Show Respect

Our society works best when we respect one another.  It means everything that we see the dignity in each of the people around us.  Plus, you must think through how you can show each person in your life that you respect them.  

The world is a better place when everyone feels respected.  It is a horrible waste, when we find a mismatch:  One person respects the other and yet they don’t know that they are respected.

Could you pass the test?

An ethics instructor at seminary school was administering a final exam.  As is the case in many classrooms, one student finished the exam quickly, but instead of turning it in quickly…  they began squirming in their chair.  A second student finished and the squirming was mirrored there too.  Again and again, until finally one courageous student spoke up and asked, “how much is the last question worth?”  The instructor said, “It is pass / fail.  If you get the final question wrong you have not learned anything from me this semester and you fail the exam and class.”  What was the question?  “What is the name of the person who cleaned this classroom all semester?”

Could you pass that test?  Not literally, because most of us are not in an ethics class.  Figuratively, do you take note of all of the people in your life that play important roles all around us worthy of respect?

Look for it in others by observing the “Waiter Rule”.

The waiter rule is:  “You can learn a lot about the character of a person based upon the way they treat the server in a restaurant after they put the food on the table.”  

Do they remember the server’s name?  Are they polite, say please and say thank you?

Or

Do they act as if the server does not exist?  Do they hold the poor server responsible for the collective failures of the restaurant and its management?

How do you hold up against the waiter rule?  Once again, not just in a restaurant, but everywhere in your life.  Do you demonstrate respect for everyone that you encounter?

Only 42% of employees believe their management respects them.  What a horrible statistic?  Why?  I suspect that some portion of the 58% that do not feel respected really aren’t respected, and some of those may warrant that, due to poor behavior or bad performance.  However, there is a portion of that 58% that do not feel respected, despite the fact that their boss does indeed respect them.  The failure is that the manager has not taken pains to show, tell and demonstrate respect. 

In the top 10% of organizations, employees are treated the same as executives.

So, how might we go about showing respect?

• Listening to their thoughts and opinions.
• Saying please when asking them for something.
• Showing gratitude and saying thank you for the things they do for you.

In other words, it is the little things that take very little time.  Get out there, show respect to the people in your life.  It will have a measurable benefit in more robust interpersonal relationships.

Just my opinion.  What do you think?  Let me know in the comments.

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#Trust #Leadership #Respect #DemonstrateRespect