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Hey!!! Call Me by My Name
Hey Mark; how are you today? How was your weekend? These kind of
statements move around any office on a Monday morning. Now imagine;
Good morning Sir, how are you?; similar phrase but in different
locations...in abroad and in India, respectively.
The difference lies in the way of addressing your colleagues in the office; either senior or junior to you. Now a days the companies in India have also adopted the way Americans use to address their colleagues be it an old man sitting in the chair of a CEO or Head of any Department or a small cadre executive. Everyone is called by their First name.
On the contrary; the culture of taking the first name of the superiors in the office in India has become an issue for everyone; they think that it comes as an insult for them. But now many Companies have started using this kind of system mainly in call centers to get accustomed with the new trend of addressing your superiors.
At this juncture; many questions come in my mind: do we address as Sir or Ma'm only to our superiors or to others too? What if we call any HOD by his/her name? Will they feel bad? Why to call them with Sir or Ma'm cant we use 'Ji" (in Indian context) to show respect? Without using Sir, Ma'm cant we give respect to our seniors? Why the power difference is there so obvious for all? If we will call our bosses by their name will this be an offence?
Ooops….a long list of questions…and I am sure everyone would be having their own point of view for each and every question.
I am writing all this because I have seen the difference of working in a Company where everyone is addressed with their first name be it CEO of the company or an executive; that too with respect and killing away the barrier of levels and hierarchy. I have also worked in a Company where the bosses are addressed by Sir/ Ma'm (either with or without respect…..God only knows) it is, as per my thinking; is used as a compulsion for everyone to address like this and not with the first name. Cause of this may be the barriers of hierarchy and levels will never be finished. In the age of GenNext till what time these kinds of Companies can fight for their stand is a big question now. Are these Companies ready to accept the transition and move further or they are still on the same lines of artificial respect.
Think about it!!!
The difference lies in the way of addressing your colleagues in the office; either senior or junior to you. Now a days the companies in India have also adopted the way Americans use to address their colleagues be it an old man sitting in the chair of a CEO or Head of any Department or a small cadre executive. Everyone is called by their First name.
On the contrary; the culture of taking the first name of the superiors in the office in India has become an issue for everyone; they think that it comes as an insult for them. But now many Companies have started using this kind of system mainly in call centers to get accustomed with the new trend of addressing your superiors.
At this juncture; many questions come in my mind: do we address as Sir or Ma'm only to our superiors or to others too? What if we call any HOD by his/her name? Will they feel bad? Why to call them with Sir or Ma'm cant we use 'Ji" (in Indian context) to show respect? Without using Sir, Ma'm cant we give respect to our seniors? Why the power difference is there so obvious for all? If we will call our bosses by their name will this be an offence?
Ooops….a long list of questions…and I am sure everyone would be having their own point of view for each and every question.
I am writing all this because I have seen the difference of working in a Company where everyone is addressed with their first name be it CEO of the company or an executive; that too with respect and killing away the barrier of levels and hierarchy. I have also worked in a Company where the bosses are addressed by Sir/ Ma'm (either with or without respect…..God only knows) it is, as per my thinking; is used as a compulsion for everyone to address like this and not with the first name. Cause of this may be the barriers of hierarchy and levels will never be finished. In the age of GenNext till what time these kinds of Companies can fight for their stand is a big question now. Are these Companies ready to accept the transition and move further or they are still on the same lines of artificial respect.
Think about it!!!
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