Respect: What do people do to gain respect from others?  Here are 10 things that will help you build relationships and increase the respect that others have for you.

Life is much easier when people respect us to the point that they want to give us their support. ~ www.jaywren.com

Relationships and Respect

The quality of our personal and work relationships is the result of the respect other people give us and the respect that we give to other people.

Although what other people do is beyond our control, the most powerful people know how to influence the response of the people around them. You can as well.

Give Credit

People gain respect when they give credit to the correct person.  Giving credit is a compliment with substance.

On the other hand, people who claim credit for the work of other people lose respect.   People who know that these people are undeserving of that credit will resent the dishonesty.

If you give credit, you will gain respect among your friends and among people who can affect your career.

Admit Mistakes

Everyone makes mistakes.  Successful people admit them and do not repeat them.  People will respect you if you correct your mistakes and move on.

Don’t make excuses for failing to do your work.  Be honest.  You just did not do the work.  You regret it.  When you admit your mistakes and not repeat them, you will get respect.

Do Your Job

Get a copy of your job description.  Read it with your boss.  Discuss what you are doing with your boss.  When you are uncertain about what you are doing, ask your boss for information.

And don’t just do your job. Be conscientious about the way you do your job.

Everyone will respect you for knowing and doing what you are supposed to do.

Let Other People Do Their Job

First, don’t let people take advantage of you.  Being a team player and helping other people occasionally is one thing.  Having people use you to do their work is not the way to get respect at work.

Second, do not interfere with other people by meddling in their job.  People do not always want your advice.  People certainly do not want you to do their job and take credit for what their work.

By respecting the space of other people to do their job, you will get respect.

Lighten Up

Don’t take yourself too seriously.  Insisting that your priorities are the only things that matter will create resentments.  If you come to work every day and load the workplace with pressure, you will create tension.

Be sincere.  Work hard.  Be straightforward with your supervisors, co-workers, and people you manage.  Take your work seriously.  However, don’t take everything so seriously that you can’t accept mistakes and adjustments in the daily routine.

Lighten up. People will enjoy working with you, and you will get respect.

Keep Your Word

Honor your commitments.  If you know that you can’t do something or that you will not do something, be honest about it.  Don’t make a commitment to do things that you can’t or will not do.  Keeping your word is basic to getting respect.

Be Punctual

If you are late all the time, people will quickly get weary of dealing with you.  Arrive at your appointments early.   Complete your work ahead of time.  Reduce the pressure on others having to worry about when your punctuality.

You will get respect when people know they can trust you to be at work on time and complete your work on time.

Avoid Gossip

A quick way to ruin relationships is to gossip.  Avoid people who gossip.  The only people who respect people who gossip are other people who gossip.

Protect Confidences

When someone tells you something personal or private, keep it to yourself.  Even if you do not make a commitment to keep the information private, respect the trust that people have given you. People do not respect people who break their confidences.