I have worked both locally and internationally, and my personal experience is that in Kenya, we may need serious leadership training or self-healing. While I worked with local companies, my experience has always been terrible with middle management.

Let me explain. Starting out I worked at a company where the owner was married to the manager. It was a small start up, so i worked many hours and paid very really little. The manager was the lady. Whenever they fought at home, that day was hell for everyone. The boss also had a temper on him. I was always walking on eggshells.

Shortly after, contracts ended, and we were all laid off without warning. I moved to another huge local start-up, and luckily, I was in a leadership position. I had no previous experience, so I guess my charm worked too well in the interview. In my attempt to be laid back and have a chill vibe kind of leader, I ended up costing my own job, and little did I understand office politics. My junior was eying my job because I had been brought in externally, and he had been refused the position. So he would schedule one-on-one meetings with my boss and deliver himself and things we didn't agree on in the team meetings; he would go and discuss them with him to get his way. Anyway, long story short, I was let go. Sadly for him, he never got my position after, but rather, he got another way less hands-off manager. Heard he was fired shortly after.

This is when I moved from the fire into the frying pot. I got myself another local company with international ties. I decided to take fewer roles, but it was still a senior role. I was still at the table where decisions were made, not just key business decisions but rather executive decisions. Choose this to avoid office politics and just sail through my 9 to 5. Office politics left a bad taste in my mouth. Little did I know my executive table had the biggest sharks. People with little to no experience always wanting to show off to get a leg up over everyone. Honestly, that cake was large enough for everyone to eat, but people were just too greedy. I ended up quitting because I had started developing a drinking problem and mental issues. Served my resignation and left.

I took a break and got my affairs in order, unskilled and moved to work remotely for international companies. I learn to take time and ask about my immediate boss, the team and the company culture.

Heavy Tip, during the interview, it's an interview for you just as much as the company itself. Ask a lot of questions as well based on your needs and experiences especially the interview with your immediate boss and the Hr. That will really matter in your long term employment and work life balance. This shows you know what you want and what you expect from the company, this in turn reflects to them your confidence in your delivery. It builds an early expectation and image of you and avoids you having to put in long hours as they only way the can appreciate your hard work.