I‘ve worked in international development for over 15 years, and have lived in Berlin for most of this time. When I moved to Washington DC for a job at the World Bank a few years ago, I was incredibly excited to be able to attend policy debates at renowned think tanks, learn from thousands of experts working in development, and to engage with so many leaders in this sector.
During my time in DC, I think I attended one single event at a think tank. Aside from a few meetings organized by my own team and events held at the Spring and Annual meetings, I rarely had the chance to listen and learn from experts from other organizations or departments.
I worked with some of the most fabulous colleagues and partners, but nearly all of us kept wishing we‘d have more time to learn and engage more with what was on offer.
Listening to external inputs and hearing different perspectives is one of the most important reality-checks for your work. What are people discussing? What issues are contentious? What are people interested in? What arguments and facts are getting traction? What lacks evidence? Which issues are linked? What inspires?
Instead, so many great work places keep staff focused on internal issues and work, and keep them so busy that even attending a brownbag lunch becomes impossible. Attending external events during work time is in many office cultures considered as „slacking off“, ie not being present at your desk. It may be included as a footnote in your objectives for learning (which you in practice never get around to).
At least in my case, I had such an interest and desire to keep listening and learning (and maintaining a constant check on reality and what else is out there). But I simply lacked time, and eventually also mental space, to attend anything or take in much.
I stopped reading journals, not to mention books, that could in any way be related to my job. I stopped following newsletters and blogs. I no longer knew who was saying what on issues that were not directly related to my work. And worst of all, I no longer knew what I thought, what my own positions were, why my work was meaningful.
Hearing and reading about what others are saying and doing, learning about what is working in practice and what this means for theory, and engaging in debates is the best way to form your own opinions. If you don‘t have this input and sounding board, it‘s difficult to know where you stand on many issues. You also forget how to use your voice. At least that was the direction I felt I was heading in. And this in the middle of one of the most happening and expert-filled cities and organizations.
A year ago, I returned to Berlin and a few months ago, left my job. It‘s been a transition, and it was what I needed. I have my voice again, and am using it. I am listening, and I know who the people are who are saying some uncomfortable truths that need to be heard, because our sector needs fixing.
And I am learning, reading, and listening again, because my physical space and mental capacity are back. I may be utterly irrelevant in terms of status and position, an absolute „outsider“. But this is a space I need and will try to protect the best I can, also in the future. For myself, and any colleagues or staff.
Everyone deserves to continue to learn and be inspired. It makes us all better at our work, and it makes our work more relevant. We need to recreate this space as a core part of our work places, and bring it back from where it is now (a periphery nice-to-have, if you have time) to where it needs to be.
Katri Bertram 