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At our core, humans are rational:

We know that we can’t be right all the time.
We know that we can’t have everything we want.
We know that we’re not the perfect employees.
We understand that things change.
We recognise that difficult decisions have to be made.
We know that sometimes we need to be pushed beyond our comfort zone.
We appreciate the pressures that other people are under.
We know that time is precious; and
We know that others have expertise and knowledge that we don’t have.

All most people ask for is respect. For who they are, what they believe, the value they add, the feedback they provide, the things they’ve achieved and the mistakes that they’ve made.

They want their manager to see them, hear them, appreciate them and then communicate to them in a way that motivates them.

It’s not too much to ask, yet respecting other people seems to be getting lower down the list of things that are important, especially with people in positions of influence.

When people feel respected, heard and appreciated they will bring their best self to work. They will work hard, have the right attitude, support others around them and go the extra mile to contribute in ways that weren’t requested.

Having respect for another human isn’t a lot to ask and is often the difference between team success and failure.

The end of a calendar year often signifies an opportunity for change. How can you respect others more in 2024?