Is Calling Your Boss by Their First Name Respectful or Disrespectful?

[Bigthraex]

In the light of events of what transpired between  CEO UBA plc and the graduate trainee that addressed him by his first name Tony and he correct her immediately by saying he doesn't subscribe to that Oyibo style. He asked that she addressed him as Mr Tony or CEO more like include a title. I have worked for a corporate foreign company and we were asked not to use sir, Mr, Mrs or miss but address everybody including the boss by their first name. I also learned that in corporate offices even some banks train their staff to do the same. I think given she doesn't work under Mr Tony Elumelu directly she should have called him Mr Tony or CEO especially because we are in Nigeria. Our cultural value is big on respect and how we address older people whether in the work place or not. Do you think she was naive, ignorant or unprofessional.

[Charles-Tim]

It is highly inappropriate. I like Anthony Onyemaechi Elumelu for correcting him. I do not care about the Oxford University interviewed or whatever that the interviewer called him Tony in the past that some people referenced to.

Western culture and our culture are different. If it is in the Western country, no problem. But as long it is in our country, it is highly inappropriate and we all know that.

We are in a country that if a lady calls his boss name, people only will think about one thing which is sexual affairs.

[Somto9Light]

We are in a country that if a lady calls his boss name, people only will think about one thing which is sexual affairs.

Exactly, when I was going through comments on social media, a lot of people were already suspecting that something was going on between Tony Elumelu and the girl in question because it is rare for a lady to have that boldness to call her boss by his first name except they are having sexual relationship. You know people can read meanings to situation like this. Then again, I'm not saying that something like that might be happening between both parties but it raises an awareness to an employer never to have a romantic relationship with any of their female workers because most women automatically removes the etiquette in addressing their bosses when they start having a secret affair. But in real sense, even if such a thing is happening, inasmuch as they are in a corporate environment she was supposed to accord him that respect, coupled with the fact that we're Africans and our culture is to accord our elders respect regardless of the environment they find themselves.

[Jostern]

I must tell you that what that young lady did is absolutely wrong, it was more like he was talking to his classmate, the way she said it, Tony, Like she was talking to her junior brother and it was a very wrong way to address your elder, I wonder if that girl can call her dad by the first name, let me assume that her fathers name is Kent, would she be calling her father Kent? Which is why I think what that young lady did is once again absolutely wrong, I can’t just assume is the Oyibo in her speaking, but if that is the way she was brought up it’s totally wrong and I would blame bad parenting or upbringing, I think here in Africa we have different cultures on how we can show someone respect to Elders, her choice of calling him “Tony” was a wrong approach, I hope she must have learnt something when she was corrected.

[Wiwo]

In the light of events of what transpired between  CEO UBA plc and the graduate trainee that addressed him by his first name Tony and he correct her immediately by saying he doesn't subscribe to that Oyibo style. He asked that she addressed him as Mr Tony or CEO more like include a title. I have worked for a corporate foreign company and we were asked not to use sir, Mr, Mrs or miss but address everybody including the boss by their first name. I also learned that in corporate offices even some banks train their staff to do the same. I think given she doesn't work under Mr Tony Elumelu directly she should have called him Mr Tony or CEO especially because we are in Nigeria. Our cultural value is big on respect and how we address older people whether in the work place or not. Do you think she was naive, ignorant or unprofessional.

The timing is both wrong and right for the young lady.

Wrong in the sense that, she should have address the CEO based on his official title, MR/CEO etc. Is disrespectful the way and manner that young lady addressed her boss and someone old enough to be her father by Name without any respect for his person or office.

The young lady ks trending now; she gets more attention and also some special treatment for doing the wrong thing, but I hope she is wise enough to offer a public apology to Mr Tony Elumelu.

[CryptoHeadlineNews]

In the light of events of what transpired between  CEO UBA plc and the graduate trainee that addressed him by his first name Tony and he correct her immediately by saying he doesn't subscribe to that Oyibo style. He asked that she addressed him as Mr Tony or CEO more like include a title. I have worked for a corporate foreign company and we were asked not to use sir, Mr, Mrs or miss but address everybody including the boss by their first name. I also learned that in corporate offices even some banks train their staff to do the same. I think given she doesn't work under Mr Tony Elumelu directly she should have called him Mr Tony or CEO especially because we are in Nigeria. Our cultural value is big on respect and how we address older people whether in the work place or not. Do you think she was naive, ignorant or unprofessional.

So are you trying to say maybe you happens to meet "Donald Trump" today, are you trying to say you will address him by his name "Donald Trump" or you will address him by his title and his name like "President Donald Trump"?. And this tells you that irrespective of where you find yourself, a courtesy of respect is always very important when addressing people that are far above you in age and also career wise. And it is left for those people to tell you to address them by their name and not adding title to it, just like you claim your boss in corporate foreign companies do tell you to address them by their real name only. So to be honestly speaking, what that young lady did was absolutely wrong and should not be encouraged in our Nigerian society.