"Should I embrace it with open arms or run away screaming, as fast as I can?”

We manage our own projects; we also channel privately raised funds from our network of over-developed country programmes, into our under-developed country programmes. There is also a corporate desire to devolve responsibilities from headquarters out into the regional and country programmes. This is taking multiple forms: the regions are already responsible (since two years ago) to coordinate the links between under-developed country programmes in their area, and over-developed parts of our global network. Last year, country strategy was devolved into the hands of the regions (with the expectation that they would facilitate but not control country strategy development). Now, moves are afoot to devolve the majority of funding decisions to the regional offices.

Should I embrace it with open arms or run away screaming, as fast as I can? In the past, funding decisions were made by a central committee. In future, it'll be up to each region to determine its own funding approval system, but based on central guidelines. But I feel like a fox being asked to guard the farmer's chickens: I value my project management support role most; I preferred the past when the field team included the regional leadership and we all ate humble pie together when a project got rejected by the centre. In future, I could be cast in the role of the judge; how can I simultaneously advocate for and support my own project staff? I will become one of 'they' – the ones who judge and approve/reject. And what of accountability, for I shall no doubt be enormously tempted to approve projects the centre might once have rejected? Or is my perspective so badly distorted that I just can't appreciate the obvious benefits, or am seeing problems which don’t actually exist?