Friday, March 29, 2024

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Respect

"Whether we are dealing with people face-to-face or virtually, we should always abide by the Platinum Rule and treat others as they would like to be treated."    
 
 
Aretha Franklin
Sings
Respect
 

 

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What Does Respect Mean To You?
 

R-E-S-P-E-C-T
Find out what it means to me
R-E-S-P-E-C-T
Take care, TCB
 
From Respect, Aretha Franklin (1967)

 

 
Edward F. Gibbons, Jr., Ph.D. 
 
 
In 1967 Aretha Franklin recorded her number one hit: Respect. Respect was originally written and sung by Otis Redding in 1965.   According to Wikipedia (2012), Ms. Franklin’s version of the song contained different music and some changes in the lyrics. In 2004 Rolling Stone Magazine listed Respect as fifth on its list of 500 Greatest Songs of All-Time.
 
Cited above are four famous lines from the song Respect. In these lines Ms. Franklin is asking the man in her life to give her some respect when he gets home. It can be debated as to how Aretha Franklin defined respect in her song. However, one thing is clear; she wanted to be given the respect due to her! 
 
So, what does respect mean to you? Too often we expect, or even demand, to be treated according to some value, but we haven’t operationally defined what the value means to us and to our lives. In these situations, how can we know when other people have acted in accordance with the value?  Without having defined the value, how can we expect people to treat us in a way that is consistent with our beliefs about the value? Further, how can we communicate to another person or to a group about how we expect to be treated? The answer to each of these questions is: we can’t.  Before we can have expectations about other people’s behavior, we must have absolute clarity as to what the value means to us. Therefore, the question is repeated, what does respect mean to you?
 
Defining what respect means to you will also help you overcome those instances when you may not treat yourself with respect. Negative thoughts about your ability to succeed, or feelings that you do not deserve the richness that life has to offer are examples of not giving yourself the respect that you deserve. Further, as we are aware, negative thoughts and feelings can, and frequently do, lead to negative actions that may not be aligned with our belief in self-respect. Therefore, it is important for us to always respect ourselves in everything we think, say and do. Remember, you are unique and your thoughts and actions are unique. The contributions you make to your family, friends and community are unique, and you deserve the highest respect for all that you do. 
 
Respect is not just about receiving; it is also about giving. In order to be respected you must respect the people you encounter in day-to-day life; including those people you interact with virtually. Too frequently individuals use media such as e-mails, instant messages, and social networks to disrespect people. Always remember that a real person with feelings may be the recipient of your virtual remarks. Whether we are dealing with people face-to-face or virtually, we should always abide by the Platinum Rule and treat others as they would like to be treated. The process of giving and receiving respect transcends the space-time barrier.
 
So, take a moment and think about what respect means to you and to your life.   Operationally define respect and list strategies that you can use to ensure that you will always give yourself and others the highest degree of respect. Keep in mind the lyrics from Aretha Franklin’s song:
 
R-E-S-P-E-C-T
Find out what it means to me
R-E-S-P-E-C-T
Take care, TCB*
 
 
* TCB – Taking care of business
 
Reference

 

* Wikipedia (2012). Respect (song). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Respect_(song).
 

 

 

 

  

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 Respect Links
 
The following is a list of links to websites devoted to Respect.
 
The Respect Institute
 
How Do You Learn To
Respect Yourself?
 
Respect:
Acknowledging Dignity 
 
Respect Quotes   
 
 
 
  
Copyright 2015 by Rockford Kingsley Ltd.