This week the leadership trait to ponder is Respect.  I was once facilitating some activities with an organization to determine the values of the company. Respect came out as the number one most requested value from the employees. Through some subsequent conversations, I discovered the reason it was so popular. It was because no one was feeling respected by the CEO or management.

The dictionary defines respect as: a feeling of deep admiration for someone or something elicited by their abilities, qualities, or achievements; an act of giving particular attention. Below are some of my favorite quotes to help inspire and illustrate Respect. As you read these quotes, think about how you can exemplify this trait in your leadership activities.

Quotes on Respect

I speak to everyone in the same way, whether he is the garbage man or the president of the university.~Albert Einstein

Respect for ourselves guides our morals, respect for others guides our manners. ~Laurence Sterne

 Respect is what we owe; love, what we give. ~Philip James Bailey

 Respect is one of the greatest expressions of love. ~ Miguel Angel Ruiz

How would your life be different if…You stopped making negative judgmental assumptions about people you encounter? Let today be the day…You look for the good in everyone you meet and respect their journey.” ~ Steve Maraboli

Respect yourself and others will respect you.” ~ Confucius

Always treat people as ends in themselves, never as means to an end.” ~ Immanuel Kant

When we treat people merely as they are, they will remain as they are. When we treat them as if they were what they should be, they will become what they should be. ” ~ Thomas S. Monson

If you want to be respected by others, the great thing is to respect yourself. Only by that, only by self-respect will you compel others to respect you.” ~ Fyodor Dostoyevsky

What do you think about when you ponder Respect? Please share your thoughts in the comment section.