Participatory attitude!!

Here comes my blog after a very long gap!!

My work life had kept me too busy to update my blogs and now this professional life has given me food for thought and has helped me write on this particular theme of participation..

I am working in an organization where participatory approaches and participation is the key buzz word..Thanks to PRIA (Society for Participatory research in Asia), my outlook of life has changed. Yesterday i went to train social work students of Jamia Millia University on PRA techniques in their rural camp.. And i realized the change within me. From speaking to listening, from lecturing to discussing, from judging to suggesting, from criticizing to understanding- my whole personality seemed to have undergone a conscious change, which i am enjoying.. Earlier i read of all this in class room lectures but now that i see the change in me and see how this change is helping me develop not just professionally but personally, i feel how important participation can be.. I am on way to develop the participative attitude in me..It helps a person change his entire perspective and one's attitude and behaviour.. And i feel, these skills are not just significant for professionals working on human behaviour but also in other sectors.

Participation here i refer not just one participating in any activity but also giving space to others to help them participate. My attitude helped students to come up with their frank opinions and innovative ideas during the camp. It was thus a two way learning process. Mostly teachers don't listen to their students and they feel they have given in-depth knowledge to students but ask any student what s/he has learnt and the answer would be: Silence.. What is the purpose of such teaching?
Head of a company feels that s/he knows it all and may not give enough scope to his/her subordinates or listen to them. And s/he is losing out on many innovative suggestions and ideas. It might not be true for all but this is seen very often, though system is changing. Same goes for other professions..
How can participation be ensured in our democratic set-up? How can we stop criticizing and start understanding one's situation from their perspective?
It is not an easy job, for it needs change in attitude, reversal of power-letting dominating attitude go off, offsetting biases and so on..

Think over it!!