# The promotion won with three questions

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-penang-promotion-three-questions
- Themes: presence, care, work, success
- Life situations: career advancement, customer service, workplace relationships

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

A Penang disciple working in customer relations at a big firm puts the emperor's three questions into practice: whoever is in front of her — boss, customer or co-worker — is the most important person, now is the most important time, and she cares. She gleefully tells Ajahn Brahm she won a prestigious promotion against 100–150 applicants because of it.

## The story, as told by Ajahn Brahm (verbatim captions)

there was one of the disciples from pinang a couple of years ago she heard that story and she put it in her through her life and custom relations and she was in a big firm in pinang and she came up to tell me with great Glee that she applied for a promotion a prestigious promotion she had 100 150 other people applying for that job she got it and she said she got it because she used the emess three questions whenever she was in customer relations whoever was in front of her whether it was her boss a customer or a coworker they were the most important person in the world for her now was the most important time and she cared she cared for this person they felt it

## Teaching point

Presence and care for whoever is in front of you bring success as well as peace.

## Reflection (in the spirit of Ajahn Brahm's talk)

A customer-relations officer in Penang took the emperor's three questions to work: whoever stood in front of her, boss, customer or colleague, got her full attention and real care. She beat over a hundred applicants for a coveted promotion. Presence is felt. Give the person in front of you this moment, and both the work and the day improve.

## Source

- [On Patience | Ajahn Brahm | 26-06-2009](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gl0Lyxi8nbQ) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 25:46 to 26:42: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gl0Lyxi8nbQ&t=1546s