THE BENCH: RESPECT always as a leader

THE BENCH teaches you to respect what you do and how you do it. When you lie down on the BENCH and have 100's of pounds over you for a bench press, if you do not respect what you do, how you do it the end result and I have seen this time and time again is injury and worse, so respecting the reality of everything you do is key.

LEADERS need to show respect in all they do and as such should expect the same in return. I always in my career felt that when I took a role, CEO, COO, President, or senior executive, those are just titles, they do not, LET ME SAY THIS AGAIN, they do not allow you to be disrespectful or to get a pass on basic behaviors of respect. People would be shocked when at K Mart, here is Kevin Browett, the EVP of Merchandising walking from office to office to see people rather than a call or order, shocked I would offer to carry the mailboxes for the staff as we walked the halls together? Why not helping others is respectful? I would go to someone's office and never walk in. I knocked on the door first even when open and waited to be invited in. My business partners the same I always wanted to show the behaviors that are just good basic respect to others as this is how I was raised and how would I ever get respect of I never showed it?

Too many people today act as if they deserve things, yet they have done nothing to have the respect of being a leader. Do they stand up for what is right? Do they admit they were wrong and try to help solve it? Do they give credit to others for ideas and successes or look to take credit for everything? Do they own mistakes and work to jointly solve them? Do they take all the credit and leave the others out?

When things are bad do they blame or do they own it and work to fix it? Do they showcase others for recognition and sit in the back row or always want all the attention?

RESPECT IS EARNED way before given, there is no nor should there be a given that just because you are X title you get respect. EARN IT and the best way to earn it is to walk the talk, show people how you respect them and they will respect you. That 300 lbs. over your face on the bench is a reality check, respect what can or could happen if you do not respect that so show respect for those you LEAD. you will be very pleasantly surprised when suddenly the team is doing together, the team is working in a respectful manner remember respect is also in the words you use and how you use them. Often the words are what do the most damage or the most good, so use that powerful tool carefully, VERY carefully. RESPECT!