Employee management and motivation is a complex matter that sometimes leaves managers confused and even headaches. Sales management is often not on-site management, and remote control management invisibly increases the difficulty of management.

Relax and take a look at the following classic stories, perhaps you will appreciate another artistic conception of management.

1 Division of labor

[Story]

After a young artillery officer took office, he inspected the training situation of his subordinate units and found that several units had a common situation during training: during the training, there was always a soldier standing under the barrel of the cannon from beginning to end, motionless. After inquiry, the answer obtained is: This is how the training regulations are stipulated.

Originally, the regulations followed the rules of the era of using horses to pull cannons. At that time, the soldier standing under the barrel of the cannon was tasked with pulling the reins of the horse to prevent distance deviation caused by recoil after firing the cannon, reducing the time for re aiming. Now the cannon no longer needs this role. But the regulations were not adjusted in a timely manner, resulting in the appearance of soldiers who did not pull horses. This officer's discovery earned him recognition from the Ministry of National Defense.

The primary task of management is scientific division of labor. Only when every employee is clear about their job responsibilities, can there be no negative phenomena such as referral and bargaining. If the company is like a massive machine, then each employee is like a component, and only when they love their job and are dedicated can the company's machines operate smoothly.
The company is developing, and managers should make timely adjustments to the number and division of labor of personnel based on the actual dynamic situation. Otherwise, there will be 'soldiers who don't pull horses' in the team. If someone in the team is filling in the gaps, it will not only cause salary losses to the company, but also lead to psychological imbalances among other personnel, ultimately resulting in an overall decrease in the company's work efficiency.

2 standards

[Story]

There was a young monk who worked as a bell chime worker. After half a year, he found it extremely boring and just said, 'I work as a monk until I hit a bell.'. One day, the host announced that he would be transferred to the backyard to chop firewood and fetch water, as he was not competent for the job of striking a bell. The little monk asked indignantly, "Isn't the clock I hit on time and not loud

The old host patiently told him, "Although the bell you hit is very punctual and loud, the sound is vague, weak, and lacks appeal. The bell is meant to awaken the addicted beings, so the bell you hit should not only be loud, but also round, deep, profound, and distant

[Analysis]

The host in this story made a common sense management mistake, which was due to the host's failure to disclose work standards in advance. If the young monk had understood the standards and importance of striking the bell on the day he entered the temple, I don't think he would have been dismissed for negligence. Work standards are the behavioral guidelines and assessment criteria for employees. Lack of work standards often leads to employees' efforts not aligning with the overall development direction of the company, resulting in a significant waste of human and material resources.

Due to the lack of reference materials, employees are prone to develop a sense of complacency over time, leading to work slackness. Efforts should be made to digitize the development of work standards, linking them with assessments and emphasizing operability. SEE MORE →

3 System

[story]

Seven people live together and drink a bucket of Congee every day. Obviously, Congee is not enough every day. At the beginning, they drew lots to decide who would share the porridge, one round a day. So every week, they only have one day to be full, that is, the day when they share their porridge.

Later, they began to select a person with high morality to share the gruel. Power will lead to corruption, and everyone will start digging their brains to please and bribe him, causing the entire small group to be in a state of chaos. Then everyone started to form a three person porridge distribution committee and a four person selection committee, and they attacked each other and argued about the dispute. Congee was cold from mouth to mouth.
Finally, I came up with a method: take turns to share the porridge, but the person who shares the porridge should wait until everyone else has finished picking up the last bowl. In order to prevent oneself from eating the least, everyone tries to divide equally, even if it is unfair, one can only accept it. Everyone is happy and harmonious, and the days are getting better and better.

[Analysis]

The essence of management lies in 'reason' rather than 'management'. The main responsibility of the manager is to establish a reasonable game rule such as "taking turns to share gruel, and then taking it", so that each employee can manage himself according to the game rule. The game rules should balance the interests of both the company and individuals, and unify individual interests with the overall interests of the company.
Responsibility, rights, and interests are the three pillars of a management platform, all of which are indispensable. Lack of responsibility can lead to corruption and eventual decline in a company; Without rights, the execution of managers becomes useless paper; Lack of benefits will lead to a decrease in employee motivation and extreme laziness. Only when managers build a platform of "responsibility, power, and benefit" can employees "cross the sea and show their abilities".

4 Competition

[Story]

A forest park abroad once raised hundreds of sika deer. Despite the quiet environment, abundant aquatic plants, and no natural enemies, a few years later, the deer population not only did not develop, but also fell ill and died, resulting in negative growth.
Later, they bought a few wolves and placed them in the park. Under the pursuit and predation of the wolves, the herd of deer had to run nervously to escape. In this way, except for the elderly, weak, sick and disabled who are preyed upon by wolves, the physical fitness of other deer is increasing day by day, and their numbers are rapidly growing.

[Analysis]

The flowing water does not rot, and the axis of the household does not rot. People are born with a kind of laziness, and without competition, they will become complacent and sleep on their credit books. The competitor is the wolf chasing after the spotted deer, always keeping the spotted deer clear about the position of the wolf and its companions. The deer running ahead can get better food, while the deer running last becomes the wolf's food. According to market rules, reward the "top deer" and eliminate the "bottom deer" from the market.

5 Exercise

[Story]

A person caught a young eagle in an eagle's nest at the top of a high mountain. He brought the young eagle home and kept it in a chicken coop. This young eagle pecked, played, and rested with the chicken. It thinks it's a chicken. This eagle is gradually growing up and its wings are full. Its owner wants to train it to be a falcon, but because it spends all day with chickens, it has become completely like chickens and has no desire to fly.

The owner tried various methods, but to no avail, and finally brought it to the mountaintop and threw it out. This eagle fell straight down like a stone, flapping its wings desperately in panic, and finally flew up!

[Analysis]

Everyone hopes to prove their worth with their own abilities, and subordinates are no exception. Providing them with greater space to showcase their talents is the greatest respect and support for them. Don't be afraid of their failure, give them appropriate support and guidance, let go of the "eagle" in your hand, and let them soar in a wider sky.
If it's a monkey, give them a mountain to tinker with; if it's a dragon, give them a big river to flutter with. Their growth will bring greater contributions to your work. Their growth will propel you further.