Recommended Reading | Understanding Management through the Story of the Little Monk Who Ringed the Bell

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Are you the type of employee who just goes through the motions? Or does your company have such employees? “Doing just enough to get by for the day may seem like completing one’s daily tasks, but in reality it does not ensure any quality in the work done, which is very harmful to the company. One day, a new monk arrived at the temple, and the abbot assigned him the task of ringing the bells. According to the temple’s rules, his duty was to ring the bell once in the morning and once at dusk every day. Over several months, the young monk found the task of ringing the bells to be extremely simple and gradually grew bored. Before long, I simply decided to go with the flow and do what needed to be done on a day-to-day basis. One day, the temple abbot suddenly announced that he would be transferred to the back yard to chop wood and carry water, on the grounds that he was not competent for the task of ringing the bells. The young monk found it strange, so he asked the abbot, “Is it because the bell I ring is not on time or not loud enough?” ” The abbot told him, “Your bell rings loudly, but its sound is hollow and weak, because you do not understand the meaning of ringing the bell in your heart.” The sound of the bells is not only a guide for daily activities in the temple, but more importantly, it serves to awaken those who are lost in delusion. Therefore, the sound of the bells should not only be loud, but also mellow, rich, deep, and resonant. If there is no bell in one’s heart, then there is no Buddha ； How can one take on the role of ringing the bells if not devout? ” On the surface, it seems reasonable that the young monk failed to ring the bell properly and was sent by the abbot to chop wood and fetch water. But from another perspective, Ko wa has not been able to ring the bell properly; aside from his own personal factors being to blame, the temple supervisor should also take responsibility. If the young monk had been told by the temple supervisor about the essentials of ringing the bell when he first started working there, or if his mistakes were pointed out to him while he was ringing the bell, the outcome might have been very different; at the very least, he wouldn’t have ended up changing jobs after ringing the bell for months without any clear reason, nor would he have felt so depressed. Thinking of the workplace, we often encounter issues such as managing new employees, employees becoming more and more passive over time, and frequent turnover. From the story of \"The Little Monk Who Rings the Bell,\" we can draw the lesson that managers and supervisors need to define their coaching roles clearly. During the process of the little monk ringing the bell, the abbot failed to provide proper guidance in terms of mindset to the young monk. In the modern workplace, it is generally recognized that managers and supervisors have a role known as “coach.” Managers/ supervisors should proactively identify and fulfill this role well. The role of a coach is to help the person being coached become aware of themselves; therefore, we should treat employees as we would team members, assign them appropriate job roles, and provide them with guidance on their mindset. Attention should be paid to pre-job (including onboarding) training for employees. When a new employee starts working, they should first receive the company’s onboarding training; thereafter, managers and direct supervisors from various departments should provide further pre-job training. As the saying goes, “The master shows the way, but it is up to the individual to practice.” It is essential that these mentors (department managers and supervisors) possess the ability and methods to guide others ； Only then can the cultivation of employees be emphasized. Therefore, in the management of new employees, the human resources department, managers at all levels, supervisors, and on-site supervisors must work together to provide systematic pre-job training in order to achieve the goals of guidance and mentorship. Provide work standards and job responsibilities in a timely manner, so that employees can strive toward their goals. Attention should be paid to leading by example for employees. When the young monk failed to ring the bell properly, the abbot immediately assigned him to fetch water and chop wood without any prior discussion. This reflects the simplicity of the abbot’s management style. To ensure that the young monks can ring the bell properly, managers and supervisors must proactively change their management style; they not only need to explain to the employees the significance of ringing the bell, but also must personally demonstrate the key points and steps involved in doing so – which is what we refer to as on-the-job training, supervision, and coaching. A positive organizational atmosphere should be created within the department. The young monk rang the bell for months, but eventually was assigned by the abbot to fetch water and chop wood because his way of ringing the bell was not up to standard. During this time, why didn’t anyone offer suggestions about the young monk’s poor way of ringing the bell? It is conceivable that although the young monk made the temple his home, the culture of cooperation there was not very good, as everyone was only focused on their own spiritual practice. It is the responsibility of department managers and supervisors to foster a spirit of teamwork and a positive organizational atmosphere. Only teams with such an atmosphere and a spirit of cooperation can unleash their full potential, motivate employees, prevent them from merely going through the motions, and retain talent. Source: Internet