Imorou, Caltoumi (eng.)
Mar 21st, 2011 by Charlotte Haug
Caltoumi (IIEP) writes:
- I remember…..
- the fifth floor of the IIEP,
- the phone conferences with a never functionning connection to the Windhoek office,
- the Christmas parties,
- the CCO meetings,
- the hectic of the Livingstone conference,
- the Global Initative on HIV/AIDS and Education,
- the briefs for decision-makers,
- and above all,
- the meetings beginning with Gudmund’s two words: „donc, alors“
Donc alors – that was about the extent of my French…
Caltoumi was one of the rare birds that seemed to flock to IIEP: fearless, talented and extremely well organized. And with both “espirit de large envergure chez un chef d’enterprise de grande envergure” (as I claim the French would say). If she was sent on a mission impossible, violà, you would arrive and it had been accomplished. Caltoumi’s attitude seemed to be: “Problem – what problem?”
And she had the liberating capacity of good humor – including using her fearlessness to poke fun at you.
The metaphor is a bit trite, but true: Humor is what oils the wheelwork of an organization. It reduces friction and it smooths the interactions.
Perhaps she could tell some more about the Livingstone conference – e.g about how it is to organize a meeting for all the topodogs of the UN system? With scared seconds in command creating a mess by being helpful?