Some Tips About Screening, HIring, Training, Managing New Employees in the Rule of St. Benedict

The next entry in the Rule focuses on new monks: how they are to be treated and trained when they seek entry into the monastery.

Before we get to St. Benedict's words, a quick background check: If you thought that monks were folks who were escaping from the world, think again. 

First of all, humility and obedience form the core of monks life. We've seen enough of the exacting daily routine so far this year to convince us that life isn't - as the old expression goes - the life of Reilly. Most of us live much cushier existences than monks living in a serious monastery. 

Second of all - as we'll see - you don't just stroll into a Benedictine monastery (at least the ones that take their Rule seriously) and expect everyone to dance a jig. Quite the opposite, in fact. 

"When anyone newly cometh to be a monk, let him not be granted an easy admittance; but, as the apostle saith: 'Test the spirits, to see whether they come from God.' If such a one, therefore, persevere in his knocking , and it it be seen after four or five days that he bears patiently his harsh treatment and the difficulty of admission and persists in his petition, then let admittance be granted to him, and let him stay in the guest- house for a few days. After that let him dwell in the novitiate, where the novices work, eat, and sleep. And let a senior be assigned to them who is skilled in winning souls, that he may watch over them with the utmost care. Let him examine whether he is zealous for the Work of God, for obedience, and for humiliations. Let him be told all the hardships and trials through which we travel to God."

So now we know what a man should expect when he seeks to be a Benedictine monk. No sooner does he knock on the door and ask admittance than a message is sent. If he had any notions of escaping from the outside world to seek shelter from whatever storm had buffeted him, that notion was dashed against the protective bulwark of the Rule's entry protocol.

Given the central importance of stability in the monastery, all this makes a lot of sense. You don't accept someone who might get up and leave at the first hint of difficulty.

Here's how we might apply this to our own workplace in three areas: hiring, training, managing.

Hiring

Disorganized or outright bad companies hire based on the candidate having a pulse. Better Companies have standards and a process that can screen candidates. Really good companies will be quite particular with those they intend to hire.

For the candidate looking to be hired, like the monk persistently knocking on the door, consider a strategy that doesn't take an initial "No" as a final answer to an inquiry, especially if you really want a job at a specific company. Within reason, coming back after an initial rejection may impress a potential employer. There's a limit here, but worst case is you persist with no response or multiple rejections; then move on to the next opportunity.

Training

Good companies have some sort of training regimen for new employees. These days many companies either don't put any effort into training, or do only quick, superficial training. Their employees show it. (You may have had experience with such people. It's pretty obvious they have no clue what they're talking about!)

We'll get to managing next time.

For now, we note the very specific and detailed process St. Benedict created here. Recall that "stability" in the monastery refers to its members remaining there for life, in obedience, following the precepts of the Rule and the commands of the Abbot. This process makes it so much more likely that a new "recruit" will understand the meaning and importance of stability. If such a life loses its initial appeal, through the rigor of this process he will naturally come to the conclusion that the monk's life is not for him. And so he will leave.

Screening at this early stage promotes long-term stability in the monastery. In our own businesses, well thought out hiring and training of recruits could do the same.