Authoritarian mindset

(Baonghean) - Once, while visiting agency X for work and trying to find a parking spot for my motorbike, I was startled by a shout: "Hey! Where are you going? Who are you asking for?" Turning to explain my reason to the security guard, I continued to receive vague, subjectless questions like: "Where are your eyes? Your motorbike is parked here!" The curt, empty questions from the security guard left me both annoyed and somewhat bewildered… With all my might, I went to the "one-stop" service department to conduct my transaction. The same unfriendly attitude and subjectless, subjectless questions were what I received from the officials of agency X. After waiting for almost a whole morning, I finally received the answer: "Come back tomorrow to pick up your documents at this time…" I left with a heavy heart…

My mother suffers from arthritis, and the pain has worsened with the recent change in weather. I took a day off to take her to the doctor. After the examination, following the doctor's instructions, I went to counter number 3 to receive her medical records. When I heard my name called, I rushed to the counter, but the staff at counter number 2 called me back and loudly said, "Can't you tell the difference in the voice?" I explained that I had been directed to counter number 3. Hearing this, the staff member frowned and said, "It's 4 PM already! It's almost closing time. If we crowd at counter number 3, we'll be held captive until tomorrow!" I suppressed my anger to get the procedure done, but I felt resentful all the while after returning home.

The workplace is where citizens, relevant agencies, colleagues, and others come to conduct business. Therefore, officials and civil servants working there need to behave in a civilized and elegant manner in their interactions. However, in reality, in some workplaces, we still encounter such impolite behavior. Even though a sign reading "Workplace Etiquette Regulations" is neatly displayed at the entrance, with large, clear, and beautiful lettering, some individuals still exhibit an authoritarian mindset when interacting with the public. As a result, in many places, we still hear questions lacking a subject, such as: "What do you need?", "Where are you going?", "Who are you meeting?", or encounter frowning faces and arrogant, cold attitudes.

For administrative offices implementing the one-stop service mechanism, officials receiving citizens need to have a gentle attitude, be well-versed in regulations, principles, and procedures, and provide detailed guidance to minimize the time and effort of visitors, especially by adhering to the prescribed working hours. However, it is regrettable that in many places, visitors still have to wait a long time while officials are busy... having tea or chatting. In some agencies, even with half an hour left before closing time, when a visitor arrives, the official replies that they are no longer accepting documents and should come back tomorrow. This arbitrary and irresponsible attitude significantly impacts the image of public servants.

Workplace culture reflects not only the ethics and qualities of officials and employees while performing their duties, but also the cultural level of each individual. To ensure the dignity and effectiveness of state administrative agencies, the Prime Minister issued the Regulations on Workplace Culture in State Administrative Agencies, effective from September 5, 2007. However, to date, many agencies have not seriously implemented these regulations.

We are striving to build a team of officials and public employees with exemplary conduct in public service, possessing good moral character, and contributing to the excellent fulfillment of assigned tasks. It is essential that in public offices, especially those interacting with the public, officials and public employees strictly adhere to specific regulations regarding attire and communication, paying particular attention to respecting the public and treating them with respect. Building a cultured and civilized workplace is not just about banners and slogans, but also about polite gestures and speech, responsible work, and respect for the people. Therefore, cultured behavior in the workplace contributes to a more positive image of the workplace and its officials and public employees in the eyes of everyone.

In a letter to the "People's Committees of provinces, districts, and villages" published in the newspaper Cuu Quoc on October 17, 1945, President Ho Chi Minh wrote: "We must understand that the government agencies from the national level to the villages are all servants of the people... Whatever benefits the people, we must do our utmost to do. Whatever harms the people, we must do our utmost to avoid. We must love and respect the people, then the people will love and respect us."

Please do not adopt an authoritarian mindset as a guiding principle in the workplace. Always remember that you are officials and civil servants of a public agency, "public servants" of the people. So why should you begrudge giving people a kind look, a smile, and a pleasant word?

Thanh Tuong