(Minghui.org) My understanding is that sometimes Master emphasizes in his lectures the need to become professional and use regular management methods. For example, he said in “Fa Teaching on World Falun Dafa Day,”

“What I advocate is the use of standard management practices.”

Master also mentioned at other times the necessity to cultivate diligently:

“Let’s talk about the media work, for example. A media company should be run well. Yet what do we have but people’s thinking turning more and more ordinary over the course of time, with people no longer looking at things as a cultivator would, but instead in ordinary ways. In no way is that being like a Dafa disciple.” (“Fa Teaching Given at the 2015 New York Fa Conference”)

But what sometimes happens is that practitioners go from one extreme of “We must be just like an ordinary company” to another: “Cultivation is the first priority, so how well we do things is not so important.”

Master said,

“Because of disciples’ differences in understanding, some disciples always go from one extreme to the other. Whenever they read the Fa I have written they take extreme actions, thereby causing new problems.” (“Take the Middle Way,” from Essentials for Further Advancement)

In this sharing I would like to point out some things that seem to be on the surface level. However, I only enlightened to them and was able to learn them through diligently cultivating and putting emphasis on my Fa study and really looking within.

Master said in “Fa Teaching Given at the 2015 New York Fa Conference,”

“Why are Dafa disciples running a media company, after all? To save people. Don’t forget that your purpose is to save people, and the reason to run a media company well is to save people. Clarifying the facts and saving sentient beings are what you need to accomplish. There is nothing else for you to accomplish.”

I believe that some of our media companies currently suffer from a lack of sufficient leadership. As I see it, leadership has become the constraint, the weakest link that keeps us down. If this is indeed the case, then it’s not too late–let’s start to change now.

Of course this is just my personal observation, and it is limited to the extent to which I can see into the management of our various projects.

But if this indeed is the case, I'd like to present here a few thoughts that have occurred to me regarding ways we might improve.

Future Leaders

Successful entrepreneurs and senior managers know that as their companies grow, they need to put in place and develop able lieutenants to aid in management. There is usually an ample number of internal candidates who can take full responsibility for new or existing business units. One person, no matter how capable, would be constrained by limited time and attention.

Identifying and grooming people with potential and the will to become capable leaders, then, is one of the key responsibilities of any company leader. Once identified, these people may gradually be given more and more responsibility, while being mentored by the company leader, other experienced leaders, or outside consultants.

Using Secretaries

Ordinary managers, from a certain level up, often have secretaries or assistants. Aside from being a status symbol, this role actually serves a vital function. As a manager’s responsibility grows, so does the administrative overhead associated with the job. If the manager were to deal with all of this overhead him or herself, there would be no time left to work on developing the business. This may sound familiar to some of us.

Master said,

“So, when everyone uses certain methods of management, it means that they suit people's needs and that gods permit such a format in society. In the last century or two, the way corporations operate has proven to be viable, and you could say it is the result of what ordinary people have learned through experience. Then why can't we follow those conventions when we run ours?” (“Fa Teaching at the 2009 Greater New York International Fa Conference”)

Why don’t we use secretaries or assistants more widely? Is it because those in management positions feel awkward asking for support? Or is it perhaps that we feel it would be beneath us to serve in a support capacity? I feel it would serve our businesses well to improve in this regard.

“Truth be told, if from the depths of your hearts you all want to see this paper succeed, then it won’t matter much what tone someone uses with you, who directs you, or who you have to be a subordinate to.” (“Fa Teaching Given at the Epoch Times Meeting”)

Hiring

Hiring the right person for the right position is another key responsibility of management. It means finding people whose skills, attitude, and potential to grow fit the desired job description and its goals, the team environment, as well as a future career path. Hiring the wrong person can have a serious impact on team performance.

A rigorous and focused hiring process would validate candidates' skills, attitudes, (xinxing), and future potential. Thorough reference checks and an extensive interview process digging into candidates' achievements and failures in detail, I believe, should be a part of the process. So too, should discussion of candidates' strengths and weaknesses, and stacking it all up all alongside the company's goals and job description. This process would enable all to see if any particular candidate is a good fit for the job and the team environment.

Master said,

“Shen Yun is a world-class company, and its requirements are only getting higher. The child's physical attributes have to meet the standard for professional recruitment, and students of dance have to be tall and thin, have a slender frame and long legs, be very flexible, and have a good vertical leap. The boys, too, have to meet these conditions, and so those who are plump or have too large a frame, or aren't tall enough, are not suitable. Music students need to have good musicianship and a good sense of rhythm...”

“If you don't have the necessary traits, though, don't try too hard to force it.” (“Fa Teaching at the 2009 Greater New York International Fa Conference”)

Spending a few more hours on new hires can save much grief down the road, and it makes for better teams.

Conclusion

I hope that this sharing can help fellow practitioners in our media and business projects to achieve what Master hopes from us.

Master said,

“If the media company that you run could really be well-established in mainstream society and truly become a global media company, think about it, wouldn’t it have a tremendous impact in exposing the evil and guiding mankind in a positive direction? And how powerful would it be in saving sentient beings?” (“Fa Teaching at the 2013 Greater New York Fa Conference”)

Please kindly point out anything not on the Fa.