1. Do you include others in meetings, committees, or events?  
2. Do you reprimand and praise every person fairly when performing similar actions by not playing favorites?  
3. Do you praise more than criticize?  
4. Do you listen to understand versus listen to respond by not interrupting or getting defensive?  
5. Do you encourage others to express their thoughts, suggestions and feelings?   
6. Do you implement expressed suggestions?   
7. Do you ask questions to show you are interested and care?   
8. Do you seek out others for their expertise and assistance to show you value their opinions?  
9. Do you control your anger outbursts and criticisms to not make people feel inadequate?  
10. Are you simply courteous, kind, and thoughtful?

 

7 Tips for Creating a Respectful Environment

1. Express yourself calmly without passing judgment, blame or criticism.
2. Do not text or take phone calls when with others.
3. Maintain confidentiality and avoid gossip.
4. Include others, seek to understand, and practice empathy.
5. Eliminate offensive humor that demeans individuals or groups.
6. Remember there is no "I" in the word "team".
7. Become self-aware and take responsibility for your own behavior.

Organizations need to wake up and take the necessary steps to keep everyone safe, healthy, and productive. Implementing organizational best practices will also ensure that an organization stays in business. When employees are motivated to come to work each day, they will perform better. An organization will see its costs associated with turnover absenteeism, healthcare premiums, employee relations litigation, customer complaints, and operational mistakes reduced. It will see morale, productivity, and customer satisfaction increase. Pride and respect will be instilled throughout the organization and profits will increase.

Whether at home, work, school or in your community, treat people the way you would like them to treat you.

It is up to each person to create and maintain a respectful environment. Bringing about accountability, boundaries and consequences will help eliminate disrespect. Sharing praise and showing appreciation will empower people to treat each other with respect. The first step to having a respectful environment is to treat yourself with respect. Then, everyone and everything will follow. Dish out some respect today!

To your living with respect,