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So often people ask me what they should do to lead morale and my answer is, rediscover respect. Its power to inspire is vast and it is a highly underused emotion especially at work. Here’s why and more on how to tap into the power of respect.

Rediscover Respect: The Hugely Underused Emotion. Image by Martin Abegglen via Flickr Creative Commons License.

Image by Martin Abegglen via Flickr Creative Commons License.

Rediscover Respect – The Underused Emotion

Let’s start with whether respect is something you must earn or something we should show each other. It is a debate that lingers on and on. My question is, why debate it?

Respect as a human being and respect for our innate talents is something we all want and deserve. We can lose that respect if we treat others badly. Yet if we wait for others to earn our respect, it’s not likely they will even try. Why would they bother earning our respect if we aren’t respecting them as human beings in the first place?

When Does Respect Matter Most in Business?

• With customers. Show it by listening and learning about their needs. And show it more by expressing your gratitude.

• Among teammates and coworkers. Diverse people get together to create a shared success. To do this without showing respect for differences and for talents is nearly impossible.




To lead morale and lead well:

• Rediscover respect and make it the culture. A culture of respect replaces conflict with communication.

• Dispel the myth that respect and civility prevent honesty. They don’t. Respect and civility don’t weaken a message. They help others hear it.

• Highlight and appreciate natural talents. This show of respect tells employees they matter for who they are. Don’t worry that it will make people complacent and lazy. It doesn’t. It inspires most people to contribute more, not less.

• Model and teach how to show respect. Even in disagreement, it’s possible to show respect. Yet many people don’t know how to do this. Stress that words matter. They can woo or wound. Create bonds not scars as you disagree.

Rediscover Respect – Takeaways

1. Lack of respect — expecting people to first earn it — can be just as damaging as disrespect.

2. Showing appreciation — a sign of respect — sets the scene for powerful interaction.

3. To lead morale, first show respect. It creates a culture of dignity. And in the end, morale is ALL about dignity.

Don’t wait for people to earn your respect. Show them basic human respect and watch the relationship take shape.

From my professional experience to your success,
Kate Nasser, The People Skills Coach™

Related Posts:
When We Are Most Likely to Disrespect Others
Being in Charge vs. Being Respected
7 Steps to Respond to Disrespect w/ Dignity

©2020 Kate Nasser, CAS, Inc. Somerville, NJ. I appreciate your sharing the link to this post on your social streams. However, if you want to re-post or republish the content of this post, please email info@katenasser.com for permission and guidelines. Thank you for respecting intellectual capital.

Kate Nasser, The People Skills Coach™, delivers coaching, consulting, training, and keynotes on leading change, employee engagement, teamwork, and delivering the ultimate customer service. She turns interaction obstacles into interpersonal success. See this site for workshop outlines, keynote footage, and customer results.

Tags: communication, Customer Service, dignity, emotion, importance, Leadership, leading morale, morale, people skills, rediscover, respect, sales, Soft Skills, Teamwork