Be accountable for success and failure of your team

Volkan Cakir, RTI International’s regional director in Nairobi, draws deeply on his previous experience as a project director to know how best to interact with his colleagues. Cakir feels as accountable as his team on the end result of a project, he told Devex at the 2013 Partnerships Forum in Nairobi. “If there is a shortcoming somewhere, if there is an audit finding that is not good, I feel just as responsible as the project director,” Cakir said. He likened the relationship to school, where students’ success depends not only on their own work, but also on the aptitude and accountability of their teacher. It’s important to have open communication and a clear understanding of strengths and weaknesses, Cakir said, but counsels against setting “mediocre, modest objectives.” “Set realistic, but bold objectives,” he said. See more: - What RTI is looking for in local partners - Talking localization, local partnerships with RTI’s Aaron Williams Join the Devex community and gain access to more in-depth analysis, breaking news and business advice — and a host of other services — on international development, humanitarian aid and global health.