(Minghui.org) I have been a regular employee and coordinator at work and for Dafa projects.
Cooperating with the Coordinator
I began practicing Falun Dafa at the same time I started working. I adhered to the Dafa principles while doing my ordinary job, and did not hesitate to share everything with my colleagues, and cooperate well with them. My colleagues respected me and were happy to learn the facts about Falun Dafa. I was promoted to the position of manager after three years at my company in Vancouver. I didn’t come across the so-called glass ceiling effect – an effect that is the pervasive resistance to efforts of some women and minorities.
When I started to participate in Dafa truth-clarification projects, I continued to cooperate with the coordinators. Thus, everything went smoothly, and some practitioners praised me. After a while I felt I had done well and my boss and other practitioners had recognized my abilities. So when I saw other people not doing well, I became dissatisfied with the coordinators, and even looked down upon them. I felt that I could do better than them.
When I was doing a media project, I didn’t really cooperate, because it was not my way of doing things. I thought that my actions were justified, and I was doing it for Dafa. However, the result was not satisfactory. Other practitioners criticized me by saying that I was too proud of and taken with myself, yet I didn’t do well.
Master said:
“Even though you keep claiming it's for the good of Dafa, and that ‘my approach is good’ and can reach such and such goal--and maybe that really is the case--still, we shouldn't have attachments that are too much like ordinary people. If you can really do that, all the Gods will say, ‘This person is truly remarkable.’ It's not like Gods see that your idea worked and then they raise your level. Instead, they only raise your level when they see that your understanding of it has improved. This is a truth in the Righteous Fa. If you're thinking, ‘I'll have XYZ happen to me if I've gained such and such amount of merit,’ well, yes, that's how it works for an ordinary person, and it might be what's looked at as far as certain facets of the cosmos's Fa-truths go or in a particular situation. But true improvements come from letting go, not from gaining.” (Teaching the Fa at the 2002 Fa Conference in Philadelphia, U.S.A., Collected Fa Teachings, Vol. II)
I realized that I was seeking fame, not putting the Fa first, and not trusting the coordinator. When I considered things from the perspective of what Master wanted, everything became simple.
I came across a good article and wanted a certain practitioner to review it. Master arranged her to do so. When she happened to find this out, she thanked Master for encouraging her, because she was almost giving up her involvement in the project given the huge pressure she was facing.
We then had further discussions. She ecountered a lot of pressure from practitioners worldwide. I told her that I trusted her and was willing to cooperate with her. I shared my view of how a coordinator should do to in mobilizing team members.
My understanding was that although the coordinator had to pass the test, as a team member I should first think how I “assist Master as he journeys this human world” (Teaching the Fa at the Conference in New Zealand), and should trust and cooperate with the coordinator, see her merits, and complete the task with her.
Listening to Team Members
Master said:
“First off, you should treat yourself as one of the students instead of considering yourself above them. If there is something that you do not know in your work, you should humbly discuss it with others. If you have done something wrong, you should sincerely tell the students, ‘I, too, am a cultivator just as you are, so it’s inevitable that I’ll make mistakes in my work. Now that I’ve made a mistake, let’s do what’s right.’ If you sincerely want to have all practitioners collaborate to get things done, what results will you get?” (“How to Provide Assistance,” Essentials for Further Advancement)
When I was assigned to coordinate a project, I was happy that I had a strong team, but at the same time I worried that I might not be able to coordinate well, and I wasn’t sure if practitioners would cooperate with me. I tried to adhere to the Fa principles, and realized that the team members were all very cooperative.
I encouraged everyone to talk openly, provide suggestions, and point out anything not in line with the Fa principles. I listened to them at meetings and spoke out when necessary. I only talked about the things they did and didn’t target the practitioners themselves. I created an open and transparent environment for everyone to speak their thoughts.
Sometimes I knew that I proposed a plan that was not perfect. My team members acted just like what Master said:
“...if there's something lacking in it they'll unconditionally and quietly supplement it to make things more complete and perfect.” (Teaching the Fa at the 2002 Fa Conference in Philadelphia, U.S.A., Collected Fa Teachings, Vol. II)
I was very thankful to Master and our fellow practitioners.
My understanding was that as a coordinator I should have immense tolerance, and people would feel free to make suggestions and share ideas. I should give every practitioner opportunities, and enable all of them make full use of their abilities. I believe that Master gives practitioners different abilities so that we can form various teams and use the opportunities to succeed in our projects. I no longer think that I was not capable to lead the team. Every practitioner has huge capabilities. The coordinator has to dig them out.
Master said:
“...they shouldn't restrict the path that each Dafa disciple takes as an individual who's validating the Fa. So other than when it's a case of something bad for Dafa and the coordinator needs to put a stop to it, each Dafa disciple has to fully play his role and proactively do what he should as a Dafa disciple.” (Teaching the Fa at the Meeting with Asia-Pacific Students, Collected Fa Teachings, Vol. VI)
Category: Improving Oneself
