Letting people know we appreciate them means so much

The week’s column in The Kerryman this week.

Michael Commane

It was Oscar Wilde who said sarcasm is the lowest form of wit; you could stretch it and add cynicism. 

No doubt people who tend to be cynical look at life with a jaundiced eye. We are all children of our environment. Every moment of those nine months in our mother’s womb we are developing and accustoming ourselves to our environment.

There are occasions when I can be cynical but I think I can argue there is justification for such an attitude.

Most times when I hear PR people talk about how open, caring and transparent their organisation is I’m inclined to smile, maybe just a little, but yes, I wonder how accurate or truthful are their words.

Watching Caroline Leavitt, President Trump’s press officer, speaking about the killing in Minneapolis I did wonder did the woman really believe what she was saying.

But no doubt it’s the job of PR people to protect their organisations and, indeed, their jobs.

Some weeks ago I wrote a column about the inspiring behaviour of a Luas tram ticket checker. In mid- January I sent the piece to Luas. So far no acknowledgment. I’ve met the checker many times since and he tells me the company has never mentioned it to him.

I’m always saying it’s the little things that say so much about us; they highlight our qualities but they also catch us out when our behaviour is mean or selfish.

Organisations and companies can easily spend large sums of cash on PR and indeed HR but far too often their main purpose is to protect the name of the organisation and its brand.

The same applies to the churches. All the talk that we hear today about safeguarding procedures; would all that be taking place had they not been caught out for their appalling behaviour? 

Only last week at an Irish Rail ticket office I got chatting to the person behind the desk. Within minutes it was clear that he was angry with the company; he felt alienated and forgotten. 

Why? Has anyone thought of sitting down and talking to him about his job; what he finds good about it and what annoys him? Within two minutes of talking to him I realised he was an unhappy punter. 

Of course there are people who are never going to be pleased, but far too often those on the front line, those who are not being paid big salaries can so easily be forgotten.

The late Fergal Quinn, who founded the Superquinn supermarket chain, was famous for his belief that the customer was king/queen. He also treated all his staff with dignity. Why can’t organisations, churches, corporations realise their staff, all their staff, are queens and kings.

You might say it’s the way of the world; it doesn’t have to be.

The Gospels regularly tell us to be inclusive in our attitude. It makes great sense to take heed of that sentiment.

There’s far too much ‘them and us’ in society, maybe that’s why right now there is such unease in the world.

Good management means taking care of staff, listening to them, praising them and taking them seriously. It’s good business too, and pays in the long run.