For the rest of the summer, we will feature Respect Tips inspired by the Why Respect Matters section of the recently released Respect Effect by Paul Meshanko.
Last month, I mentioned a former supervisor of mine who supported and empathized with me when I was laid off from my first professional position out of graduate school. Well, that same supervisor also recommended me for the next position I held.
Recommending someone is easy. It’s also an effective way to show respect. If you believe the person is strong in a certain expertise, knowledge or skill, recommend them. If they show compassion, kindness, or integrity then recommend them. Recommend them for a promotion, project, award, or in my case, a new position.
For me, it became apparent that my former supervisor respected me enough as a professional to tell another colleague that I was worthy to work at their organization. It also demonstrated to me that she was willing to put her own professional reputation on the line to recommend me.
Try it
Next time you have the opportunity to recommend someone, do it! It doesn’t have to be as dramatic as my above example. Even if it’s just a leadership role on a committee in your organization, it’s guaranteed to earn you some respect while giving a feeling of respect to the person you recommend.
