重視企業的禮貌
2025年9月8日Robert J. Tamasy
重視企業的禮貌
APPRECIATING THE COURTESY OF THEIR BUSINESS
如何建立成功的企業？關於這個問題，坊間有數不清的書。所謂的「專家」們，吹捧著各式各樣，讓公司能夠超越競爭對手的秘訣。但是，我們卻很少聽到這些權威人士提到一個，能夠為企業及其客戶，帶來巨大影響的特殊詞彙。那個詞就是：禮貌。
「禮貌」的其中一個定義是：「在態度和行為上，對他人展現的禮節；一種尊重或體貼的行為與表達」。那是我無論去雜貨店、百貨公司、看醫生、電影院或餐廳，我很快就能注意到的品質：一家企業是否有禮貌，或是缺乏禮貌。
很遺憾，在當今的社會，禮貌似乎已經大大退流行了。即使是進入商業空間時，幫別人扶一下門這個簡單的動作，似乎都會冒犯到某些人。這個舉動並非有意貶低他人，或是顯得高人一等。這只是一種單純的行為，表示自己意識到他人的存在，並且禮貌地提供，讓他們先行進入的機會。
在我們的社區，有一家雜貨店與其中的員工以禮貌著稱。他們總是主動問候顧客，詢問是否需要任何協助，結帳時會向你致謝，甚至主動提議要幫你把商品搬到車上。另一家同樣非常知名的雜貨店，卻很少展現出這種善意。你猜我更喜歡光顧哪一家呢？
為什麼會有這種差異呢？我相信，在絕大多數情況下，這取決於企業的文化：訓練並且期望所有員工，都以某種一致的方式行事。禮貌絕對不是偶然發生的。非常有趣的是，對人有禮貌幾乎不費吹灰之力，而所帶來的益處卻相當可觀。
聖經中有許多經文談到應當展現禮貌，以及禮貌「如何」與「為何」，應當成為我們跟他人互動的重要原則。以下僅列舉其中幾段：
優先考慮他人。對他人展現禮貌，表達了他們是受到重視的。「凡事不可結黨，不可貪圖虛浮的榮耀；只要存心謙卑，各人看別人比自己強。各人不要單顧自己的事，也要顧別人的事。」(腓立比書2章3-4節)
你想要別人怎麼待你，你就怎麼待人。當有人問說，神對祂的子民有什麼期望時，耶穌基督回覆道，答案其實並不複雜。除了這條誡命：「你要盡心、盡性、盡意、盡力愛主－你的神」，耶穌說：「其次就是說：『要愛人如己。』再沒有比這兩條誡命更大的了。」(馬可福音12章29-31節)你希望別人如何有禮貌地回應你呢？
在競爭激烈的工作環境中，把自己分別出來。在商場上，利潤往往至高無上，其他一切都被視為沒那麼重要，但是展現對他人真誠的關懷和興趣，能夠使我們（以及我們的公司）脫穎而出。「……要和氣友善，以謙讓的態度對待所有的人。」(提多書3章2節，現代中文譯本2019版)
© 2025。 Robert J. Tamasy著有《職場大使：CBMC福音與門徒訓練使命的延續》、《卓越商道：現代職場中的箴言智慧》、與 Ken Johnson 合著的《以牧者心志追求人生》，以及與 David A. Stoddard 合著的《導師之心》。Bob 的雙週部落格為：www.bobtamasy.blogspot.com。
反省與問題討論
第一、請回想最近在商業場合上，有人對你展現出真誠禮貌的經歷。那讓你感覺如何呢？你是如何回應的呢？
第二、許多企業，並沒有將展現禮貌的重要性，納入其營運理念中，你認為原因是什麼呢？你認為禮貌對於建立並維護強健的組織，有很大的影響嗎？請解釋你的答案。
第三、你的公司或組織，是否高度重視要對他人(不只是客戶，也包括員工和供應商)抱持真誠的禮貌呢？請解釋你的答案。
第四、你認為可以「如何」鼓勵以及培養，「對他人展現禮貌」的價值，特別是在不將這件事列為優先事項的企業中呢？
挑戰思考
如果採用一到十分的量表，一分是最低分，十分是滿分，針對「禮貌程度」，你會給自己打幾分呢？如果你覺得自己在待人處事上的禮貌，可以做得更好，請思考有哪些改進的方法。向你所信任的人或小組，尋求建議與忠告。在過程中，你也許能幫助其他，同樣需要在禮貌上進步的人。正如箴言27章17節所說：「鐵磨鐵，磨出刃來；朋友相感也是如此。」
備註：如果你有聖經，想閱讀更多相關的內容，請參考以下的經文: （因篇幅有限，請自行參閱未列出的經文：路加福音7章36-47節）
羅馬書12章9-13節、17-18節
12:9 愛人不可虛假。惡，要厭惡；善，要親近。
12:10 愛弟兄，要彼此親熱；恭敬人，要彼此推讓。
12:11 殷勤，不可懶惰；要心裏火熱，常常服事主。
12:12 在指望中要喜樂；在患難中要忍耐；禱告要恆切。
12:13 聖徒缺乏，要幫補；客，要一味地款待。
12:17 不要以惡報惡；眾人以為美的事要留心去做。
12:18 若是能行，總要盡力與眾人和睦。
提多書3章2節
3:2 不要毀謗，不要爭競，總要和平，向眾人大顯溫柔。
雅各書3章17節
3:17惟獨從上頭來的智慧，先是清潔，後是和平，溫良柔順，滿有憐憫，多結善果，沒有偏見，沒有假冒。
彼得前書3章15-16節
3:15只要心裏尊主基督為聖。有人問你們心中盼望的緣由，就要常作準備，以溫柔、敬畏的心回答各人；
3:16 存着無虧的良心，叫你們在何事上被毀謗，就在何事上可以叫那誣賴你們在基督裏有好品行的人自覺羞愧。
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APPRECIATING THE COURTESY OF THEIR BUSINESS
MONDAY MANNASEP 8, 2025
APPRECIATING THE COURTESY OF THEIR BUSINESS
By Robert J. Tamasy
How do you build a successful business? Countless books have been written about this. So-called ‘experts’ tout many formulas for how a company can rise above the competitors. But rarely do we hear these authorities mention a particular word that can make tremendous difference for both an enterprise and its clients or customers. That word is: Courtesy.
One definition of ‘courtesy’ is “the demonstration of politeness in one’s attitude and behavior toward others; a respectful or considerate act or expression.” Courtesy – or the lack of it – is a quality that I quickly notice whenever I patronize a business, such as a grocery or department store, doctor’s office, movie theater, or restaurant.
Sadly, in our world today it seems that courtesy has largely fallen out of style. Even the simple act of holding the door for another person when entering a business seems to offend some people. This gesture is not intended to demean or seem condescending. It is merely a simple act of recognizing the presence of the other person and politely offering them the opportunity to enter before you.
In our community, one grocery store and its staff are known for courtesy. They always greet customers, ask if they can help in any way, acknowledge you when checking out, and even offer to help take the groceries to your car. Another grocery store, also very prominent, rarely displays such forms of kindness. Guess which of the stores I prefer to visit?
Why the difference? I believe in most cases it is the culture of the business – training and expecting all employees to act in a certain, consistent manner. Courtesy does not happen by accident. What is most interesting is that it takes so little effort to be courteous to others, but the benefits are substantial.
Many passages in the Bible talk about courtesy being extended, along with underlying principles for how and why it should be prominent in our interactions with others. Here are just a few of them:
Giving others priority. Showing courtesy toward others communicates that they are valued. “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:3-4).
Treating others as you would want to be treated. When someone asked what God expects of His people, Jesus Christ said the answer was not complicated. In addition to the command to, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength,’” He said, “The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these” (Mark 12:29-31). How would you like people to respond courteously to you?
Setting ourselves apart in a highly competitive working environment. In the marketplace, where profits are often paramount and everything else is considered of much lesser importance, demonstrating genuine concern and interest in others can make us – and our companies – stand out. “…to be kind and conciliatory and gentle, showing unqualified consideration and courtesy toward everyone” (Titus 3:2, Amplified).
© 2025. Robert J. Tamasy has written Marketplace Ambassadors: CBMC’s Continuing Legacy of Evangelism and Discipleship; Business at Its Best: Timeless Wisdom from Proverbs for Today’s Workplace; Pursuing Life With a Shepherd’s Heart, coauthored with Ken Johnson; and The Heart of Mentoring, coauthored with David A. Stoddard. Bob’s biweekly blog is: www.bobtamasy.blogspot.com.
Reflection/Discussion Questions
1. Think of a recent example of a time when someone in a business setting demonstrated genuine courtesy toward you. How did that make you feel? How did you respond?
2. Why do you think that in many businesses, the importance of showing courtesy is not part of their operational philosophy? Do you believe that makes that much of a difference in building and maintaining a strong organization? Why or why not?
3. In your own company or organization, is the sincere display of courtesy toward others – not just customers and clients, but also employees and suppliers – given a high priority? Explain your answer.
4. How do you think the value of expressing courtesy toward others can be encouraged and cultivated, especially in businesses where it is not prioritized?
Challenge for This Week
If you were to grade yourself on the ‘courtesy scale’ from 1 to 10, with 1 being the lowest and 10 the highest, what do you think would be your score?
If you believe your rating in terms of courtesy toward others could be higher, consider ways in which you could improve. Ask for the advice and counsel of someone or a small group that you trust. In the process, you might be able to help someone else who also needs to improve in showing courtesy toward others. As Proverbs 27:17 says, “As iron sharpens others, so one man sharpens another.”
NOTE:
For more about what the Bible says, consider the following passages:
Luke 7:36-47; Romans 12:9-13,17-18; Titus 3:2; James 3:17; 1 Peter 3:15-16
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