Whatever happened to Self Respect and others?

Whatever happened to Self Respect and others?

Just as there is a growing lack of respect in society, respect plays an ever-increasing role in business. In a world of ever-shrinking?margins, gone are the days of the quick sale and one-time customer. Securing repeat business is your future. Lasting relationships are based on respect, and business relationships are no different. Some people will argue that you don’t have to respect someone, so commitments to others when we don’t keep the commitments. ?We understand the power of respect is to look at how you react when you are not respected, which?we make with ourselves. When we commit?to doing something, following through shows respect for ourselves, this?self-respect sets the tone for respecting others' commitments, making the ability to keep promises?we need to know every business with them. Perhaps. However, the lack of respect will erode your relationship over time, like rust bidding?its time on the underbelly of your car.

The kind of respect that will strengthen your relationships involves?respecting your customers, their customers, and yourself. When you respect your customers, you respect their time, and your actions manifest that respect: showing up on time, calling ahead if you will?be a few minutes late, returning all messages (voice and e-mail) promptly, and so on. Yes, I know this is simple stuff, but it needs to be improved in business and demonstrates?a lack of respect.

Respecting someone’s time also means giving him or her full value for his or her time. The more people value the time spent with you, the more time they will spend with you. Every conversation that provides value has the power to move the relationship forward. Respect for customers is also about respecting their needs, which requires us to take the time to listen to them before offering a solution to a problem we know nothing or little about. It also requires that the solution fit the needs and not vice versa. (Hard selling has no place in a respectful relationship.) Since customers need to understand and relate to what we are saying, the?onus is on us to make sure our communication is crystal clear; when questions are asked, we need to have a good answer and verify that the answer puts?the question to rest. Customers also need to know details about our solutions, which means?that we need to know every last detail about them first. Product knowledge demonstrates respect for customers and for their customers who also benefit.

We demonstrate our respect for our customers by standing behind everything we offer and providing excellent service. Our?ability to make our customers more effective and efficient ultimately benefits their customers as well—commitments?on any level need to be honored without hesitation.

It is harder to commit?to others when we don’t keep our commitments?with ourselves. When we commit?to doing something, following through shows respect for ourselves. This self-respect sets the tone for respecting others' commitments, making the ability to keep promises?to others a simple matter of routine.

Perhaps the easiest way to understand the power of respect is to look at how you react when you are not respected.

When people are shown disrespect, it causes them to be defensive; your whole demeanor is guarded. When that happens,?the relationship is no longer as open and straightforward as it should be, and that can understandably lead to a holding back on the whole commitment to others when we don’t keep the commitments,?we make with ourselves. When we commit?to doing something, following through shows respect for ourselves, this?self-respect sets the tone for respecting others' commitments, making the ability to keep promises?level of service that is usually?offered in a relationship where one’s value is fully respected. A lack of respect can cause less dialogue?since why would you want to spend more time talking to a disrespectful person than you need to? With less dialogue to feed a healthy relationship, relationships starve. A lack of respect shuts down the communication needed to build long-term relationships. Respect, on the other hand, creates open dialogue. Effective–Two-way communication builds trust, and the more trust you have, the easier it is to move any relationship forward. Put, respect is the seed of trust. I trust, with respect, that you will put it into?practice.

By: Mark Borkowski is president of Toronto-based?Mercantile Mergers & Acquisitions Corporation. Mercantile specializes in the sale of privately owned companies. He can be contacted at [email protected] or www.mercantilemergersacquisitions.com

Chris Wojnarowski

President & CFO at Nowocor Ltd

2 个月

The current culture promoted as national policy by this administration is one of envy, division and a lack of historical context. Lack of respect is a natural outgrowth of this constant demonization. Until fresh leadership addresses this and promotes a culture of innovation, rewarding success and honesty, with a return to normalcy, cynicism will prevail over respect.

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