The 3 Letter Word "Sir"

Hi


By calling ‘sir’, someone will really become great or deserving to be renowned? ‘Sir’ is a good word to be addressed seniors, no doubt. By calling that word, if someone feels that he is high flying, then it is his thoughtlessness. What else?

In short, the word ‘sir’ shouldn’t be eliminated; should exist in addressing elders, teachers, adjudicators etc. And, I do believe that one shouldn’t be ashamed of addressing someone with ‘sir’ and of course I am sure that by being addressed ‘sir’ an educated / experienced one will NOT act as a prominent or high flying.

Anyhow, these – SIR haters – in case being stopped by a cop then please consider call him SIR even though they hate the word SIR. It might help them to certain extend.


Zubaida M. Kurikkal
Sr. HR officer

Hellenic Association of Pharmaceuticals - SFEE

280 Kifisias Avenue & 3 Agriniou st, 152 32, Chalandri, Athens, Greece

Hi,
I dont think there is anything wrong in addressing one's Teachers or Seniors as Sir. The word itself shows respect. What is wrong if we respect Teachers or Seniors? We have to respect our Teachers because we learn a lot from them. We have to respect our Seniors because they have more experience than us. It is simply a sort of showing that we are disciplined just by addressing a stranger by the word Sir. If you find a better word than Sir to show our respect and that we are disciplined, and if it is genuine, then it is OK.
Sai Ram

Greetings all,

Here is a story from when I was in university that relates to the topic; I worked as a mechanic while going to to university because it paid 3 times the amount of most jobs available to students. I quickly was moved into management because of my attending university. I was a second assistant service manager, entry level.

One of day one of my mechanics was rounding up the other workers to push a car in the garage that had a dead battery. Our parts store section sold a portable car starter. I signed one out for "shop use."

The next day, the service manager ( a control freak) asked me why I did this without consulting him first.

My response was that since the company gave me a white shirt (management) that I can make decisions on my own. This was also not a "serious decision" where I would give him the courtesy of my decision, I felt that I was qualified to make that decision, and it was his day off, and I was not going to disturb him!

Finally my decision made financial sense, everytime we have a car with a dead battery, the mechanic working on it calls 5 other mechanics off their job to push the car in. 5 additional mechanics taking 5 minutes to push a car in adds up to almost a half hour (25 minutes) of wasted time that now a single person can do with the unit I signed out.

I also explained to the mechanics that I was signing this out for their benefit, and it is their responsibility to ensure no one steals it because there would not be another.

No one ever took it, they all used it, and that along with other tings I implemented increased our productivity.

The moral of the story, you may be the boss, but we are all people. Each person has some value to the organization.

consult1

Hi,
Yes, I completely agree with Dr. Kishore...
I have noticed that, in a crowded bus, a conductor who was very arrogant towards the passengers (as felt by passengers) changes his attitude with a respect when called his as "Sir"...so I dont find any wrong in using Sir...

I agree with Padmanabhan's views. 'Sir' is added more as a practice- a mere convention. However in certain industries, e.g. manufacturing, you may be penalised indirectly if you do not address your boss as 'Sir'. On the otherhand, in IT sector, there has been a welcome change- the first name culture has almost come to stay. having mentioned that, I should add that I have also come across seniors in the IT/ITES getting embarrassed when a fresher addresses him/her by first name. Ofcourse the trend is changing fast for the better by cutting down 'Sir' in many cases, we still have a long way to go in accepting and not expecting 'Sir' culture.

Hi,
All
I have read all the matter which is mentioned above.
I m HR of the one company.
Previously we are used to address to our superiors & seniors by sir n madam
but now i have made one circular n i have removed that system to address(sir/madam) n we people r calling by name only to our seniors, superiors & boss.

In my point of view its create diff. if u r addresing to anybody by name or by sir/ madam. I think should be there but not to addresing sir n perception also matters.

Hi,
All
The three letter word Sir is doesnt matter.
If you are addressing your senior by sir & and dont have respect for
him than no use of it.