R-E-S-P-E-C-T —Respect!

A long, long time ago, I was a Navy Sailor.   In addition to learning that anything metal can shine with enough Never Dull and elbow grease, I also learned to both love and respect the sea.  No matter how big, grey and heavy a steel boat is, it’s a bottle cap in 25 foot swells. The sea has been around a lot longer, knows more, and is subtly more powerful than any experienced sailor.

The importance of respect in the workplace is something that must be understood by employees at every level of the company. Mutual respect in the workplace lets all employees know that they are valued for their achievements, abilities, and qualities.

A 2018 Gallup study discovered that just 30% of us were engaged at work (who knows what the post-covid percentage would be!).  And a survey by Harvard Business Review found that out of 20,000 employees, respect was the leading behavior that encourages greater commitment and engagement.

First, it might be helpful to understand what is meant by respect.  Respect is the act of showing appreciation for someone’s traits or qualities or treating people with dignity and gratitude. 

As a leader, it's important for you to respect your team to create a positive working environment and set a good example. And when employees feel respected, they respect others. And when this happens, there is an increase in employee engagement, improvement in knowledge sharing, and stress reduction, which all contribute to the bottom line.

But, it's also important for your team to respect you.  As managers and leaders, it can be easy to forget that you also should receive respect from your team.  What might this look like for you as a leader?

• No, you aren’t always available to your team; you have your own job to do.  

• No, you can’t do their job for them or when they fall behind; they are responsible for their own work.

• No, they can’t borrow your brain and experience at will; they must learn and grow of their own volition.  

• …so that when your teammates do need a considered opinion, support or feedback from you, it's asked for and given in a respectful manner to you!

So in summary: Set your boundaries. Respect your team and hold your team accountable for their own work. Encourage them to own their own successes and failures (and support them in both).  This will help them, and you be your “best selves” together.