At the beginning of each Connecting With Respect workshop we lead, we ask participants to agree to 12 “Rules of Respect”. We suggest these guidelines both to ensure a safe learning environment and to assist each participant to develop a heightened sense of empathy and awareness during the process.
When rereading the “rules” recently, I realized they could also be used as guidelines for any group or organizational meeting.
- Be aware of your nonverbal and extra verbal cues.
- Show curiosity for the views of others.
- Treat other people like they’re smart.
- Listen better by shaking your “but”.
- Look for opportunities to connect with and support others.
- When you disagree, explain why.
- Seek ways to grow, stretch and change.
- Allow yourself to be wrong on occasion.
- Never hesitate to say you are sorry.
- Engage others in ways that build their self-esteem.
- Share your ideas proportionally.
- Smile!
While certainly not the last word on the topic, these guidelines do help set the tone for an open-minded exploration on the subject of respect. But I’m sure there are even more ideas.
What would you add to this list?
