The magic effect of respect

The magic effect of listening and the importance of respect:

How can we boost our creativity, make better collaborations, and be trusted at work?

I believe we all want to be happier, calmer, and more confident at work?
This is something both leaders and employees may benefit from.

What does neuroscience say about respect?

When you feel disrespected by someone else, your subconscious mind perceives that behavior toward you as a threat, even if its behavior that the person doing it thinks is perfectly respectful.

Rudeness is “disrespectful or insensitive behavior.” Our brains tend to react immediately and intensely to it. When someone is rude, our brains interpret it as a threat. The result is a sudden increase in irritability, stress, and altered decision-making.

What does psychology say about respect?

It tends to be a self-reinforcing behaviour. Treating someone with respect means:
Showing regard for their abilities and worth
Valuing their feelings and their views, even if you don't necessarily agree with them
Accepting them on an equal basis and giving them the same consideration you would expect for yourself.

When we feel disrespected, we go into fight, flight, freeze mode, and release stress hormones. These hormones can impair our cognitive abilities, lower our immune system, and increase our risk of chronic diseases.

But when we feel respected, we release oxytocin, the "bonding" or "love" hormone. Oxytocin makes us feel happy, calm, and confident. It also enhances our creativity, collaboration, and trust.

So how can we create a culture of respect in our workplaces?

Here are some practical tips that you can apply right away:

• Take notice of your voice and body language when speaking with others.
  Both can convey or disprespct more than your words.

• Do not interrupt, dismiss or criticize others in public.
  It will hurt their feelings and damage their reputation.

• Acknowledge and appreciate what others come to share with you.
  This will make them feel valued and motivate them.

• Actively seek feedback and advice from others before making decisions, even if you may already know what direction you want to take. This will always show them that you respect their opinions and expertise.
  And always, ALWAYS, if you choose to use their advice, make sure that they get credit for it!

• Always apologize when making mistakes or have ended up hurting someone’s feelings.
  It will tell them that you really care and respect them as a human being.

By following these simple advice, you will create a respectful environment that benefits everyone's emotional well-being and will help everyone perform better, including you.
Good luck!
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to book a call with us.