MY INTERACTIONS

The fourth step in this model is about interaction with other people, because you cannot do it entirely on your own. African entrepreneurs often have fewer immediate resources and therefore have to draw on the resources embedded within their social network (Langevang, Namatovu, & Dawa, 2012).

Family can be a constraining factor as well as an enabling factor. Family influences opportunity emergence and recognition, the decision to start up a business and consequent resource mobilization in the long run (Langevang, Namatovu, & Dawa, 2012). Therefore the participants needs to face their family situation and to find a way to make family an enabling factor in the long run instead of a constraint.

One of the constraints facing young entrepreneurs is low trust. This is affecting the way people interact and it makes it harder for young entrepreneurs to start ventures together and to benefit from the means of each other. This module therefore focuses on interaction and building up trust in small mastermind groups.

The main purpose of module 4 is to make the participants understand that their motivations and actions are embedded in social contexts. They should be aware of the benefits they can gain from bringing in other people’s means through social interactions.

Now it is time to reach out to other people to get advice and support.

My Interactions

- Mastermind Groups (3-4 persons)

- Mentorships

- Bring in Other People’s Means

- Set the right team

EXERCISE 1 - TRUST BOX

TRUST BUILDING EXERCISE EXERCISE 2 - THE EYES TRUST BUILDING EXERCISE

Objective

The objective is for the participants to network, sell themselves and find business partners/team mates.

Description

This exercise should be done in groups of 8-10 people.

1. Clearly mark off a small playing area. The size will depend on the number of people in the group. Everyone in the group should be able to easily touch someone else when standing in the area.

2. Ask the participants to begin walking around the space.

3. When someone feels ready, they say loudly and clearly “I’m falling”.

4. Everyone else then rushes to catch the faller as he or she begins to lean back and fall.

5. After one person goes, everyone should then resume moving through the space until the next person feels ready to fall.

6. Be aware that two people might say, “I’m falling” at the same time. Depending on the size of the group, this is okay. Just make sure the group is aware and that they must catch both of the falling people.

7. End the game after either everyone has gone, or gone multiple times.

8. After finishing process the activity by discussing these questions:

• Did you feel supported? How could you have felt more supported?

• Why is this activity important?

• What risks were you taking, and why is it important to take these risks?

Objective

While you might not realize it, trust comes from the eyes. The look or even shape of the pupil is used to decide if we want to trust or listen to a person. Build this skill by playing a trust activity that is all about the eyes.

Description

For this activity you will need an open space and some something that can be used to walk around like a cone, a chair, a large water bottle or whatever you have handy.

1. Divide the participants into pairs.

2. Place a cone/chair or other item in a random area.

3. Ask the two particpants to face each other and link hands about 10 feet away from the item you placed.

4. Now, the participant facing forward is going to work to guide the participnat facing backward toward and around the cone. However, the participants can’t talk.

5. They can only use eye movements, facial gestures or head movements to guide their friend around the item and back to the starting position.

6. Once they are successful, switch.

Facilitator’s notes

Have items ready before the exercise - it can be anything as long as it marks where they should go around.