R-E-S-P-E-C-T

Companies on Fortune’s most admired company list are certainly not perfect, but most of them work very hard to make respect for others a top priority. In fact, many of them cultivate profound respect for individuals as well as heartfelt accountability for demonstrating respect for others on a daily basis. The branded products and services of these companies are intended to produce superior quality and value for their customers. This in turn requires their leaders and employees to take accountability for demonstrating beliefs and values such as: (1) showing respect for all individuals, (2) combining the interests of the company and the individual, (3) focusing work strategically to maximize engagement and productivity, (4) encouraging innovation as a cornerstone of success, (5) valuing personal mastery and individual growth, and (6) embracing mutual interdependency as a way of organizational life.

How’s the respect level on your team and in your organization? Are there people on your team or inside your organization that don’t receive the respect they deserve? Are there people outside your team or organization—customers, suppliers, cross-functional teams and partners, vendors, communities, or other stakeholders—that likewise fail to receive respect from your organization? If so, why? How often? What about the people who report directly to you? Are any of them respected more than others? If so, why? Are you respected by your peers and the other leaders in your organization? When did you last feel seriously disrespected? What did you do about it?

One of the important benefits of taking accountability for respecting individuals and their individuality is an unusually high level of trust that facilitates astonishingly open and candid discussions about mistakes, learning, failures, and how to foster continuous improvement. Think about it. Do you See It—i.e., do you see the level of respect you want and need in your team and organization?

To better Own It, learn more about how to build greater accountability for respecting individuals and individuality in your team and organization. To do so, we invite you to join the Accountability Community at www.partnersinleadership.com, where you can review actual client case studies.

Sign up for one of our upcoming webinars to learn more about the results of accountability in the workplace.

See It, Own It, and Accountability Community are all registered trademarks of Partners In Leadership, Inc. All other registered trademarks and trademarks used herein are the property of their respective owners.