Respect and Trust
How important is Trust and Respect? The obvious answer is that it’s very important. But how often do we demonstrate this? In our daily lives, we interact with numerous people, we have hundreds of touch points and make several opinions about others and create an impression about ourselves in others mind. Do we make Trust and respect an integral part of these interactions?
These interactions, touch points and impressions cover the entire spectrum of your relation – your immediate family, extended family, friends, strangers, colleagues and the list goes on…
Aristotle said that “Man by nature is a social animal”. The fact that we humans keep building relations throughout our life is enough proof to justify what Aristotle said. All relations are built on the foundation of Trust. How strong and how tall your relation stands depends entirely on how solid is your foundation. While we keep building relations it’s important that we keep reinforcing the foundation so that it can make your relation last for a lifetime.
Making lasting relations would have been a lot easier if Trust could have been bought off the shelf. Too bad, it doesn’t work that way. You must grow it in the backyard of your relation. It’s like a climbing rose plant in your garden that you need to nurture and water every day. It takes time to grow. It needs sunlight, needs to be cared and attended to. A climber needs a support to grow tall. While the support itself does nothing organically for the climber, it’s still a very important factor for the climber’s survival and growth. This support which helps the climber of Trust stand strong and tall is Respect. What would trust be without respect? It’s just a Malnourished and Tangled climber unable to bear the desired
If one intends to make lasting relations, it must be based on Trust and supported adequately by respect for each other. There are simple things that one can do to begin with
Appreciate good things however small they might appear.
Never ridicule someone for their failures. Help them overcome if you can.
Be honest, direct and constructive in providing feedback.
Accept your mistakes. Saying sorry doesn’t make you small.
Keep your Ego out of the relation.
While in a conversation Listen to others actively.
Never force your opinion on others.
Dont fake it. Do things wholeheartedly.
Relationships share a give and take equation but remember, you can take only as much as you give. So be generous enough to give as much as you can before you expect something out of your relation.