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November 5, 2015

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鈥楳anagers鈥 take wrong attitude toward the public

Everyday I observe a group of young men in dark uniforms overseeing traffic and vehicle parking at a major crossroads near the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Xujingdong.

More often than not, they go about their business with scowls on their faces. Actually, one can see young working men in similarly dark moods everywhere in Shanghai.

Every time I see them, I wonder why they look so bad-tempered. Isn鈥檛 it true that smiles beget smiles, and respect begets respect?

Does traffic have to be managed with a trademark scowling face? Of course not. But why has this become part of our daily lives?

I think I have found an answer: it鈥檚 written clearly on their dark uniforms! There are four Chinese characters on their uniforms: zonghe guanli, literally meaning 鈥渃omprehensive management.鈥 Once one wears such a uniform, he or she is naturally inclined to believe that he or she is a manager, an officer, a regulator 鈥 someone who gives orders.

In London, I also saw people doing similar jobs, but they are called 鈥渃omprehensive service providers.鈥

They might not always smile to you, but they don鈥檛 scowl at you, either. That鈥檚 the difference.

We should all remember Chairman Mao鈥檚 famous exhortation: Serve the People! In managing traffic, we do not really manage 鈥 we serve. In communicating with people on the road, we should not scowl, we should smile.


 

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