When you think about the things that you need to do as an entrepreneur to succeed in business, earning respect may not necessarily make your list ahead of things such as online marketing, networking and more. True respect is something that is earned, and when it is something that you strive for as an business owner and employer, it can add tremendous value for you, your employees and your customers. If you can earn it from others, you have already won something you can’t put a price tag on.
Respect must be earned. It takes time and mindfulness. But your efforts to win over your team and clients is well worth the effort. You can can lay the groundwork for being a more respectful person and work to earn it in return by doing the following:
- Be kind: Being kind is a great way to earn the respect of others — but it must be genuine. Fake niceties are a surefire way to turn people off. Don’t just reserve kindness for the “important people” in your life, but make the effort to do this for everyone in you encounter, from your family members to your waiter at lunch.
- Be a good listener.Listening well is a conscious choice to make the other person feel heard, respected and valued. You do not have to agree with a person to be a good listener, and making others feel validated is a good way to earn the respect of others.
- Be open to new ideas” Shutting yourself off from potentially valuable input is not helpful for anyone, but being willing to listen to others, adapt and make changes when necessary not only shows a willingness to learn, it can be a great way to earn respect from your employees and your customers.
Respect isn’t freely given, but a great way to begin your efforts to gain it is to simply treat others how you wish to be treated. If you want respect from your employees and your clients, you must first be willing to give it and work to earn it for yourself.
By Meagan Kerlin for Vertu Marketing LLC