Many of us strive to get to the top of the organisation for which we work. To get there, we not only need to be good at what we do, but we also need to be respected by our subordinates, peers, superiors and business partners. Once a person is respected, people will want to be led by him or her.
Typically, respect is not gained overnight, but rather over a long period. While many young executives work hard at delivering results, they often forget about developing themselves as respectable people.
I once knew a manager who demanded that he be respected by his subordinates and peers. Needless to say, he was not the most respected person in his organisation. There are two types of respect: one that comes from the job title, the high salary and social status, and the other that comes because it has been earned through goodness of character. The latter kind of respect is harder to achieve, but once earned will last longer.
There are many ways to gain respect in a workplace. This includes things likes demonstrating excellent skills, honouring commitments, having high values and being honest and fair. But the ones I would like to touch on are simple techniques like giving respect and talking less.
Almost everyone knows that to gain respect, a person first has to give respect. But a lot of us don't practise what we know. All day long, we are exposed to opportunities in which we can choose to show respect or disrespect for others - sometimes without us consciously knowing. Simple business etiquette or manners are often overlooked by those who demand that they be respected. A senior manager I know constantly talks loudly on the phone, right in the middle of every meeting, without any regard for others. This same person regularly interrupts while others are speaking because he feels that what he has to say is more important. Frequently, he pays no attention when others are talking to him. As good as he may be in what he does, he is not well respected by the people with whom he works.
In this busy, stressful, and competitive society, we frequently forget to treat others in the same way that we wish to be treated. Often, people become so full of themselves that they forget to show others the respect they deserve.
Another easy tip that can help to gain respect is to talk less. When we talk less, or only talk when it is necessary, people give more importance to what we say. People who make a big deal of every small issue will sooner rather than later be "switched off" by their peers. Talking less allows us to listen more. When we listen to others, we show appreciation for their words and show that we are interested in them. This is another way of giving respect.
These tips are simple, yet are often overlooked by those needing to gain the respect of others. Remember that climbing to the top is a journey that an individual cannot make alone. All of the respect that he or she has given to others on the way to the top may then be reciprocated, giving a full measure of respect to someone who richly deserves it.
Urasate Navanugraha is assistant vice president of asset development for Pacific Star International (Thailand). Follow his articles in Hi! Managers every second Wednesday of the month.
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