Respect is Consistency

Respect is certainly a concept that is used in a variety of different ways and people have different expectations, depending upon their gender, age, culture, etc. What tends to be a common theme among Americans is that we often want to fall back on respect when it is convenient, but not as a rule.

An Associated Content post examined the art of earning respect as a leader. The author of this piece categorized earning respect according to the segment of the audience. If you are seeking respect from children, you should do A, if you are seeking respect from adults, you should do B.

While this piece is very interesting, if we demonstrate and command respect as an everyday part of our lives, does the audience really make any difference? I wonder instead if the author of this piece is confusing respect with adoration or emulation. Convincing a group of people to follow you is the not the same thing as earning their respect.

Instead, respect is born of consistency and solid character. If a person ensures that their attitude, demands, actions and conversations are controlled and consistent, they are much more likely to earn respect with little effort. Respect is rarely something that has to be demanded, but can be easily earned.