The Power Of Respect; A Book Review

Rodney Dangerfield loved to use the line, "I get no respect".
The word "respect" is defined as "esteem for or a sense of the worth or excellence of a person".  Deborah Norville has written an excellent book about the importance of respect at home, in relationships and in business.  Respect is the most forgotten element of success.  It all begins with acknowledging the existence of another person.  The Golden Rule says to "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you".  Just put yourself in their place.

Ms. Norville states that respect fosters "connectedness" which leads to: (1) Stronger personal relationships; (2) Greater employee loyalty; (3) Higher customer sales; (4) Improvements in education; (5) Greater creativity.

Parents are encouraged to model the behavior they expect from their children.  Respect begins at home and parents are the single biggest influence on their children.  Husbands and wives must respect each other and set a good example for their children.  Listening is a high art of loving.  Family members must take time to communicate with each other and understand each other's feelings.

The last chapter in this book is, "It's On The Inside; The Power of Self-Respect".  You really can't connect with other people in a healthy way if you don't respect yourself.  The more you accept yourself, the less others' perceptions matter.  The author gives the following suggestions for developing self-respect; (1) Develop the qualities you admire in others; (2) Have a positive attitude; (3) Dress the way you want to be seen; (4) Get active; (5) Eat properly; (6) Eliminate toxic people from your life.

This book helped me examine my own character and think about how I am relating to other people.  This book is a good read for the new year.  Respect in all my relationships is at the top of my list of New Year's resolutions.