Gregg Ward was fortunate to be invited back on ABC New’s “Good Morning Washington DC” program where he shared his six-step plan for rebuilding respect at work, based on his book, The Respectful Leader.
- Admit it! Admit that respect has been lost and the relationship is broken. Acknowledging there is a problem is the first step to solving it.
- Agree to do something. Working together under disrespectful conditions is no fun for anyone and productivity suffers as a result. Commit to clearing up misunderstandings and agree to work together towards a solution.
- Know It takes two to tango. Relationships are two-way streets. Stop finger pointing and acknowledge that each party played some role in the loss of respect.
- Own your stuff. Looking at your own bad behavior isn’t easy, but essential when rebuilding respect with others. Be willing to take responsibility for your own disrespectful behavior and apologize for it.
- Look for things to respect. Identify and share things about the other person that you do respect (usually in the areas of their knowledge, experience, skills, and talents) and build on these positive aspects to help you navigate through the rough spots.
- Agree on a framework for the future. Come up with a mutually agreed upon strategy, including expected behaviors for working together successfully and communicating in the future, so that you don’t put each other on the defensive.
To schedule a consultation about rebuilding respect at work and find out how you can help transform your company culture into a supportive, positive work environment, send Gregg a note. He’d be happy to help.
