It Costs You Nothing
When I was growing up in the suburbs of New York City, even though the world’s financial center has a reputation for rudeness, my parents frequently reminded me that I should be polite and respectful to everyone, no matter who they were. “It doesn’t cost you anything to be polite,” my mom used to say. Recently, I learned that there’s a Spanish phrase that’s related to this idea: “Lo cortes no...
Respect On Their Minds
This week I was invited to deliver a pre-keynote warmup and a workshop on respect at a large HR conference. Afterwards, many of the attendees approached me to share their stories and ask for help. Sadly, it appears that our extensive research is on target – today’s workplaces and employees are experiencing unprecedented levels of disrespect not only from customers and patients, but also from...
20 Consequences Of Promoting Leaders Who Lack People Skills
Gregg Ward was featured as a contributor to this Forbes Coaches Council article, read the full article on forbes.com. When someone rises to a leadership position, they are often expected to have both technical expertise and the ability to think strategically. However, what happens when an individual becomes a leader without demonstrating essential people skills? A leader who lacks soft skills...
Navigating the Turbulent Waters of Workplace Culture and Election Politics
Greetings, distinguished HR executives and leaders! It’s a pleasure to connect with you. I’m Gregg Ward, steering the ship at the Center for Respectful Leadership. Today, I’d like to draw your attention to a significant issue at hand — the 2024 elections casting a long shadow over the workplace. First, let me introduce our center, founded half a decade ago. Our mission: to...How To Create Psychological Safety And Inspire High-Performing Teams
Gregg Ward was featured as a contributor to this Forbes Coaches Council article, read the full article on forbes.com. In psychologically safe work environments, every team member feels confident sharing candid constructive feedback, voicing disagreements and taking ownership of their mistakes. Employees who feel they may face negative consequences for speaking up, on the other hand, will take...
The Leadership Link Between Courage & Respect
In the nuanced tapestry of leadership, the threads of respect and courage are intricately woven together, each amplifying the strength and effectiveness of the other. Leadership, at its core, is not just about making decisions and directing teams toward common goals; it’s about doing so in a way that fosters trust, encourages innovation, and builds a resilient organizational culture....
Why Respect Tops Company Value Charts in 2024
Respect commands itself and can neither be given nor withheld when it is due.” – Eldridge Cleaver Respect isn’t just a buzzword at our Center; it’s the currency of the world of work. In our monthly series, “Respectful Leader Emergency Updates,” we cover the most pressing issues HR executives face and highlight paths not just to address but to conquer...
Lead with Empathy
Recently, a coaching client who is a senior manager in a professional services firm – I’ll call her “Sally” – asked for my guidance on conducting performance meetings with her staff. She’d been tasked by her leadership to introduce and hold her team accountable to new non-negotiable goals, expectations, and metrics, some of which had never been used by the company before. Although...
“Are They Talking About Me?”
Recently, clients in the global financial services sector have asked for our guidance on a challenging workplace issue that I’ll call “the assumption of negative intent.” Shortly after the Israeli-Hamas conflict exploded in October, Jewish employees in these large companies based on the US’s East Coast began complaining to HR about other employees speaking in Arabic to each other at work...