TEAM WORK-THREE MONKS AND THE MONASTRY

THREE MONKS- The IMPORTANCE of TEAm work

The film is based on the ancient Chinese proverb "One monk will shoulder two buckets of water, two monks will share the load, but add a third and no one will want to fetch water.

Few things about the film:

The story of the three Monks is an anime film directed by A Da. The film has got many recognitions including:

i>             outstanding film award at China's Ministry of Culture.

ii>            Best animated film prize at the first Golden Rooster Awards in 1981.

iii>           four international awards including a Silver Bear for Short Film at the 32nd Berlin Film Festival in 1982.

Plot:

A young monk lives a simple life in a temple on top of a hill. He has one daily task of hauling two buckets of water up the hill. He tries to share the job with another monk, but the carry pole is only long enough for one bucket. The arrival of a third monk prompts everyone to expect that someone else will take on the chore. Consequently, no one fetches water though everybody is thirsty. At night, a rat comes to scrounge and then knocks the candleholder, leading to a devastating fire in the temple. The three monks finally unite together and make a concerted effort to put out the fire. Since then they understand the old saying "unity is strength" and begin to live a harmonious life. The temple never lacks water again.

Lets discuss and analyze the various situations that arises in the film and also relate to real life situation.

The one

We find that in this case there is only one monk and he carries two bucket of water. It may be sufficient for the monastery as consumer is also one. Here innovative ideas are not being implemented as there is one person so demand being very less and it is getting fulfilled by the resources bought by the same person. In organization this self sufficiency attitude is required for example there is only one member in a team and he is responsible for all the deliverables, then he had to take care of all the requirements and necessary activities to be done without depending on other person.

Twosome

Two monks share the load of a single bucket of water. Still they find it difficult because there is no coordination between them. Both of them wants to be in the easy state and wants that other person to do all the work. This situation is very common in any organization. Every team member hardly put equal efforts, here dependency arises and sometimes team work is hampered.

Threesome

The work comes to a still as third monk enters the monastery the other two force him to go and fetch water. This particular case is a perfect example of social loafing in an organization where people start exerting less effort to achieve a goal when they work in a group than when they work alone. Moreover the lack of proper coordination between the members in the team results in complete organizational failure.

Crunch situation

But we see that in the face of crunch situation, all the three members forget their internal differences and work in a synchronized manner to improve the situation. This results in work being properly distributed in which results in highest efficiency when compared to all other previous cases.

This particular instance highlights that the manager must have a strategy for crisis management. This situation is also very common especially with IT industry as I have been there, during the time of deadline the pressure increases in numerously and at that time everyone realizes and meet the deadlines with team effort. The role of manager is very critical in the crunch situation as at that time employees do their job properly but there must be someone who can steer the ship and give proper direction.

Use of Innovative ideas

We saw that after the crunch situation is over, the monks went for innovative ideas due to which work-load is reduced with the help implementation of those innovative methods and proper coordination. Thus the management of any company should focus on technological advancement and innovative ideas so as to increase efficiency

The case of Theory X and Theory Y

Theory X and Theory Y

What is it?

Douglas McGregor's 1960 publication which highlighted the concepts of Theory X and Theory Y managers have forever been used to explain the art of motivation based on human behaviour. It encapsulated a fundamental distinction between the different management styles and is a valid basic principle from which to develop positive management style and techniques to propel organisations towards excellence.

Theory X and Theory Y

Organisations consist of employees and managers. The theory delves on the attitude and outlook of managers - the direction and growth of the organisation is in the hands of managers and it is solely their way of managing things which leads to proper motivation of the employees and in the process, achieve growth in the organisation.It is important to note here that Theory X and Theory Y looks into managerial psychology and their way of planning and running the organisation. Thus, it focuses on the class of managers and their behavioral attributes and attitude. 

Theory X Managers

His Theory of Motivation states that there is a certain class of mangers who fall in the bracket of Theory X. In this theory management assumes employees are inherently lazy and will avoid work if they can. Because of this, workers need to be closely supervised and comprehensive systems of control put in place. A hierarchical structure is needed, with narrow span of control at each level, for effective management. According to this theory employees will show little ambition without an enticing incentive program and will avoid responsibility whenever they can.

The managers influenced by Theory X believe that everything must end in blaming someone. They think most employees are only out for themselves and their sole interest in the job is to earn money. They tend to blame employees in most situations, without questioning the systems, policy, or lack of training which could be the real cause of failures.

Theory Y Managers

Management influenced by this theory assumes that employees are ambitious, self-motivated, anxious to accept greater responsibility and exercise self-control, self-direction, autonomy and empowerment. Management believes that employees enjoy their work. They also believe that, given a chance, employees have the desire to be creative at their work place and become forward looking. There is a chance for greater productivity by giving employees the freedom to perform to the best of their abilities, without being bogged down by rules.

A Theory Y manager believes that, given the right conditions, most people will want to do well at work and that there is a pool of unused creativity in the workforce. They believe that the satisfaction of doing a good job is a strong motivation in itself. A Theory Y manager will try to remove the barriers that prevent workers from fully actualizing themselves.

The following diagram gives a clear explanation about Theory X and Theory Y managers:

Now we further discuss the role of such managers and the effect on employees through the following four cases. As and where possible, examples from my experience of working under such managers has been highlighted.

Situation I:   Employee dislikes his work and manager assumes he is lazy

This kind of a situation is seen in many organisations where lack of clear directive principles and ineffective goal setting leads to disillusionment and non-motivation among the employees to perform better. During my working days, while working in various committees as junior members, I often found seniors at the leadership didn't care much about us or the betterment of the club as a whole. Gradually, we assumed a stance where we also didn't work or care much and slowly started disliking working in it. They assumed we were lazy and went about it in that manner. This is a classic case of Theory X Managers where both the management and employees assume that the top rung will be giving orders to the lower rungs and they will follow the same.

Situation II:   Employee likes his work and manager assumes he is lazy

This is probably the most dangerous out of all the four possible situations where the employee likes his work and finds himself highly motivated from within to work and contribute, however the manager still assumes he is lazy and thus is greatly harmful to the motivational growth of the employee and the organisation as a whole.  I had the (mis)fortune of having such a manager during my initial days at my workplace. The team members would work extra hard to achieve already stringent deadlines and produce quality work, often doing value addition on their own and inspiring each other to work harder and stay focused. However, our manager still assumed we were a group of lazy employees and would constantly point out minor issues, without focusing on the larger picture of employee's performance. Even with whole-hearted contributions, the team was deemed to be performing below par and not meeting objectives. Such managers can be detrimental to the success of the organisation as often, good employees might leave the organisation to other rival companies, leading to further attrition.

Situation III:  Employee dislikes his work and manager assumes he is not lazy

In this case, even though employees dislike their work, there is a strong focus from management to think they  can do better and perform much more to aid the organisation. Immense morale boosting attitude, a definite belief that employees will perform better given more optimistic managers at the helm, performance based incentives at all levels are some of the means of getting the employees up to speed. This kind of a workplace is where the Theory Y managers exhibit their true mettle and where the attitude they adopt crucially shapes the future of the organisation.

Situation IV:  Employee likes his work and manager assumes he is not lazy

This is the most ideal case where the employee is focused and likes his work and performs it to the fullest extent. This is achieved as a result of hardworking employees working in an environment of synergy with the management who leave no stones unturned to motivate them through their positive attitude. I had the fortune of being under such a manager during my last days at the workplace. He would focus greatly on the employee's performance on a weekly basis. If there ever came any reasons which could demotivate the employees, he would take it up on an immediate basis and have it solved as soon as possible. An ever-supportive person for the employees, especially in front of the senior management during appraisal times, he had succeeded in bringing harmony in a team which had initially lost all faith in the management due to prior incidents. He would take time out from his personal schedule to interact on a person-to-person basis with us, understand each person's problems and offer solutions and his own help to sort them out so that the employee didn't go home disgruntled. It showed in our work as we too started to scale up and exceed the goals set in front of us, thus leading to excellence of the organisation. Such Theory Y managers make great organisations greater.

In a diverse world of different organisations with different philosophies, I believe that managers should try to become Theory Y managers in situation IV as this leads to successful growth of all stakeholders involved. Even in the case where such a situation becomes hypothetical, I feel that Theory X managers shown in situation II above are the worst managers as the negative vibe they give out harms all the parties.

Together we can.... The Valley crossing

Together we can.....

The above lines are aptly signified by the Valley crossing activity performed in Prof. Mandi's class. An activity which tells us to support the weakest link to make the strongest chain. This activity helps us learn the importance of roles each member plays in achieving the most difficult targets.

The 3 Idiots Crossing the Valley:- Dr. Mandi          

Teamwork can be defined as an activity or a set of inter-related activities done by more than one person to meet a common goal. Teamwork is not followed only in the corporate world today, rather it is one of the oldest things known to man. Mankind has worked in teams and groups since the primitive days of civilization. Hunting and wandering together in groups is an apt example of teamwork during those days. It is only in recent times, that it has been developed as a 'concept' in the management jargon. 


Refer the attached video for Valley crossing activity.
                               




Team is aptly signified by :-

                                        T  - Together

E - Everyone

A - Achieves

M -     More   

    

I am sure you have definitely heard or read the above extended form of the word TEAM many times. Together Everyone Achieves More, itself conveys the importance of teamwork in the workplace and elsewhere.

Why is Teamwork Important ?

The importance of working in a team are many. It involves the joint efforts of a number of people to achieve a common goal. Therefore every organization should emphasize on the importance of teamwork for the overall growth of the company.

Fast Learning
You tend to learn things at a faster rate, if you are working as a team. the faster you learn the faster you tend to perform in the team. The experiences and knowledge of the older team members help you to grasp new concepts quickly. At the same time it proves to be an added bonus for you as you avoid mistakes at work. 

Workload Distribution
Working in a team has an advantage of the workload getting distributed among all the team members. With work properly distributed, you can concentrate on a single activity till the time you gain expertise in it and you do not feel stressed out due to work. 

Building Bonds
Continuous interaction with the team members, working with them for the day, having your meals with them, sharing your joys and sorrows helps in building a strong bond between each other. The team members build strong relationships of trust and understanding which can invoke loyalty for the team and work place as well. In this way, you can even make friends for a lifetime. 

Healthy Competition
Just think of a situation where people are competing with each other and trying to excel better than the other. At the same time they are helping and assisting each other in work-related as well as personal difficulties and problems. Wouldn't that be a great sight! Well this is possible when you work as a team, as everyone is emotionally bonded to each other. 

Exploring Creativity
While working in a team you will never be alone, you will always have some or the other person to suggest you good things. Suggestions and advice can help you in generating new ideas and bring out the creativity in you. 

Job Satisfaction
Teamwork is one of the most important reasons for employee job satisfaction. This is because working in a team improves employee performance as well as makes the work enjoyable. This is also conducive to employee motivation. 

Increased Speed of Work
With many people handling a single project and doing the assigned work properly, the overall work speed increases and your team can complete the project well within the given time frame. 

 

The above-mentioned benefits of teamwork were team specific. But teamwork is even beneficial at the organizational level. Effective teamwork in the workplace benefits the organization by increasing the productivity which is important to meet the targets and fulfill commitments. Also, teamwork ensures maximum use of manpower. This is the reason companies are promoting teamwork in the workplace. 

Working as a team can benefit you as an individual, as a team as well as an organization. For some people it might be a bit difficult to adjust in a group initially, but I am sure, they will gradually learn to adjust and work as a team. Effective teamwork motivates an individual to grow into a responsible citizen and accomplish individual as well as organizational goals.

In the present day globally competitive market, the real success of a firm lies in the performance of its team. A dull, demotivated team lacking in coordination leads to the downfall of an organization whereas a company with well organized employees charts out the path to success. HR policies of the company are hence always directed for the betterment of the employee so that their performance can be maximized. So, next time, your team lands up with a project, remember the motto: "Together We Can".

Khan Academy:- A Revolution in Free Education

                                 

Khan Academy. On a first read u think it’s one of the bollywood Khan’s theatre Academy. But reading down further u get to know that you are in for a ride. This is one of the most innovative and the noblest thing being done by a person till date. This person has revolutionised education. Free online study video’s for everyone to learn and grow. Where everyone is in for profit making, Salman is running a non profit organisation for the people around the world.

Salman khan Born to a Bengali mother and Bangladeshi father is a MIT graduate and a MBA from Harvard. The Khan Academy started with Khan remotely tutoring his cousins interactively using Yahoo Doodle images. These sessions got famous with other cousins taking advantage of the same, other friends and cousins started taking advantage, remote tutoring. This is when YouTube came into play. Khan saved a lot of his as well as his cousin’s time, wherein Khan started  to make YouTube video tutorials.  He recorded audio narratives with a Samson C03U USB  Condenser.Video lessons subjects varying  from Finance to Biology and many more pouring in, tutors from various disciplines are giving video lessons for the students around the world to watch and grasp. 

                                             

Khan left his job as a Hedge fund analyst and followed his passion of teaching. Khan's efforts have born fruit with monetary support pouring in from Philanthropic sources of the likes,Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Google announcing $2 million aid and many more coming forward to support this noble cause of free education for all. With such kind of support its growing bigger and better day by day. Way to go Mr. Khan. All the very Best.

Attached below is an example video:- 

References:- 

en.wikipedia.org

www.khanacademy.org