Over the course of the last 14 months, I have enjoyed the privilege of working in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania on three separate occasions. While I can’t discuss the details of the work beyond what i have blogged in the past and what is on our CEPSM Facebook Page, I can say that I am absolutely astonished at the level of dedication, commitment and work ethic demonstrated by the Tanzanian team here on the ground.
The high-level goals of this particular initiative (which is now in the implementation phase) are:
- To enhance understanding and strengthen the capacity on the theoretical and practical concepts of social marketing
- To develop a social marketing strategy aimed at improving the knowledge , beliefs and behaviours of public servants in the area of ethical conduct
A quick refresher:
Social Marketing (not to be confused with social media marketing) is defined as “a process that uses marketing principles and techniques to influence target audience behaviors that will benefit society, as well as the individual. This strategically oriented discipline relies on creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have positive value for individuals, clients, partners, and society at large.”
A core component for us to deliver has been training and capacity building of the team to undertake the above goals. Let me tell you, the team on the ground is ready. Many challenges lie ahead, but nothing that collaborative team effort can’t solve. I’ve seen many training models throughout my career, but few as effective as the intensive “learning by doing” approach, where participants actually implement what they are taught during the training process. I have learned so much from this initiative myself, that my mind is spinning with new ideas for the effective engagement of people in our consulting practice. Personally, I really wish that traditional consulting and training models placed more of an emphasis on the importance of collaborative work between the client and consultant/trainer as opposed to relying on and expecting turn-key solutions. A single key will never fit perfectly whenever people are involved.
I look forward to being able to share more information regarding this undertaking. Stay tuned.