There is a huge distinction between demanding respect and commanding respect. One can demand respect with virtue of your positional authority. Commanding respect means that because of your personality and your conduct, one is able to attract the natural respect from the people.
Ways to command respect:
- Build the competency or mastery in one area where you have mastered a particular craft. Your respect will be massively enhanced in social as well as professional circles.
- Be mindful of acting subservient. So many people have been treated so badly by their parents, their children, their bosses, that they automatically by now drop their profiles especially in front of the people whom they perceive to be more powerful and successful than them. When we don’t have a strong self-image, we stop seeing ourselves worthy enough. Start to build a healthy self-image based on your true potential.
- Learn the use of nuanced language. It means that you are not just thinking in absolutes but also in relatives.
- People who automatically command respect and usually never overly nice, which means the outward display of niceness to win favors. Best way to build relationships is to let them evolve naturally rather than force relationships.
- Demonstrate reasonable level of open mindedness which demonstrates that you are a keen learner.
- To set some boundaries. Start saying no to toxic relationships, forced interactions and meaningless relationships. Highly respectable people place a lot of attention to their time and have boundaries. Set healthy boundaries to preserve your time and your sanity.
- Simply look more respectable. When you value what you have been given, others will follow. Do not listen to people who make you feel like you are pretentious, materialistic or superficial for wanting to look after yourself. This is the way you value what you have been given and this is how you will enhance the respect that you attract as well.