Picturing Theology, Revised Edition

Picturing Theology, Revised Edition | 357

6.3 Development work must discourage the inclination toward dependency. Explanation Development emphasizes that each person should be trained and equipped to achieve their potential to be self-sustaining and self-directing. Creating or nurturing dependency undercuts the deep human need to be a co-creator with God in using our gifts to honor him, and finding our significance and place in the world. Dependency can occur from either end of the people helping relationship; the developer can create a sense of his or her own indispensability which leads to dependency, or the trainee can easily refuse to progress and grow on to interdependence and depth. Dependency pollutes the process of authentic development by creating unhealthy relationships which damage the trainee’s initiative and self-motivation. Implications • Trainees must be required to demonstrated initiative. The basic rule of thumb is “Don’t do for people what they can do for themselves-even if it means that the project (or training) will go slowly” (Hoke and Voorhies 1989, 224). When too much is done for the people who are being assisted, the developer has taken from the trainees the opportunity to learn from their mistakes. Dependency, even when resulting from a spirit of benevolence and sympathy, inevitably stunts the growth of those who are so affected. • Development should avoid the extremes of authoritarian paternalism, on the one hand, and non-directive laissez-faire(ism) on the other. Developers, by definition, are leaders, and cannot avoid their responsibility to mentor, train, teach, and provide direction to those they serve. Maintaining complete decision-making control, however, does not foster interdependent relationships. While close accountability is essential in the earliest stages of training, development workers must recognize the need to modify strategies and involvement based on the competency and ongoing progress of the learners. 5 • Projects should help trainees gain control of their own destiny. Projects must be regularly evaluated to insure that they are not keeping people dependent on long-term employment by WIS. Projects which equip people to gain employment with existing businesses or start businesses of their own are the goal.

5 For a discussion of the Hersey-Blanchard training model that tailors leadership style to the competencies and attitudes of the trainee see Leadership Research (Klopfenstein, 1995).