The need to be respected is a commonality among humans. For the most part, we all absolutely need to be respected. However, some people struggle with how to be respected.
Although we must all respect one another, many times that isn’t the case, unfortunately.
At some point or another we come across people in our lives that simply do not respect us, for whatever the reason may be. Some people think that they don’t have to respect you because of your social or economic class. Perhaps because of your race, gender, religion, etc. But they’re wrong. There’s no reason to be disrespectful towards others.
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6 RULES ON HOW TO BE RESPECTED
We must treat everyone with equal respect, regardless of their position, status, or background.
With that said, if you’re struggling with being respected, below we outline 6 rules on how to be respected by others. Keep in mind that you may not be respected by some people, right away. However, by applying these qualities and behaviors, over time you will cultivate an environment around you that will speak for itself when it comes to your need to be respected.
1) Show respect to others. If You want respect, show respect to others. This is the first and foremost rule in how to be respected. You need to be respectful to others. Think about it, if you don’t respect others, then they have no obligation to respect you. Treat others with kindness, empathy, and respect. By respecting others, you create a positive environment that requires respect in return.
2) Be you from the beginning. Be yourself and don’t pretend to be someone that you are not. People are more likely to respect you if they see that you are authentically you and not pretending. This requires knowing who you are, embracing it and not being apologetic about it.
3) Be a person of your word. If you say you’re going to do something, follow through on it. Act with integrity in all areas of your life. Keep your word. It displays reliability. People tend to respect those who keep their word. Follow through on the things you said you would.
4) Be confident. Being a confident you is essential in being respected. Unfortunately people seldomly respect someone that lacks confident. They just don’t take you serious because you don’t have enough confidence in yourself to take yourself serious. A confident person will gain the respect of those around them, whereas one who is not, will lose it. However, in your confidence don’t become arrogant or cocky. Your confidence should be balanced with humility. You can be confident without being arrogant by not being dismissive of others and their ideas, at the least without hearing them. Rather, share your expertise and opinions with confidence while remaining open to learning from others.
5) Be accountable for your actions. Hold yourself accountable for your mistakes and learn from them. Admitting when you are wrong or apologizing when you make a mistake are crucial in being respected. If anyone takes that for granted or for weakness, they themselves don’t know respect, fully.
6) Show appreciation and gratitude. A truly respectful person knows how important showing appreciation and gratitude is. Acknowledge the contributions of others and express your gratitude. Recognize their efforts and achievements. Appreciating and valuing others is an essential block in building respect.
RESPECT VERSUS TRUST
Though it’s warranted that respect be given to every individual right from the beginning, some people may want you to earn it. It’s up to you to decide if you want to earn their respect. But we believe in demanding it otherwise.
People should give you respect and earn your trust, not the other way around.
You give everyone your respect from the beginning and they can lose it. Whereas trust, it’s not given, but it is to be earned.
That is a key difference between respect and trust. Respect is given, trust is earned.
WHAT IF YOU DISRESPECT SOMEONE
With everything we’ve outlined, even the most respectful person can be disrespectful at times, intentional or unintentional. If you are ever disrespectful, intentional or unintentional, the respectful thing to do is to apologize and do your best not to be disrespectful again.
You should be respected from the jump, period! But if you are not, follow these 6 rules to demand or earn your respect. You pick.
CONCLUSION
And as always we like to close with a saying, quote or adage and today’s is from Albert Einstein: I SPEAK TO EVERYONE IN THE SAME WAY, WHETHER HE IS THE GARBAGE MAN OR THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNIVERSITY.
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