Three professional salespeople submitted their resumes to a major corporation. They all had similar qualifications, so the interviewer held a sales competition to determine who would get the job.
The goal was to make a sale of combs to monks at any mountain shrine. The monks should be of the tradition where they have to shave their heads.
The interviewer said, “You have three days, and the person who sells the most will get the job.
The three applicants came back with their findings after three days.
The first candidate reported, “It was a very difficult situation, but I sold one comb. At first, They accused me of openly mocking them, and they scolded me.”
Because I was so dissatisfied, I decided to leave. On the way back, however, I noticed a young monk scratching his head incessantly due to an itch. He only bought one comb after I assured him it would reduce his itching.
The second candidate said, “That’s good, but I did better. I made ten comb sales.
The interviewer was impressed and asked, “How did you do it?”
The second candidate replied, “I noticed that the visitors’ hair was all messed up because of the strong winds they encountered on the way to the temple.” I persuaded the monk to hand out combs to the worshippers so that they would seem more reverent.
The third candidate excitedly interrupted, “Not so fast; I sold more than both of them.”
When asked how many copies were sold, the interviewer pressed for a number.
‘A Lot of Combs, It must be over hundreds”
“Wow! The interviewer questioned, “How did you do it?”
I praised the Senior Master of one of the largest temples for his service to the community and for creating a sacred space for worship. He thanked all who came to see him and expressed gratitude for their loyalty and commitment. I advised that he give his guests Buddha’s blessing and a souvenir.
I showed him the wooden combs I’d etched with encouraging remarks and explained how they’d be used daily to encourage people to be kind to others. The concept appealed to him, so he placed an order for a thousand brushes.
‘You got fortunate,’ one of the other candidates sniped sourly.
The interviewer said, “Not really.” He had the comb etched before he came since he was planning. If not this temple, then another one will desire it.
The third hopeful candidate grinned and said, “There is more.” I returned to the temple the day before yesterday to see how the Master was doing. Many tourists who visited the Buddha’s blessing on the comb went home and informed their friends and families about it.
The number of daily visitors continues to rise. As a result, the comb is in high demand, and people are willing to pay a premium for it.
The Master predicts the temple’s popularity will cause him to quickly run out of available combs and require him to place an additional order.
Moral: Planning and creative thinking are essential for any successful leader.
