Workplace Ethics #8 Respect

As we celebrated mother’s day yesterday, I pondered upon the greatest workplace ethic that my mother ever taught me. When I first started working, my mother urged me to rest everyone that I would finding my workplace irrespective of what their role was. It did not seem like a big deal until I came across people who I presumed did not have much to do with my career progress. There are people whom you consider to be on little or new value to your career advancement such as the gateman, the office messenger, the tea girl or the janitor.

Respects tends to come a little more naturally for people we consider to be better than us. It will come naturally when you have to respect your supervisor, boss or head of the company. It is another story when it comes to your subordinates, colleagues who might be younger than you or same age as you, the support team who you don’t deal with directly. We tend to struggle to find the reason as to why these people ought to earn our respect.

Respect is when you feel admiration and deep regard for an individual. You believe that the person is worthy of your regard and admiration because of the good qualities and capabilities that they bring to your workplace. After feeling the respect and regard, you demonstrate them by acting in ways that show you are aware of your colleagues as people who deserve respect. As such, you recognize that they have rights, opinions, wishes, experience, and competence.

It doesn't matter whether it’s personal or professional; we all want to be treated with respect.  Many of us demand to be respected but don’t give respect in return.  That is a huge problem.  You can’t expect to receive what you are not willing to give. When dealing with human beings, many incidents or problematic situations could be eliminated if the individuals involved were treated with dignity and respect.

 All success rises and falls on the wings of relationships. Our ability to build strong healthy relationships with other people will ensure our continued growth and progress along the career ladder. Taking the effort to stop and greet people, address people by their names, exercising courtesy, sympathy as well as empathy will go a long way in facilitating healthy relationships.

The reality is that everyone has something to offer you and add to your career advancement in one way or another. The person that ensures your seat is clean or the lady who prepares your tear, the janitor who ensures you have clean washroom all add value to your working environment which in turn facilitates your career development. As much as they are simply doing their jobs, they could teach you a thing or two about life thus give them the respect that they deserve.

A lot of the conflicts in the work place can be addressed when we learn to respect each other, when we learn to acknowledge and affirm each other with dignity. Every person has a network they belong to and you just never know when you could need to tap into someone’s network. Make an effort to live at peace with all people so that you will find favor at every turning. This simple workplace ethic could take you further than your academic papers could in the short run.

Respect all people, both great and small in their capacities and dignities as human beings. The universe will reward you with the same respect that you give out. Be generous with your respect and it will generously come back to you.