Amit Kumar's Blog

There is no doubt – if you have good friends at workplace, you’re most likely to enjoy the time spent at work. There is someone to sit with at lunch, someone to discuss the gossips ;-) someone to accompany while going for break and someone to empathize over challenges you faced. For last 6 -7 months, this debatable subject was going through back of my mind as I had seen both good and adverse effects – I was thinking about its pros and cons and whether it’s advisable or not etc. A person may act according to one’s own traits – for example, I am a person who makes very limited friends not only at work but in personal life as well. But, Do I need to improve and make more friends? What is actually required at workplace? Now that I am going to be part of management (officially), what does management in industry feel about the subject being discussed? I discussed with some of my close colleagues working in different companies about their opinions. What I found was – it is really comp...

It has been a long time, since I posted my last blog. Nevertheless, it’s better to be late than never Today, I am picking a simple but debatable question – “ Is using the terms “Sir” and “Ma’am” appropriate, outdated or condescending?” Remembering my Sainik School days, we used these terms (also referred as salutation) for my teachers and seniors (even if they are just one class senior to me). Even now, I use it while communicating with them. For sure, the purpose of using such salutations is to show respect for others and we are taught to use them since our childhood. This is inherent in our Indian culture. Having said that, there is another aspect to it as well. Nowadays, in most of MNCs (I am talking about corporate culture) in and outside India, it is always preferred to call any junior or senior colleague by first name. The terms like Sir and Ma’am are not encouraged. It symbolizes that “everyone is equal” – if you look from this perspective, isn’t it a great though...