Burkina Faso Management Culture Guide

Management Style in Burkina Faso: What International Managers Should Know

Managing a team or working with colleagues in Burkina Faso requires an understanding of a business environment where relationships, respect for hierarchy, and indirect communication often take precedence over rigid schedules or aggressive negotiation tactics.

Whether you are a manager relocating to Ouagadougou for work or you lead multicultural teams that include Burkinabè employees, this guide offers some practical insights into the local management style we share in our intercultural business training.

You will learn about the importance of hierarchy and seniority, how leadership is typically exercised, local approaches to time and deadlines, and the nuances of communicating and negotiating effectively in a Burkinabè professional setting.

Being a Manager in Burkina Faso

• Cultural sensitivity is essential when dealing with business setups in Burkina Faso.
• This is a culture that places a lot of weight on age.
• Treat all people with respect, as harmonious relations are important, but be especially cautious when dealing with elders or those in higher positions to pay homage to their life experiences.
• Burkinabés never publicly disagree with someone who is older or more senior than themselves. It is a good idea to emulate this behaviour.
• If you are younger than 45, your status within your company will be evaluated from cues such as the hotel you stay in and the quality of your clothes.
• Staying in a first-class hotel indicates that your company views you as a person of significance.
• Nonetheless, it is important for relatively young businesspeople to make a concerted effort to maintain a mature and businesslike demeanour.

The Role of a Manager in Burkina Faso

• Burkinabés believe that managers are in their position because they have more experience than those they manage.
• Therefore, they do not expect managers to seek their input in an official manner, although they prefer managers who build consensus before reaching a decision.
• Successful management will be more easily achieved if you understand the importance of harmonious relations to the Burkinabés.
• You need to be careful not to publicly chastise or criticize employees.
• If you have something serious to discuss with a particular employee, it is often beneficial to use a trusted intermediary rather than handle the discussion yourself.
• As in most hierarchical cultures, managers are expected to take a paternalistic attitude toward their employees.
• This may include going to funerals or other rites of passage in an employee’s family.

Approach to Change in Burkina Faso

• Burkina Faso’s readiness for change is apparent; however, it would be imprudent to introduce rapid change.
• Tradition is valued, thus change is not readily embraced simply because it is new.
• It is important for innovations to have a track record or history noting the benefits if they are to be accepted and implemented.

Burkinabe Approach to Time and Priorities

• Burkinabés do not want to upset others in order to enforce strict adherence to a deadline.
• Although appointments and schedules need to be in advance as a sign of respect for the individual, these schedules are viewed as flexible so successful management will require some patience.
• Since time does not have the same meaning that it does in many North American/European cultures, employees are not expected to work late.
• What is not finished today can always be done tomorrow.
• However, global working means that some managers are beginning to understand the importance of adherence to schedules and deadlines.

Decision Making in Burkinabe Organizations

• Similar to the family structure, business is hierarchical.
• Employees are expected to show proper deference and respect towards those in higher positions.
• Although they may unofficially make an attempt to reach a consensus before reaching a decision, managers are the ultimate decision-makers.
• Expatriate managers are expected to show respect for what has been done prior to their arrival.
• Although the expat may be an expert in a particular area, the Burkinabé possesses the local knowledge of how to accomplish things within the culture.
• Cultural sensitivity is important and you need to demonstrate respect for the local staff.

Boss or Team Player? Which are Burkinabe Managers?

• Burkinabés like working in teams and collaborate quite well with other employees of the same relative level.
• The communication within a team is generally quite open and friendly, although it may at times appear somewhat direct and blunt.
• Role allocation within the team is generally clearly defined and people will take greater responsibility for their specific task than for the group as a whole.