3 Idiots crossing a valley- A demonstration of Team Work and Leadership

Let’s look at the below picture

We see that there are three people trying to cross a valley and all three are having a wooden pole on their shoulders. The gap in the valley is wide enough for a person to fall down. Starting with the first person, each person takes turn in crossing the valley while being supported by the other two. At a time a person hangs in the valley, his weight is supported by the other two people. We see that it’s difficult for a  person at the extreme to cross the valley since he will be supported only from one end. In case of middle person, he will be supported on both the ends.

What we see here is a group co-operation involving an fatal task. Few qualities of leadership and team work is to be learned here.

 Trust: Mutual trust is very essential here since you will be supported by the other two persons while hanging in the valley. Similarly, in an organization, you have to trust your team members to co-operate with you in final realization of organizational task.

Scientific approach:

It could be seen here that position and step of every person is well crafted to economize the body movements. In an organization, scientific way of working is required to perform the task efficiently and effectively.

Leadership:

Of the three people involved in the activity, not all might be able to look at the task with the same eye. It might be daunting to a one (mostly a newbie) and yet another day at work for some one other person. This is where I believe that the role of a leader comes into place. The leader can emerge within the three people or we might have a new leader altogether. But this definitely needs a leader who can drive the team to success. Co-ordinate them, encourage them, review the plan and do everything possible to re-assure his team members. 

Team Spirit: Here we can see that each person takes turn to bear the weight of one person. This kind of sacrifice is required to finally cross the valley along with the pole. In organizations, giving up your favourite task or working on behalf of others is required to reach overall goals.

Planning and Co-ordination: This task, being highly dangerous, should be well planned and rehearsed to ensure proper co-ordination and eliminate the chance of failure. This is particularly important since a wrong step by any person can topple the whole process.

This activity also demonstrates the Tuckman's group development model.

1.  Forming

Team requires clear aims and objectives from a leader.

2.  Storming

Every group will next enter the storming stage in which different ideas compete for consideration. The team addresses issues such as what problems they are really supposed to solve, how they will function independently and together and what leadership model they will accept. Team members open up to each other and confront each other's ideas and perspectives. 

3.  Norming

The team manages need’s to have one goal and come to a mutual plan for the team at this stage. Some may have to give up their own ideas and agree with others in order to make the team function. In this stage, all team members take the responsibility and have the ambition to work for the success of the team's goals.

4.      Performing

It is possible for some teams to reach the performing stage. These high-performing teams are able to function as a unit as they find ways to get the job done smoothly and effectively without inappropriate conflict or the need for external supervision. By this time, they are motivated and knowledgeable.

Having above qualities and knowledge qualifies one to have a Managerial Excellence
Managerial Excellence = Managerial Efficiency X Managerial Effectiveness

Efficiency is the technological or engineering part of the organization and effectiveness is the management part of firm and can be improved by applying proper management techniques.

Three Monks and the Organization Co-Operation

Dear Friends,
Today I will discuss organization co-operation and non co-operation through the award winning Chinese movie "Three Monks and No Water". This is a Chinese animated feature film produced by the Shanghai Animation Film Studio. After the cultural revolution and the fall of the political Gang of Four in 1976, the film was one of the first animations created as part of the rebirth period. It is also referred to as The Three Buddhist Priests.

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." The film does not contain any dialogues, allowing it to be watched by any culture, and a different music instrument was used to signify each monk.The film tells the story from the aspect of the buddhist bhikkhu.

Have you experienced yourself being stuck in a situation where everyone is waiting for each other to bring out the first step? “Three monks have no water to drink” is a profound Chinese proverb that depicts human nature that when working in a team, due to the lack of “vital sense”, employees in a group force are not paying enough effort to contribute to the overall success of a project

The movie and its learning can be divided into parts.
Part 1
There is one monk atop a hill who fetches water from the river. He is comfortable with the job and seeks pleasure in its fulfillment since water is a necessity and he is the only one who can fetch it.

Organization Learning from Part 1: This part shows a single person who is only responsible of doing a task will do it wholeheartedly since he will derive pleasure and satisfaction  from it. He is in full control of his job and knows that he will earn laurels if he does it efficiently.

Part 2
Enter Monk 2. He is thirsty and meets Monk 1 on the way. Initially Monk 1 offers him water and both the Monks decide to stay together. The next day they go to fetch the water but the carry pole is long enough for one bucket only and they feel inconvenient in carry the two buckets. After trying for few days they become angry with each other and the task stops. But when they realize the importance of fetching water they scale the pole and adjust it so that both feel comfortable in carrying the two buckets.

Organization Learning from Part 2:  This part shows that whenever two people share a task in which their individual part in not well defined, both will face problem in implementing it. Both will think that the other one should assume responsibility as there will be an issue of ego clash and insecurity of getting the adoration from the manager. In this case, the manager would do well in segregating the task and analyzing the performance of each one separately.

Part 3: Then comes Monk 3. His arrival leads to confusion amongst the three monks as to who would fetch the water and results in no water in the monastery even though the three monks are thirsty. Then a tragedy happens. At night, a rat comes to scrounge and then knocks the candle-holder, 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.They divide the task among themselves such that one monk fetches the water, other one pulls it through the pulley and the third one takes it to the monastery.The temple never lacks water again.

Organization Learning from Part 3: Now the third part is very important for a manager. He should find out the best way to do the task by using new techniques or by re-inventing his work methodology. This will insure that every employee works to the best of his ability and an organization is able to gain the benefits of the different qualities which different employees have. Every employee needs to specifically know the tasks that they have to do and the things that they work on would have a direct impact towards the success or failure of the outcome. We also lear an important thing: Excellence = Efficiency X Effectiveness. The three monks uses technology and co-operation to attain efficiency and effectiveness.

 The third part also reveals a basic human nature. "We may be different in qualities and perception, but when it comes to any crisis, we have an exceptional ability to unite."
 The movie emphasizes two important aspects of an organization: Co-operation and Productivity.
Recent developments in the organizational sciences reflect the importance of interpersonal trust relationships for sustaining individual and organizational effectiveness.

For managers and professionals in organizations, developing and maintaining trust relationships is especially important.

 

 






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