In our dealings with other people, no matter who they may be, we should show everyone respect and courtesy. Last week a friend of mine, Jodi Blackwood, pointed this out in her weekly newsletter, Etiquette Awareness. Jodi customizes her work for her customers, but she always stresses that respect and courtesy should be paramount in all our relations.
It doesn’t matter the situation, you must remain in control of your emotions and your feelings. You cannot let your temper, or your frustrations, become paramount in your mind. There are always clients, prospects, and even friends who stress our feelings, who demand more and more, and who push our buttons, sometimes intentionally.
We must not let these people get the better of us; we do not need their behavior to destroy what we have built with our hard work and time. No matter what life brings our way, we must treat everyone with respect and courtesy, as equals, and as we would want to be treated. It is the right thing to do; it is appreciation marketing.
Does this mean that you should let others run over you, making you sacrifice your scruples and maybe your integrity? Of course not; it means that you stand by your principles and your structure for your company’s products or services and pricing. It doesn’t do any good to roll over and let someone make you change your values for them. It is the manner in which you operate your business that counts.
Respect and courtesy are parts of a 2 way street; this street works both ways. While you should always endeavor to be professional in your business, showing respect and courtesy to others, you should expect, even demand, the same treatment from others. No matter the environment, no matter the communication tool, let these two traits be primary in your life.
In meetings, on the telephone, in emails, in cards, in public, or in private, whenever or wherever you are with others, or even by yourself, follow this plan. Respect and courtesy must be part of you and what you do, say, and think. If you do not treat yourself with respect and courtesy, no one else will. It will be evident to others how you feel about yourself, and they will respond in kind.
I have been in meetings where disrespect for others was in evidence for all to see. No one wants to be anywhere close to those types of people. If someone is discourteous to someone else in public, how would you like to be on the receiving end of those actions? How would you feel toward those who treated you in that manner?
We have stated it repeatedly: people do business with, and pass referrals to, those that they know, like, and trust. You would not do business with, or pass referrals to, someone who treated you with disrespect or was discourteous to you. What about the person who treats others with disrespect and is discourteous? Would you want to be associated with those people?
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