Team and Group Dynamics: Three Monks

             This time Dr Mandi taught us about Team and Group Dynamics but not through what is written in the books but through a simple Chinese video. This was just a wonderful experience where we learnt the concepts given in all the great management books but totally without these books and this is what is unique about our POM class. Lets have a look at that video!

Three Monks - Introduction

Three Monks is a Chinese animated feature film. The video is derived from a book authored by Ting-Xing Ye's. 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."

        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. Then one day another monk joins him. He tries to share the job with another monk, but the carry pole is only long enough for one bucket. So they both share the load. 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 device a method which leads to equal load sharing between the three of them and they begin to live a harmonious life. The temple never lacks water again.

Analyzing the story

First Case

In the first situation as shown the task is being done only by one monk. As the task is done by only one member, though the efficiency is productive enough this can prove to be a bottleneck in face of any crisis. Moreover any innovation in the method of getting water may require more manpower, time which may have impact in his other daily activities and hence cannot be applied in this situation.

Learning

The presence of a single member contributes to the unity of direction in doing the job which is also a vital factor in any organization.

Second case

In second case the work load has been divided into two equal parts but one important factor to be considered here is the coordination between the two members in the team. The root cause for their difference of opinion is that there is no 'standards' or rules for completing the task in a coordinated manner. This is later sorted out when the first monk draws a scale and makes a fair ruling.

Learning
This principle is also very important with regards to any organization as there is a need to a unity of direction and proper distribution of work for the organization to march towards its goals. Another thing which needs to be highlighted is that the increase in manpower leads to increase in efficiency as the work-load on one person is reduced.

Third Case

Initially no one gets water and all of though are feeling thirst. But finally the fire induces a need to get the water and out of the need arises unity and they work together and get water quickly with less efforts.

Learning
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.

Finally we see that how the work-load is reduced with the help implementation of innovative methods and proper coordination. Thus the management of any company should focus on technological advancement so as to increase efficiency.

SMART Goals

This time Dr.Mandi explained us the importance in setting the goals high. As said by Dr. Mandi, the goals should always be set high, higher than our true potential. Developing sound goals is critical in managing our own performance and also our employees’ performance. The goals should be SMART enough.

A S.M.A.R.T. goal is defined as one that is specific, measurable, achievable, results-focused, and time bound. Below is a definition of each of the S.M.A.R.T. goal criteria.

Specific:

Goals should be simplistically written and clearly define what you are going to do.

                Specific is the What, Why, and How of the S.M.A.R.T. model.

Example:                 

 By July 1, 2014, a new appraisal system should be implemented for employees using clearly defined processes and guidelines so employees and managers can more competently evaluate performance and develop their careers.

Explanation of Example:

Implement a new appraisal system for employees = what

Using clearly defined processes and guidelines = how   

So employees and managers can competently evaluate performance and develop their careers = why

Measurable:   

Goals should be measurable so that you have tangible evidence that you have accomplished the goal. Usually, the entire goal statement is a measure for the project, but there are usually several short-term or smaller measurements built into the goal.

Example:

 By July 1, 2014, a new appraisal system should be implemented for employees using clearly defined processes and guidelines so employees and managers can more competently evaluate performance and develop their careers.

Explanation of Example:

The essential metric is whether or not the system is operational by July 1, 2014.

Achievable:

Goals should be achievable; they should stretch you slightly so you feel challenged, but         defined well enough so that you can achieve them. You must possess the appropriate knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to achieve the goal. You can meet most any goal when you plan your steps wisely and establish a timeframe that allows you to carry out those steps. As you carry out the steps, you can achieve goals that may have seemed impossible when you started. On the other hand, if a goal is impossible to achieve, you may not even try to accomplish it. Achievable goals motivate employees. Impossible goals demotivate them

Example:

By July 1, 2014, a new appraisal system should be implemented for employees using clearly defined processes and guidelines so employees and managers can more competently evaluate performance and develop their careers.

              Explanation of Example:

              In order for you to reach this goal, you must have a skill set, in this case in the area of appraisal process, that allows you to understand the nature of the goal, and the goal must present a large enough challenge for you to remain interested in and committed to accomplishing it.        

                                                  

Results-focused:

              Goals should measure outcomes, not activities.

Example:

 By July 1, 2014, a new appraisal system should be implemented for employees using clearly defined processes and guidelines so employees and managers can more competently evaluate performance and develop their careers.

            Explanation of Example:

             The result of this goal is a process that allows employees and managers to more competently evaluate performance and develop their careers, not the individual activities and actions that occur in order to make the goal a reality. 

Time-bound:

Goals should be linked to a timeframe that creates a practical sense of urgency, or results in tension between the current reality and the vision of the goal. Without such tension, the goal is unlikely to produce a relevant outcome.

Example:

 By July 1, 2014, a new appraisal system should be implemented for employees using clearly defined processes and guidelines so employees and managers can more competently evaluate performance and develop their careers.

            Explanation of Example:

                  July 14, 2014 provides you with a time-bound deadline.

The concept of writing S.M.A.R.T. goals is very important for accomplishing individual goals, which in turn are linked to department, division, and Organization goals. It is also critical for ensuring good communication between employees and supervisors so there are no surprises during annual performance evaluations.

Craftsmanship to Modern Management

  

Now we are used to the surprises given by the Dr.Mandi sir, today he bought building blocks and asked us to build a single cube tower. The challenge lies in building the tower as high as possible. The tower should be built in two different ways   

 1) Open eyed and alone

 2)  Blind folded and guided by some one

Can you guess in which case a high tower can be built?

 In both the cases a high tower can be built. In fact, as proved by mandi sir, in blind folded way a high tower can be built. The first case is a craftsmanship where all the roles have to be managed by individual whereas the second case is modern management in which work is divided and performed by the individuals as directed by the managers.

These two cases are demonstrated by the Mandi sir in a very practical way by using the building blocks

Open eyed and alone:

A person from the class was asked to come and build the tower .He has done that by using 22 blocks.

Blind folded and guided by some one

Three people are called from the class and asked them to play the role of CEO, Manger and a worker. The worker was blindfolded. Now the manager has to direct the worker in placing the blocks to build the tower.finally the tower was built with 27 blocks which is more than the blocks used by the open eyed worker.

Learning from this session:

Productivity and quality of the deliverables have a great difference when performed individually and performed in an organized system. Here, when individual is performing he has to decide and perform. Where in organized system or in modern management everyone will have their domain to perform and the manager will decide what to do and the worker can follow the instruction which leads to high productivity.

Examples are as follows:

1) A tailor switching the shirts and textile industry manufacturing the shirts in a classified and organized way.

2) A cobbler making shoe and Shoe Company manufacturing the shoes.

Conclusion:

When we work in an organized system with better role clarity, better productivity and quality can be yielded in a less time.

EARNING WHILE LEARNING

Today I experienced a different way of teaching by Dr T Prasad, popularly known as Dr Mandi. He entered the classroom and sat on the floor at the Dias. Everyone including me astonished. But in a while he asked all of us to join him. After that he started throwing stress balls and balancing birds at us. Then he took out a newton’s cradle with five balls hanging to that and demonstrated it. He went on explaining the ways of earning while learning in a very interactive way.

                The class was very interactive with all type of questions asked by us. We started inquiring about the mandi and its execution. Mandi  is an event at NITIE where the students go on to the streets of Mumbai and sell the toys  where the students can apply principles of stats, marketing and managerial economics.

I really loved the ways he explained earn while learning. One among them is to go home on vacation on some company’s expenses. This can be done by implementing the mandi’s concept for a reputed company’s product at our home town. With this we can earn, learn and at the same time enjoy the vacation at our home town .