How To Be More Respectful In Life And In The Workplace

“It is respect for one another that builds healthy relationships. It is mutual respect that creates friendships and enables societies and their organizations to function effectively. It is respect that establishes trust between individuals and groups,” states Robert L. Dilenschneider, author of the new book, Respect: How to Change The World One Interaction At A Time.

“While my books typically have been for a business audience—and this one is perfect for entrepreneurs to directors to CEOs—it also will resonate with anyone at any point in their life who wants to improve interpersonal communication and relate to others with authenticity,” adds Dilenschneider.

Drawing on his decades of leadership experience and insights from respected voices in healthcare, education, business, politics, nonprofit foundations, and the arts, Dilenschneider offers a clear roadmap for building stronger connections and communities.

As you read the book, you will learn:

Why self-respect is the foundation for meaningful change. You cannot respect others if you do not respect yourself. Similarly, you won’t attract sincere respect from others if you lack respect for yourself.

How leaders use respect to shape culture and success.

Practical steps anyone can take to foster civility, one interaction at a time.

How to encourage others to treat you with respect.

How to improve relationships.

How to strengthen professional connections.

“In the workplace respectfulness requires cultivating a culture where people feel safe to express their opinions without retribution or being ignored. It requires deliberately seeking views that are different from your own, perhaps because of experiences, culture, or other factors,” states Dilenschneider.

He considers the following as essential and important qualities that comprise being respectful:

Listen to others—really listen—instead of thinking about what you’ll say next.

Understand that everyone has their own experiences and beliefs.

Be courteous; help others see the good.

Practice compassion; foster a sense of belonging.

Acknowledge the dignity of human life, no matter one’s station, culture, or preferences.

Be cognizant of another person’s time they are giving you.

Emphasize someone’s strengths, not their weaknesses.

Admit it when you’re wrong.

“As leaders, cultivate respectfulness; be watchful for disrespect.,” says Dilenschneider. “There’s an error of omission and an error of commission. You can be respectful to people but if other people are disrespectful and you don’t call them out on it, then you’re committing an error of omission, and you should watch out for that.”

Robert L. Dilenschneider

Respect is an essential guide to navigating a society, marketplace, and environment that seems increasingly prone to disrespect and rudeness.

“My hope is that the exploration of respectfulness in this book will be helpful to you—whether you see the need or especially if you do not yet. The pages are packed with provocative thought and practical advice,” shares Dilenschneider.

Dilenschneider provides these additional insights with us:

Question: What compelled you to author this book now?

Dilenschneider: I’ve spent a lifetime working in communications, watching our public discourse become more and more coarse. In recent years, the decline has accelerated. People talk past one another. They attack instead of listening. They assume the worst of anyone who doesn’t share their views.
I felt strongly that we needed a reset, not at the policy level, but at the personal level.

That’s why I wrote Respect: How to Change the World One Interaction At A Time (Wiley). I wanted to give people a clear, practical roadmap for restoring civility in their own families, workplaces, and communities. If we want a more respectful society, it starts with how we choose to treat one another every single day.

Question: What should a person do when someone is not respectful to them?

Dilenschneider: The first step is not to react in kind. When you meet disrespect with more disrespect, nothing improves, the situation only deteriorates.

Ground yourself. Maintain your dignity. Listen if you can, disengage if you must, but don’t allow someone else’s behavior to dictate your own.

Often the most powerful response is calm clarity: recognizing the behavior, setting a boundary, and continuing to act with decency. Respect isn’t weakness. It’s strength, and you show that strength by not letting another person pull you down to their level.

Question: After reading the book, what is the single best step a reader can take to be more respectful of others?

Dilenschneider: Start with this: listen — truly listen.

When you give someone your full attention, you’re sending a powerful message: You matter. Your voice matters. I’m willing to hear you even if I don’t agree with you.

That simple act opens doors. It lowers tension. It reminds people of their own humanity and yours. And from there, civility becomes possible again.

One thoughtful, attentive interaction at a time, that’s how respect spreads.

___

Dilenschneider is author of 19 books.

He formed The Dilenschneider Group in October 1991. Headquartered in New York and Chicago, the Firm provides strategic advice and counsel to Fortune 500 companies and leading families and individuals around the world, with experience in fields ranging from mergers and acquisitions and crisis communications to marketing, government affairs, and international media.

Experienced in a number of communications disciplines, Dilenschneider is frequently called upon by the media to provide commentary and strategic public relations insights on major news stories. He has counseled major corporations, professional groups, trade associations, and educational institutions, and has assisted clients in dealings with regulatory agencies, labor unions, and consumer groups, among others.

Thank you to the book’s publisher for sending me an advance copy of the book.

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