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“Respect yourself and others will respect you.” - Quote by a great philosopher from China, Confucius
I am going to pose a very visceral question to the growing band of readers of Codleo Consulting’s blogs. Do you want to be liked by your peers, juniors, and seniors, or respected? Think about the question in detail and answer truthfully. Some of us may claim that we want to be liked; some may claim that respect is more important than being liked / popular. Where do you want to stand as a professional? Who does not want to be liked / popular in office? It has many perks such as promotions, plum assignments, protection from adversity, good networks as well as better results & communication with others.
For those who vote in favour of being liked, there is a trade – off. It comes with the price of not being respected by the very same people who like you ( and beyond in your organisation, industry, and society at large). Are you willing to stop feeling focused, energised, satisfied, and happy with your life & work? The reason why I am asking this is these feelings are directly linked with being respected. Being respected gives you a sense of worth, well being, and mental / emotional health.
Being liked at work is commendable but being respected is a must. Here are some ways that you can be respected in your workplace:
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Be truthful as much as possible even if that reduces or impacts your popularity.
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Explain to others about tough decisions that you or the company makes such as laying off workers, cutting back on perks, etc.
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Being able to say ‘ no ‘ to people in your work life as well as your personal life. This is tough. However, when one needs habitual it’s a game changer. There is a different feeling that is hard to explain.
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Be open minded and flexible in approach.
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Give / share credit with others publicly (written or verbal).
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Develop empathy that enables you to deal with a wide range of emotions such as anger, sadness, frustration, or disappointment.
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Create and honour personal & work boundaries.
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Provide negative feedback to the person concerned, well in time and not in an offensive / rude manner.
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Be open to feedback / constructive criticism and take action to make amends / improvements.
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Be respectful, kind, considerate to all.
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Be open to using “thank you”, “sorry ”, and “ please ‘.
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Apologise and own up to any / every mistake, big or small. Apologising only increases your stature, not diminishes it.
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Be the person you want others to be.
A tough set of rules to follow it seems. Doesn’t it? If you want to be a respected professional who is valued by most in your company / industry, then it’s time to get your act together. Follow the above mentioned rules, and be a person of integrity and stature.
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