Dear Harriet, it is alarming at the rate simple courtesy and politeness is declining, mostly in our corporate environment, please give counsel on this line. Keep up the good work, thanks. (Tunde Oni, Lagos.)
If there is anything so important now and would play a major role in the life of every worker, it is the Social and corporate outlook. A man’s charm is primarily judged by his appearance and utterance. A proper blend of both cultivates a perfect man. We are in a society where the recognition and observance of good art of speaking is largely ignored. Also, our general abilities to talk intelligently with one another seem to be declining. In fact, bad and terrible talks permeate every level of our corporate and civil lives. Until we master the speaking attitude our day to day business dealings in office telephone conversation and oral presentation would remain bland and inept. We should first realize that our personality reflects in the way we speak. A subordinate speaking to his boss should be bold to look straight into the eyes of his boss to pass on information or argue a point. Talking to the floor with our heads bowed and our knuckle cracking incessantly in sham obeisance strips us of self-confidence that may yet reside in us. To be a good speaker you should add value to whatever you say. You must be confident and be willing to say it in the most precise manner. Undue circumlocution only betrays your level of intelligence. The office environment is one good place where a worker’s temperament or his general outlook can be determined. At the office an individual comes in contact with people of diverse backgrounds. His or her ability to use words so effectively to indulge in constant chatter without rancor matters a great deal. Simple courtesy words like “may I use your calculator please? Or may I have your magazine for a moment please” will not only bring a smile to face of our interlocutor but they could also illuminate the charm in us. If there is one place politeness seems to have lost its value today, it is the corporate environment. The kind of conversation we hear on the telephone, even on casual discussions is drained of politeness. Speaking on the telephone in the office should be a courteous exercise. Anger or disgust can be expressed in a subtle manner such that the desired result could be better achieved. The use of imperative statements, especially when a request is to be made is disastrous to a telephone conversation. If while making enquiries you say “let me ask you a question “you would sound less polite than when you say “may I ask you a question please” what if you were receiving a call and the request is for your colleague, do you say for example “she is not back from lunch yet or she is away from her desk, but I expect her soon “no doubt the second option sounds more polite and courteous. In addition still on conversation, for the receptionist the statement “can I help you” has become such a polite cliché that it is said most often with a patronizing glare as if that is just the best that could be offered. This same expression could still be used with more attention and politeness for the visitor to feel more welcome. Imagine how a visitor will feel if the receptionist or the front desk officer with a smile in his or her face says “good morning, how may I help you please” it is pertinent to know that a face conversation is always more compelling than a telephone conversation. Whatever mode we use, we should be conscious that those who master the speaking attitude will always have a much better shot at winning the battle of ascendancy. The world may be agog with new technologies every day but they can never take the place of plain conversation. Speaking well in the office can enhance your career prospect, improve your chances of promotion and enhance your social life. Every worker must therefore see it as an act that must be cultivated.
A problem shared is a problem half solved. Take care of yourself and each other.
