Remember Rodney Dangerfield and his famous catchphrase “I don’t get no respect”? It can be very frustrating when you feel disrespected, and hard to change because respect is something you cannot demand or expect from others. Respect is a core value at Bethany, but what exactly is respect?
Respect is series of actions that you show to someone else to build and maintain a relationship. So what does that really mean? It’s those positive feelings or actions you demonstrate to others. It is treating someone so that they feel important or that you hold them in high esteem or regard. Respect can convey a sense of admiration for another, and is demonstrated by exhibiting care, concern, and consideration for their feelings.
There are several things you can do to show respect for others:
Listen – this is always on the top of the list. People want to be heard and using your active listening skills to really listen to someone will show you respect their ideas and opinions.
Behave in a way that is appropriate to them – show compassion for their feelings and make sure you do not speak or act in a way that makes them uncomfortable (this can be very different from person to person).
Show integrity – do the right thing, always. And that means doing the right thing even when no one is looking.
What does respect look like at Bethany? Respect could be as simple as:
- Good manners – such as good meeting etiquette, team behaviour norms such as avoiding inappropriate language or behaviour, sharing and helping others.
- Valuing others’ ideas– really listening to them instead of imposing your own ideas. Active listening is one of the best ways to show respect both in the workplace and in your personal life.
- Give effective feedback– help people understand how they are doing. Feedback helps us improve and move forward. Make the effort to help people stay on track or get back on track with feedback.
- Do what you say you’re going to do– this might seem easy but often we don’t follow through with our commitments, which sends a message that the commitment isn’t important or the person expecting you to follow through is not important.
- Not wasting someone’s time – be on time for meetings, show up prepared, be ready to go, and don’t waste their time when you’re there – value it.
- Incorporate respect into your norms– work with your team to create team norms so everyone is on the same page. Talk about it and give examples so everyone knows exactly what is expected of them.
Building respect can take time, but losing it takes seconds. Once lost, respect can be difficult to regain. With this in mind, it only makes sense to make showing respect a priority.
If you have any questions, or would simply like to share your ideas, please contact me directly at lisa.watson@bethanyseniors.com.
Kind regards,
– Lisa
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