Thursday, April 24, 2008
The Essence of Respect
Last week I was in a doctor’s office and the issue of respect came to mind. Here is what happened - I was waiting my turn to go in and sitting quietly just listening to the things going on around me. The reception desk was not too far away when I heard someone making an appointment for a patient. The woman was friendly on the phone but after she hung up said, “I’ve never liked him because he is always whining.”
I was appalled by this lack of respect for several reasons:
(1) It was said loudly so those of us waiting could hear.
(2) She didn’t have the courage to discuss this with the patient. Instead, chose to talk behind his back.
In order to get respect from your team, you must first give respect. This is true for the team you are building and the team you are on.
Ann Landers once wrote, “The true measure of a person is how they treat someone who can do them absolutely no good.”
This statement is very inclusive, isn’t it? It means you genuinely connect with all levels in your organization—from the executive suite to the maintenance crew. You remember people’s names, what they do, know something about them personally, and they leave your presence feeling like a million bucks. It is making people feel important.
How can you make people feel important? Consider some of these ideas. Do you:
* listen with complete attention
* return phone calls and emails quickly
* say positive things about people when they are not there
Showing respect is the first step in building trust, and when people work in a high trust environment they have freedom to express concerns.
This quote is not mine and I don’t know the author to give them credit.
“When you truly respect others, it is both the ultimate form of power and the ultimate form of humility.”
Until next time...live like you mean it!
Marjorie