Respecting others

As a youngster, I enjoyed the song R-E-S-P-E-C-T by Aretha Franklin.  But it wasn't until just today did I connect with the author of the model RESPECT, Paul Marciano who also is an author of the book I'm going to read soon,  Carrots and Sticks don't Work ...

 

I like this model below, and would offer a few more suggestions.  RESPECT seems to have an employee engagement theme, but if the company is not doing the right things, all the respect in the world won't make the company profitable.  Listening and learning about customers' needs, partnering with suppliers and collaborators, focusing on measuring one's successes with benchmark partners needs to be added to this list.  But then it doesn't spell RESPECT.  This is a great model for HR initiatives however.

 

RESPECT Model

The RESPECT Model is an actionable philosophy supported by more than a century of research on employee motivation and performance. It is not a program. Rather, it is an approach to leadership and corporate governance that appeals to and affects employees’ beliefs, values and sense of worth.
The Model is rooted in the premise that human relationships – both personal and professional – only “work” within the context of respect. Employee engagement depends upon the extent to which individuals:

• Respect their organization – its Mission, Vision, values, goals, policies and actions. Employees are proud to say, “I work for this company.”
• Respect the organization’s leaders, especially their direct supervisor – believing that he/she is competent, ethical, makes good decisions and treats people fairly.
• Respect their team members – believing that they are competent, cooperative, honest, supportive and willing to pull their own weight.
• Respect their work – finding it challenging, rewarding, interesting and as having value to both internal and external customers.
• Feel respected by the organization, supervisor and fellow team members

Critical Drivers

The RESPECT Model identifies seven critical drivers that influence employees’ internal assessment of respect and subsequent engagement:
Recognition: Employees feel acknowledged and appreciated for their contributions. Supervisors regularly recognize deserving team members and people are rewarded based on their work performance.
Empowerment: Supervisors provide employees with the tools, resources and training to succeed. Employees experience high levels of autonomy and are encouraged to take risks. Supervisors take the initiative to communicate with employees and ensure that they are equipped to succeed not fail.
Supportive Feedback: Supervisors provide employees with timely, specific feedback in a supportive, sincere and constructive manner. Feedback is delivered for the purpose of reinforcement and improvement – never to embarrass or punish.
Partnering: Team members and management collaborate to achieve common goals. Employees view supervisors as advocates for their development and growth. Team members and departments actively communicate and share information with one another.
Expectations: Supervisors ensure that goals, objectives and business priorities are clearly established and communicated. Employees know precisely the standards by which their performance is evaluated and are held accountable for meeting their performance expectations.
Consideration: Supervisors, managers and team members demonstrate consideration, caring and thoughtfulness toward one another. Supervisors actively seek to understand employees’ opinions and concerns and are understanding and supportive when employees experience personal problems.
Trust: Supervisors demonstrate trust and confidence in employees’ skills and abilities. Employees trust that their supervisor will “do right” by them. Leaders keep their promises and commitments, and, thus, are trusted by employees