What is respect?

Respect is an understanding
Of another life right to be.
To express and be acknowledged.
Respect is deeply entwined in true humility .
To be humble enough to accept that there is always  something more to learn.
To explore, know & acknowledge.

In my stints, as a Consultant & Mentor I have been privy to many interviews  for Senior  leadership positions  I have noticed often enough  that the decline of respect is directly proportional to higher job titles. And  so is incline for the need for self respect.
Let me explain, in the years of experience garnered over the years often there an increase in self – confidence  so much so that the need to be seen as important takes over in conversations. 

I witnessed an interview to hire a VP Human Resources  by the CEO. The candidate was a lady in her 40s and the CEO interviewing her in his fifties. Age apart the interview  exchange veered in the direction  of Corporate Culture. In  her steering the  communication  in the direction of her  association  with brands and people, throwing out top industry names than her personal achievements,  she also began  calling the CEO by name , without checking if it was fine by him.
The fact was 250 employees  of the company used to greet & address him respectfully  and here this candidate, choose to address him directly  by first name without a proper professional salutation ahead of the name.

While it was fine as she didn’t know anything about the culture of the company, it was a sign of lack of acknowledgement by the candidate of the cultural hierarchies  and shows  the  inflexibility and rigidity  to align with others.  A sign of ego and need for value for self  but lack of empathy  for another.

So inspite of the candidate  ticking  other boxes on the requirements  list she was rejected.
Don’t get me wrong it was not because  she did not care for professional  salutations  but more importantly  because  it was a sign of defiance to protocol and  authority.

A team needs one leader and like too many cooks spoil the broth, too many non compliant leaders will wreck havoc in any organisation.
For work is worship as the saying goes…and the
ability to respect the work one does and the workplace that is inclusive becomes  paramount in  list of best work practices.

For even if the  candidate  had been onboarded the team would eventually sense a lack of cultural fitment in her soon. So no matter the degrees the education  in reputed universities, the travel abroad and working in MNCs  a simple life’skill of giving due respect  wherever necessary is a valuable skill.  For no ones loses anything by it. Actually respect given, is trust gained.

After all every part of the world has its unique culture practices, it would be good to be safe than sorry by treading with care & respecting and acknowledging the differences.

After all respect is not taking another for granted.

©Savvy Raj