Subhobroto Chakroborty, Founder of the digital fellow is a firm follower of No Sir No Madam ideology. The digital fellow (TDF) is user centric digital consultancy firm. TDF is a digital enabler & works as a digital catalyst. They infuse digital best practice with classical marketing models that boosts growth for brand and individual.
As a seasoned Digital marketer and strategic consultant with cross-industry experience, Subhobroto has successfully launched & managed more than top National/International brands in IT, Banking, Entertainment & Media, FMCG, FMCD, Mobile Apps,VAS, Fashion & Lifestyle, Telecom, e-commerce (retail), online marketplace, health & care, hospitality, manufacturing, medical tourism etc.
He has been invited to serve as a chair, jury member, digital marketer, and keynote speaker at number of national and international arena. Subhobroto firmly believes in creating a workplace that allows easy exchange of ideas. Therefore, he has a salutation-ridden culture at his firm. At the digital fellow, there is also no strict dressing code.
He conveys — there is a form of openness between two people when there is no communication restriction. We have worked with clients all across the world. I do not even address the Director of the World Bank when writing him a mail.
He adds — Corporates must set rules to implement No Sir No Madam doctrine at their workplace. Imagine a 16-year-old intern, who is already scared because of being in a big company. He will feel further restricted if ‘Sir/Madam’ compulsion is imposed on him/here. So, top-level executives need to take initiatives to instill No Sir No Madam in their workplace to make working enjoyable for everyone.
In continuation, he shares his experience with the government officials. He mentions that salutation custom is most dominant in government offices. Subhobroto shares “we once had to work with top-level bureaucrats.
I noticed that they loved being addressed to as ‘Sir/Madam’. Their ego would get hurt, if someone referred to them without a salutation. Government sector employees are so egoistic that you could end up losing your project because you addressed them by their first-name.”
No Sir No Madam movement can be a great help to set an equal status-quo between a civilian and a bureaucrat. So as, a citizen does not get harassed by any official in the pretext of giving respect. It can also be a great social-engineering tool to reduce the disparity in society.
On speaking about social inequality, Subhobroto voices — most of the Indians, especially the senior people, in age or designation, would hate it, if their helps and drivers addressed them by their first-name. It gives them a sense of entitlement to be referred to as ‘Sir/Madam’. The blue-collar workers will hesitate to address their employers without salutation as they are afraid of losing their job.
As a practice of treating every employee equally, he first distributes sweets to his office-building watchman and the house-helps on Diwali. The employees receive the sweets later. In India, it is usually the other way around. The house-helps and the office boys are given the leftover in the end. He ventures, small gestures like these can go a long way to make them happy and feel like an integral part of the society.
Changing the mindsets can take time in a country like India. Subhobroto suggests — effective education should be introduced in schools to make students aware about respecting people without salutation.
However, it is more important to introduce this idea to children at home first. As children learn at home before they even enter schools. Parents should try to teach their kids to be humble and respect everyone equally.
In conclusion, Subhobroto recommends everyone to understand the essence of No Sir No Madam and implement it in their lives. As it will be of no use, if you do not understand the importance of it and just blindly follow the campaign.
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