Don't treat people like "mandarins and parents"

Today's officials and civil servants are those who are entrusted with the power by the people to work for the people, so they must have the duty and responsibility to serve the people and demonstrate polite and appropriate communication and behavior towards the people.

Culture of arrogant behavior

A few years ago, public opinion was shocked when a resident said that she had to go to the ward committee to have her documents certified. After submitting the application and having to wait for a long time, she went to ask the officer why it took so long. However, the officer did not raise her head, only saying one word: "Waiting".

Last year, public opinion was abuzz with debates about public service style when a commune police chief kicked a citizen's basket of fish; an officer of the Kon Tum Department of Natural Resources and Environment pulled out a gun and threatened to shoot a citizen; an urban order officer in Hoi An beat a citizen because... he soiled his shoes...

In recent days, public opinion has been heated up again by a leader of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment of Gia Nghia town, Dak Nong province, using the pronouns “you” and “I” when communicating with the people. How can one not be indignant when a highly qualified official, a Party cell secretary and the head of an important department-level agency in the locality, uses rude words when communicating with the people.

Ms. D.TH, Department of Natural Resources and Environment of Gia Nghia town, Dak Nong province, during a working session with the people. Photo cut from clip

Some people think that this officer is hot-tempered and lacks self-control in the face of unreasonable demands from the people, so he lacks the necessary calmness. And, it is also possible that he is suppressing his feelings of dissatisfaction with the person he is in contact with, which leads to his attitude and behavior that is not up to standard and not suitable for the position and qualifications of an officer or party member.

From a psychological perspective, it is easy to sympathize with someone who has an immature and immature attitude and behavior in the face of unpleasant situations. However, this sympathy is only for ordinary citizens. As for officials and party members, especially those with positions, power, qualifications and practical training, but who use "swearing" at the wrong time and place, causing people to be hurt, is very blameworthy.

It is known that some areas such as land management, resources and environment are always "hot areas" in many localities. Officials and employees in this field are often under a lot of pressure. Any mistake or loophole in land management can cause "hot spots" at the grassroots level.

This requires the staff involved in resolving land-related issues of the people to not only be knowledgeable and have a firm grasp of the law, but also to have a spirit of sympathy, sharing, and understanding of the concerns of the people; at the same time, they must find ways to remove and resolve difficulties and problems for the people to ensure that they are reasonable and sympathetic. Even when the people make mistakes, the staff must be calm and composed, explaining to the people the nature of the problem, and not "take it out on the wrong person"!

The idea of ​​"mandarin and mother"

In fact, the story that happened in Gia Nghia town is not an isolated phenomenon. Public opinion has repeatedly voiced that a number of cadres and party members still have an authoritarian, authoritarian, and arrogant attitude when interacting with and solving problems for the people. Ultimately, those manifestations all have a deep root: a number of cadres and party members still let patriarchy dominate their thoughts, attitudes, and behaviors.

When talking about patriarchal style and patriarchalism, people think of the "officials" with high hats and long robes of a feudal era full of "mighty majesty", even though they were in the officialdom "eating the king's salary, enjoying the country's salary", they still walked around arrogantly, considering themselves as "parent officials", that is, parents of the people, forcing the people to obey everything they said!

Right from the time the young revolutionary government was born, President Ho Chi Minh warned that cadres and party members with patriarchal attitudes always "Think that being in a government agency makes them gods", "Rely on their position in this or that department, then act arrogantly and unrestrained, doing whatever they want", from there "Look down on the people, speak ostentatiously, and always act like they are "revolutionary officials". Not knowing that such an arrogant attitude will lose the trust of the people and will harm the prestige of the government".

Referring to the patriarchal behavior in public agencies, General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong once pointed out: "Some people with positions and power maintain a mandarin and patriarchal style, being in charge of a locality or unit like a "little king" there and: "Having an attitude of contempt for the masses, not listening to the opinions of workers, oppressing the masses".

It is not by chance that our Party leaders have used strong words such as “unruly and unrestrained”, “revolutionary mandarin”, “oppressing the masses”… This seems to be a stern warning to cadres and party members who still allow the arrogant and authoritarian manners and behaviors, which are remnants of the feudal mandarin regime of the past, to dominate within themselves. That is completely foreign and contrary to the progressive ideology, receptive attitude, and democratic style of cadres and party members today.

Cultural standards of behavior towards people

“A greeting is better than a feast”; “Words cost nothing”; “Smart birds chirp freely/Smart people speak softly and pleasantly”…Let's review a few of our ancestors' conclusions over the years with the hope of reminding one thing, in any era, communication and behavior culture is actually nothing big, but it is the way of speaking, the way of dealing with people, organizations, and work that anyone can do if they have a pure heart, a spirit of learning and a sense of respect for others.

Therefore, one of the four contents of the "public service culture" project recently approved by the Prime Minister has set out requirements for communication and behavioral standards of cadres, civil servants, and public employees, with the core content being that when contacting and handling work for the people, each "State person" needs to perform the "4 asks": "hello, sorry, thank you, permission" and the "4 always": "always smile, always be gentle, always listen, always help".

Some people say that asking officials, civil servants, and public employees to perform the “4 requests” and “4 always” will reduce the status of “state employees” in the eyes of the people. I would say that not only will it not reduce, but on the contrary, it will increase the people’s affection and trust in those who carry out and execute public duties.

Because, cadres and civil servants today are those who are entrusted with the power of the people to work for the people, so they must have the duty and responsibility to serve the people. A government of the people, by the people, for the people must necessarily take the goal of serving and ensuring the highest interests of the people, therefore, "state officials" must of course have a polite and appropriate attitude in communicating and behaving.