In the post pandemic market, our perspective needs shifting
One of language habits of Koreans is calling someone by the title. We even show respect by doing this. Honorable team leader, honorable president, honorable teacher, or honorable parents. So, some words with lower hierarchy don’t pair up very well with this expression: like students, workers, or children.
There are many Russian immigrants in my area. I came to know a Russian businessman. He told me if you called a Russian by the title, he will be offended. Every time he visits Korea on business, he has a hard time getting used to rank-and-file workers bowing to their superiors calling them “honorable chief.”
I asked him why calling someone by the title can be offensive? He said calling someone by the title is like ignoring his human quality and sometimes that can be downright insulting. It’s like saying “you are no better than your job.”
He also asked how anyone can have a meaningful relationship when strict hierarchy is employed in their conversation.
I did not anticipate this reasoning at all and kept nodding with my mouth shut.
Indeed, when we ask “what year did you enter college?” it actually means “I think I am older so I outrank you.”
When someone is introduced to me with a comment like “he used to a director at Samsung,” that means “Even though he runs a drycleaner in America, you should know he is above that.” Sort of a declaration of his status.
This kind of language habit came from our Confucius tradition but the other side of the respect is disdain. Sense of disdain is directed to not only other people but sometimes to ourselves. “I am cleaning someone’s dirty clothes.” “Well, I clean clothes for a living.”
When you have such a perspective, a drycleaning business is no longer a business but a place “where you clean clothes.” Same ole stuff, same ole method, come in in the morning, go back home at night. Nothing new or different. Business analysis or strategy become a foreign concept and you’re just happy that this machine is still running after 10+ years. To someone who cleans clothes, production efficiency is not a concern. I take lessons to improve my golf game but my livelihood is stuck in the groove.
Why did we fall into that trap?
Because we got caught in a ‘title’ or a ‘role’ like my Russian friend pointed out. When he was a director at Samsung, he volunteered to do laundry at senior homes. Happily. He even took his children with him. Why? Because he was a businessman, not a laundry man so his face was maintained. Now cleaning is his business so no more face to save?
We play many different roles in our daily lives. A son in front of our parent, a husband in front of our wife, a father in front of our children, a friend in front of friends.
Then, what is your role in your drycleaner business? Someone who does cleaning? Or someone who runs a business that happens to be a drycleaner?
If your idea of a drycleaner is a place where you do cleaning, your role is probably the former. If it is a place where you satisfy your customers’ needs, probably the latter.
We are all victors in the war against the Pandemic. It’s about time we changed our perspective.
