Once upon a time, Parents taught children Manners and Courtesy. Husbands and Wives appreciated each other. The workplace was more then just a place we hate to go to on a daily basis and Customer Service was still that - Customer Service.
If that sounds like the beginning of a Fairy Tale to you and the Nature of today's Beast comes out more and more in your daily life, I hope you will stick with me on my trip through the lost art of M.A.C.: Manners, Appreciation and Courtesy.
Manners are more then just a 7 Letter Word.
Manners used to be something that was as natural to us as breathing; Parents trained at least basic Manners into us as early as we could start understanding. Granted there are still civilizations and families out there that still do that, but sadly they have become an exception rather then the Norm.
Today starting with Children in Kindergarten and younger up to high Level CEO's in Multi-Billion Dollar Cooperation's we see that they have lost their basic ability to apply Manners in our day-to-day life. More often then not the Words: Please, Thank You, May I or You are Welcome, seem to be Phrases from a different Planet. Children shout over Adults having a conversation or tell an Adult to shut the @#*& up. Children don't request - they demand or scream mental abuse if their demands for the newest material obsessions are not met. Children threaten and hit their elders or parents.
Bosses of either gender think they have the Right to speak down to their Employees or worst yet encourage that the ladder may be climbed by other means then achievements. I personally have worked for a boss that seems to believe that cusswords are a proper form of address instead of my name. Or that the use of just the last Name with any form of Mr., Miss or Misses is completely acceptable by a young buck to an older worker.
Interrupting each other or use of rude and profane language to respond to each other is an everyday thing these days. Turning the back on a person while they speak to you and walking away, seems to be everyday now.
How about being late for appointments? If time is money, how often do we seem to think it is perfectly fine to force others to wait on us? There was a Time when such a behavior was unthinkable. It was the norm to be at least 10 - 15 minutes early to work, a meeting, a date or any other appointment. It was not even all that long ago.
Appreciation can make or break inter-connection between People.
If there is one thing most of us can not stand for long and it makes us debate if moving on might be the right action here, it is the lack of appreciation. There is nothing worst then being taken for granted. It starts in the Family and continues into the Work Force.
When we have been part of something for a long time, we as humans seem to start taking it for granted. Day in and day out we work hard to get places and achieve our goals, most of the time not just for our own happiness, but for others as well. In a Family appreciation can be shown by a simple “well done”, “thank you” or a hug and a smile. However, when everything just seems to be expected to be done, the joy in the deed is quickly fading away. We wonder why we even bother.
Workplaces are even worse. Yes, sure we get paid for our work, but a show of appreciation when a worker has gone above and beyond the required effort to accomplish the job is not out of place. How often do we get dressed down for small infractions, are reprimanded for a deadline not met. Sadly that needs to be done in the business world, however there is not need to be discourteous about the way it gets handled. On the other hand it is seldom that a good Word is brought forwards. More often then not, Supervisors seem to want to take the praise for them-selves when something extra has been done, instead of forwarding it to the proper Person.
The irony on this however is that by behaving in such an unappreciative manner, good Workers lose interest in going the extra mile. A little Appreciation regardless if vocal or monetary, the pat on the back for great achievements gives us the desire to do even more and better. That too is human nature.
Did simple courtesy die with the age of Chivalry?
What ever happened to opening the door for a lady? Helping an old Person across the street? Helping someone carry a heavy load? Getting up for an elderly Person or a mother with a new born baby on the Bus, so he or she can sit down? How about waiting your turn in a line or helping someone up that has fallen down?
