I recently gained a new perspective when, of all things, I was watching a TV show.
I saw a program where they showed a military funeral, and I was awed by the absolute precision and care they took to fold the flag. It struck me as a demonstration of profound courtesy, honor and respect.
It made me wonder, “Do I take care to convey the respect I have for my family, friends, and clients?”
And I reluctantly admitted that the answer was, “Usually.”
Until seeing this fictional funeral, I hadn’t associated attention to detail as a way of conveying my respect for others. So I came up with a few ways to outwardly show courtesy, honor and respect:
- Show up on time for meetings and appointments
- Respond to email & phone calls in a timely manner
- Pay attention to details with written communications
- Dress with care
- Promptly acknowledge others when they help
Of course, all of the above can also be seen as strategies to demonstrate professionalism, which is how I’ve viewed them for a long time. From my new perspective of taking care to honor others, these actions take on an even more powerful role.
I’d love to hear some other ideas of how to demonstrate respect for others in our daily lives.
A good way to show courtesy and respect is to turn OFF your cell phone before the start of a meeting or appointment. Give the personal your are meeting with your undivided attention.
Another good tip!
For me, courtesy and respect for others starts with my own self-care. It’s hard to be patient, focused and thoughtful when I’m stressed. This means a regular bedtime, fresh, heathful groceries in the fridge, exercise, clean laundry, organization of my materials and time. Small things that don’t cost very much, but yield a big pay-off in terms of balance and extra time to go the extra mile. I’ve always been a “in-the-moment” kind of person, but now I aspire to have a schedule AND a plan to accomplish the things that are most important to me, like playing with my granddaughter without feeling distracted, maintaining my paperwork in a retrievable fashion. Perhaps best and biggest gift we can give each other is proper attention and validation, in other words, courtesy and respect!
Great point! It’s so much easier to be courteous to others when we are treating ourselves kindly. I guess that could be a new spin on the Golden Rule – treat ourselves as we would have others treat us!