Who Needs Titles Just Call Me By My Name


 

I chatted on the phone for the first time with a new acquaintance recently. His first question to me was how he should address me. I said Adzhar is fine.
It’s the name my parents gave me, and calling me that honours them. It also honours the policeman back then who, when registering my birth, accidentally added a “d” to it.
It makes my name slightly unusual. Most Malays have no problem with it (they must’ve known the policeman), but non-Malays trip over it sometimes. Foreigners trip over it a lot.
The closest foreigners come to pronouncing my name is Edd-zharr, or occasionally Adz, but strangely never Edz. That’s close enough, and I’m sure my parents (and the policeman) would’ve given it a pass.
The ‘d’ that came along.Cool and the gang
My first job more than 40 years ago was with a semiconductor company. They were the cool ones, just as Google or Apple are the cool ones now. We wore jeans and T-shirts at the office, and worked five days a week when hardly anybody did so back then.
I joined as a lowly middle manager, but addressed both my Malay lady boss and the American CEO by their first names. Pretty much everybody was on a first-name basis there, and I liked that.
When I came to KL for business, I was intimidated by people in formal office clothing such as white shirts and ties. Back in Penang, people only wore ties when they were going for a job interview somewhere.
Ads by KioskedYears later when I came to work in KL, I found that many of those people who had intimidated me were rather low-level “executives”, junior or middle managers at most, much like the job I started with years earlier.
One of my companies had an American boss seconded to sort things out as we’d been a rather aimless company and things were starting to get hot.
The executive class
One of the boss’s first requests was to meet with all the executives of the company. At the meeting room he was met with hundreds of staff, all with titles of Executive or grander (and wearing ties).
His first reaction was: No wonder this company is in trouble! Look at how top-heavy it is! The company had no revenue or profits (yet) but had hundreds of “executives”!
The misunderstanding was soon cleared up. In America, an executive is somebody who executes big strategies and business plans, part of what’s now called the C-suite. An “Officer” or “Executive” of a company is a big cheese indeed.
Ads by KioskedBut in Malaysia, an Executive or an Officer is somebody who’s in between a manager and a clerk. They’re mostly order-takers and the only things they execute are the staplers and filing cabinets.
Now that you know that, this next story makes sense.
A young Malaysian wanted to buy a popular car. When he placed his order, having just returned from studying in the US, he asked for what he thought was the top of the line model, the “Executive”.
As with other cases of “Executive” in Malaysia, that turned out to be just one model up from the bottom, barely qualifying for an aircon and door handles. There are many models higher than the Executive, such as Premium, Special, and if I’m not mistaken, Terrer and Bossku too.
Dealing with titles
So that’s how things are with Malaysia, where we take titles seriously but at the same time we throw them around like confetti.
Ads by KioskedA peer of mine was awarded a Datukship. I was then also working with a huge company where – had I stayed long enough (I was fired within a year) – and didn’t get caught stealing office supplies (nope, I had stolen enough earlier), I’d have been made a Datuk myself.
By the way, I’m not one. It looks like I’ll only be a Datuk when my kids have their own kids. But they seem to be busy running around being executives, or perhaps stealing office supplies – so, not much chance of that happening any time soon.
Anyway, I had to speak with this friend one day. I called him, wondering how to address him now that he’s with a title. But I thought nahhhh, we’re friends and peers, it wouldn’t be a big deal with him.
He answered my call by addressing me as “Saudara Adzhar!”. I thought (insert expletive here) me, I’ve just been given a sign about how our new Datuk prefers to be addressed!
So, I addressed him as Datuk, and he never even paused to tell me no lah, don’t worry lah about this title thing lah, I’m still the same humble fella eating char kuey teow by the roadside blah blah blah. I never called him again, happy to let the idiot enjoy his title alone.
Dealing with the titled class
Ads by KioskedI absolutely have no problem with people having titles. In my career, I’d reported directly or indirectly to two Tuns, a handful of Tan Sris and many Datuks of various flavours. Many of them were clearly worthy of such honours, and many carried them well.
But not all. I heard the story of a rather unsavoury character paying a few hundred thousand ringgit as “donations” and “gifts” for a higher-end Datukship from one of our more commercially-minded states. For this, he also received two lower class Datukships to give to his friends. Buy one free two.
I’ve absolutely no idea whether this story is true or not, but I can say no original, genuine, factory-guaranteed Datuks were harmed in the telling of this story.
And apparently I’m not one of his friends.
I’m happy to call many people by their titles. It’s a sign of respect and good manners. But we Malaysians overdo this aspect of deference a little bit, as in, way too much. I see respect unearned given in huge doses, whereas the respect every human being deserves is often denied because their station in life is not so atas.
On becoming a ‘Boss’
Ads by KioskedEverywhere I worked I insisted on everybody, from the tea ladies on up, addressing me by the name given by my parents (and a clumsy policeman). I also insisted the CEO call me by my first name, but apparently CEOs don’t think they need permission to do that.
Even when I tell people that calling me by my first name is fine, I see many get stressed by it. They feel they’re transgressing by doing that, regardless of my approval or encouragement.
That’s what happened to a staff member who worked for me once long ago, and ended up working for me again after many years. She insisted on calling me Encik Adzhar as she just couldn’t get over the mental hurdle of calling me Adzhar.
Since she’s the real boss anyway, I allowed her to do that. However, she soon settled on calling me Boss, which in Malaysia is what you call your superior and basically anybody else who has a pulse.
I’ll let you know when I become Datuk Boss one day, dear Saudara and Saudari readers.
PS: I’ve just confirmed with my younger sister that we were named by the kampung midwife who delivered us! Now calling me by my first name actually honours my parents, a policeman and a midwife too! Three honours for the price of one, much like some Datukships. - FMT
Ads by KioskedThe views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.


Artikel ini hanyalah simpanan cache dari url asal penulis yang berkebarangkalian sudah terlalu lama atau sudah dibuang :

http://malaysiansmustknowthetruth.blogspot.com/2023/04/who-needs-titles-just-call-me-by-my-name.html

Kempen Promosi dan Iklan
Kami memerlukan jasa baik anda untuk menyokong kempen pengiklanan dalam website kami. Serba sedikit anda telah membantu kami untuk mengekalkan servis percuma aggregating ini kepada semua.

Anda juga boleh memberikan sumbangan anda kepada kami dengan menghubungi kami di sini
Pm S Open Houses Are Just Election Events Says Sanusi

Pm S Open Houses Are Just Election Events Says Sanusi

papar berkaitan - pada 24/4/2023 - jumlah : 279 hits
Sanusi Md Nor who heads a PAS led government in Kedah said the federal government should stick to the tradition of an open house at Seri Perdana PETALING JAYA Hari Raya open house events by the prime minister in six states due to hold elect...
Sarawak Not Just For Muslims Pas Told

Sarawak Not Just For Muslims Pas Told

papar berkaitan - pada 24/4/2023 - jumlah : 319 hits
Sarawak Tourism Creative Industry and Performing Arts Minister Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said development plans for the Borneo Highlands were not limited to a casino alone Commenting on objections by PAS to the proposed casino component of ...
Just How To Have A Wholesome Long Distance Commitment

Just How To Have A Wholesome Long Distance Commitment

papar berkaitan - pada 21/4/2023 - jumlah : 239 hits
Long distance connections tend to be filled with both special difficulties and unique opportunities for closeness and link Committed and room that include long distance connections may be a blessing and a curse for the union Fulfilling each...
A Country That Generates Just Useless And Timewasting Headlines

A Country That Generates Just Useless And Timewasting Headlines

papar berkaitan - pada 18/4/2023 - jumlah : 119 hits
This morning I was looking at the pop ups about the local and some foreign news Here is what I saw of the headlines from the local news My comments in blue Seven offences on the road that will take you straight to courtOSTB This is weird So...
Anwar Receives Courtesy Call From South Korean Foreign Minister

Anwar Receives Courtesy Call From South Korean Foreign Minister

papar berkaitan - pada 3/5/2023 - jumlah : 296 hits
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim greeting South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin during their meet at Perdana Putra Putrajaya With them is Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir PUTRAJAYA Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ib...
Is The Government Just Playing Monopoly

Is The Government Just Playing Monopoly

papar berkaitan - pada 28/4/2023 - jumlah : 286 hits
With the government currently pushing for more competition and hence fewer monopolies in Malaysia it is natural to ask why so many monopolies were created in the first place Monopolies emerge for many reasons For example the TNB monopoly in...
Gomen Kena Tendang Sekali Lagi The Rumours Just Dont Go Away

Gomen Kena Tendang Sekali Lagi The Rumours Just Dont Go Away

papar berkaitan - pada 4/5/2023 - jumlah : 206 hits
Johor Ruler concern at incessant reports re stability of gomenhigh hopes for political stability until today 222 MPs cannot get on same page not healthy for nation socially economically internationallyHow much longer must 30m people endure ...
Yeoh Dbkl Needs More Slope Experts To Prevent Landslides

Yeoh Dbkl Needs More Slope Experts To Prevent Landslides

papar berkaitan - pada 27/4/2023 - jumlah : 212 hits
Segambut MP Hannah Yeoh has called on Kuala Lumpur City Hall to empower the Civil Engineering and Drainage Department to ensure that its slope unit is equipped with expert personnel to deal with erosion and landslide issues more effectively...
Reports Against 9 For Allegedly Using Fake Titles

Reports Against 9 For Allegedly Using Fake Titles

papar berkaitan - pada 2/5/2023 - jumlah : 171 hits
Council of Datuk Dato Malaysia secretary general Samson Mamon with other members after lodging the reports PETALING JAYA The Council of Datuk Dato Malaysia has lodged police reports against nine individuals for using fake Datuk Datuk Seri a...
Beli Rumah Lebih Jimat Dengan Kempen Hartanah Bumiputera Matrix

Bersatu Man Demands Dnb Exit Strategy For U Mobile

Tattoos Raised And Itchy

Khutbah Jumat Jumadil Awal Tangis Ibnu Rawahah Jelang Perang Mu Tah

Tattoos Portland Maine

Bertolak Ansurlah

Kisah Adv 160 Pengajaran Dari Bateri Lemah

Haram Guna Dan Jual Vape Dewan Pemuda Pas Pahang Zahir Sokongan Penuh Terhadap Titah Sultan


echo '';
Senarai Lagu Tugasan Konsert Minggu 1 Gegar Vaganza 2024 Musim 11

Info Dan Sinopsis Drama Berepisod Dhia Kasyrani Slot Akasia TV3

Biodata Terkini Reshmonu Peserta Gegar Vaganza 2024 Musim 11 GV11 Penyanyi Lagu Hey Waley

Gegar Vaganza 2024 GV 11 Hadiah Tiket Peserta Juri Format Pemarkahan Dan Segala Info Tonton Live Di Astro Ria Dan Sooka

6 Janji Donald Trump Kalau Dia Naik Jadi Presiden Semula


Training Refresher Sistem 24 10 2024 29 10 2024

Pas Langkaui Retorik Dap Isytihar Pas Muuh Utama

Kru Voodoo Chord

Umno Youth To Protest Extra Hours For Civil Servants Working Shifts

Abang Adik Wins Best Film Award In Los Angeles

Sisters In Islam Denounce Cruel Public Caning At Mosque