”?(Scottish poet, Robert Burns)

International MBA students sometimes have a reputation for being very smart and perceptive but also somewhat entitled and demanding. Co-hosting a recent study trip here by mature, inquisitive and flexible students from two Dutch universities only reinforced these positive stereotypes, dispelled the negative ones and gave a valuable insight into how Rwanda is now seen from outside as a rising global business partner and society.

“This trip out of our comfort zone brought a lot of us very, very much,”?said one student. (Direct quotations from this and other written reflections have been edited slightly for grammar, clarity, brevity and anonymity).

From the first formal dinner at Frere Aristide’s Cellar Restaurant in Remera, it was clear that this group of 28 Executive MBA students from TIAS School for Business and Society and from?Wageningen University & Research?was going to be very different.?

Instead of recoiling at the traditional?ubugali?(maize porridge) and?urwagwa?(banana beer) that we tested them with for starters, they actually asked for more and then enjoyed the buffet, which included roasted goat and other more recognizable delicacies.

Business was the main focus of the trip and after two cultural and business orientation sessions on the first morning, the students began working with selected local organisations on ‘Living Business Cases’ - or real-life challenges that they were facing - both in Kigali and out in the field. Each team was assigned a young local entrepreneur to help guide them and act as a ‘cultural liaison’.

“You have to look at many more things than just the actual business when doing business here. It is much more complex than doing business in a developed market or country,”?said one student.

More specifically, another student wrote:?“I appreciated understanding more about doing business in Rwanda: the importance of networking and building relationships first before doing business; more improvisation and last-minute changes; short-term focused; indirect communication; hands on approach; community focus.”

And a third student told me,?“as executive MBA students we learn how to apply all kinds of models and academic concepts to deal with risk and uncertainty in business and society. Rwanda and its people have shown me that it’s much more about trust, courage, inner strength and the belief to take a path that no one has taken before. Leadership is giving the example of how to deal with uncertainty, which is first and foremost a state of the heart - not so much the mind.”

The mostly Dutch students were also able to challenge some of the stereotypes that they had heard about Rwandan business people.

?Even though Rwandans are sometimes seen from the outside as rather bureaucratic and risk-averse, one student noted:?“I was incredibly surprised by the … entrepreneurial insights of the people we met and worked with. The incredibly open minded and transparent ease of doing business. They were … very flexible, more like the ‘entrepreneurial cowboy style’ than the ‘planned administrative style’. They take more risk in business.”

Likewise in relation to hierarchy.?“I found it very surprising to experience that despite the relatively high level of ‘power distance’ in the Rwandan business culture, Rwandans act very respectfully towards subordinates and younger people. They are given a stage to present themselves and express their ideas. It really confirmed the Rwandan belief that the young ones have the future,” said one student.

“The young generation is more optimistic about the future because they are seeing the whole world via internet.??With a strong leadership in the right direction, the growth in Rwanda is expected to be sustainable in the years to come,”?added another.

As its full name indicates, TIAS School for Business and Society is about more than business and during their time here – which included a group visit to the Genocide Memorial – the students also came to fully appreciate,?“the inner strength and resilience of the Rwandan people with which they have rebuilt their country after the huge trauma of the Genocide. The power to reunite and let their country grow economically and socially.”

And this true appreciation for all that Rwanda has achieved so far and all that it has to offer in the future was reflected in a short, tear-jerking speech by one of the Dutch students - drafted and presented in Kinyarwanda - on the final morning:“You welcomed us with your beautiful hearts and you touched us in our hearts. You showed us your strength and love and pain. It was a miracle to be with you. We learned many things from you and we will return the favor in future. God bless the people of Rwanda.”