Filipinos with Manners by Suzette Viñas

I was reminded by a Chinese proverb which says, “He who ask a question is a fool for five minutes; he who does not ask a question remains a fool forever.” Chinese got it right this time especially when talking about diplomatic ethics and international protocol. The usual problem with us Filipinos is we tend to laugh at those who ask questions when we know deep inside that we could have ask the same question but we are afraid to be laughed at. I truly appreciate our discussion last Saturday because it opened a bunch of new knowledge and unlocked our mind to varying cultures and their respective protocols. For a time there I myself wanted to become an ambassador. But kidding aside, the presentation helped us avoid becoming a fool forever.

Recently, a book salesman came to our office and was following up on orders for his publishing house. Our standard operating procedure was that for orders like these the teachers have to follow up and process orders. What the salesman did was he went to the dean and the VP for academic affairs and insinuated that his order was lost in the process. The VP told him that he is undermining the efficiency of the offices and that his actions were not allowed and that his actions be reported to their main office. This is a clear case of not following protocols and ended up losing a deal. Organizations have different ways of doing things and when one is an outsider you always have to ask so as not to embarrass yourself and question people in an unacceptable manner.

So much more in the international scene because cultures now come into play, that’s why it pays to ask questions and be a keen observer to learn other nationalities way of doing things. When we were at Thammasat University in Thailand, it was too late when we realize that Thai people don’t drink their mineral water directly from the bottle. That’s why they serve it with glasses. Especially in business dealings, it is not enough that we do our research on the company that we are dealing with but also of their nationality because it is where we figure out their views on greeting, punctuality, and how to go about business agreements. In the era of globalization and ASEAN integration, we Filipinos should not only take pride of our national trait of hospitality but also we should learn the art of understanding our brothers and sisters to prosper unity and camaraderie among nations.

Being a diplomat is not an easy task considering all the countries you need to go to and the nationalities you encounter every day. But just as Dr. Mehmet explained that knowing the diplomatic ethics and international protocols, he is able to perform his job satisfactorily. And it is not just for diplomats that this is required but for all professionals to rise above the rest. When one has manners, he/she will fit anywhere in the world. As executives, we also need to educate our colleagues to learn as much as they can about international protocols and to expose them to opportunities which will not limit them to their cubicles. Especially as academicians, we should teach our students business ethics and etiquette so they can be competitive with our Asian neighbors and the world in general.