Deep breaths, respect, and empathy
Respect is literally the first step in REAL communications, so desperately needed right now.
In 2015, Inc magazine published 99 simple ways to gain respect, which you’ll see by the first step is intricately connected to being able to show respect to others. I’ll spare you the entire list (you can read it here), but the first seven are seriously important:
- Give more than you get. Give respect to get respect.
- Respect yourself. Respect comes first from within.
- Offer respect. Respect those around you.
- Maintain your integrity. It’s the cornerstone of earned respect.
- Keep your promises. We don’t respect anyone for making a promise, only for keeping it.
- Add value. The more you focus on adding value for others, the more respect you will get.
- Learn to spell Respect:
- Remember basic kindness.
- Encourage others.
- Stand firm in your convictions.
- Play fair and smart.
- Extend a helping hand.
- Cause no harm.
- Think before you speak.
The next step in REAL Communications is Empathy. Make an effort to truly understand others’ situations from their point of view. “I know how you feel” is not sufficient. Real empathy is, according to the Greater Good Science Center, “the ability to step into the shoes of another person, aiming to understand their feelings and perspectives, and to use that understanding to guide our actions.”
Ah, there’s the rub. Positive communication should lead to positive action. How often we neglect, when we talk the talk, to also walk the walk. It’s too easy to say “I empathize” but a little more difficult to say “here’s what I’m going to do about it.”
So take a deep breath, reach out, show respect, earn the respect of others, be brave enough to show empathy, and let’s move forward with reconnecting as humans.
Ready to learn more about REAL Communications?
