The Lost Art of M.A.C.

Once upon a time, Parents taught children Manners and Courtesy. Husbands and Wives appreciated each other. The workplace was more then just a place we hate to go to on a daily basis and Customer Service was still that – Customer Service.

If that sounds like the beginning of a Fairy Tale to you and the Nature of today’s Beast comes out more and more in your daily life, I hope you will stick with me on my trip through the lost art of M.A.C.: Manners, Appreciation and Courtesy.

Manners are more then just a 7 Letter Word.

Manners used to be something that was as natural to us as breathing; Parents trained at least basic Manners into us as early as we could start understanding. Granted there are still civilizations and families out there that still do that, but sadly they have become an exception rather then the Norm.

Today starting with Children in Kindergarten and younger up to high Level CEO’s in Multi-Billion Dollar Cooperation’s we see that they have lost their basic ability to apply Manners in our day-to-day life. More often then not the Words: Please, Thank You, May I or You are Welcome, seem to be Phrases from a different Planet. Children shout over Adults having a conversation or tell an Adult to shut the @#*& up. Children don’t request – they demand or scream mental abuse if their demands for the newest material obsessions are not met. Children threaten and hit their elders or parents.

Bosses of either gender think they have the Right to speak down to their Employees or worst yet encourage that the ladder may be climbed by other means then achievements. I personally have worked for a boss that seems to believe that cusswords are a proper form of address instead of my name. Or that the use of just the last Name with any form of Mr., Miss or Misses is completely acceptable by a young buck to an older worker.

Interrupting each other or use of rude and profane language to respond to each other is an everyday thing these days. Turning the back on a person while they speak to you and walking away, seems to be everyday now.

How about being late for appointments? If time is money, how often do we seem to think it is perfectly fine to force others to wait on us? There was a Time when such a behavior was unthinkable. It was the norm to be at least 10 – 15 minutes early to work, a meeting, a date or any other appointment. It was not even all that long ago.