The erosion of respect
(By Rick Lambert)
Respect is vital, if
for nothing else, it protects you and your subordinates from bad attitudes, especially cynicism. Cynicism is a direct sign that respect has been lost at some point. In many cases, it may be a loss of respect
for the company in general, but more often than not, it simply is the leader’s
loss of respect.
Cynicism cascades into negativity which eventually brings progress to a halt. As enthusiasm is contagious in a positive
sense, cynicism and negativity spread in a negative sense.
Why cynicism (the evidence that respect has been lost) is a
dangerous loss:
- You are no longer taken seriously.
- You are no longer considered capable of handling the problems or challenges
- Cynicism implies that you can’t be completely trusted, and consequently must not be honest.
- Cynical attitudes stifle initiative. It raises the simple question, “why should I put out?”
- New initiatives, even incentives are rarely strong enough to reverse the damaging effects of cynicism. In fact, incentives are viewed as entitlements, not rewards for good effort.
- Cynicism takes a percentage of creativity, strength, commitment, and character away from the job, organization, the customer, and ultimately the future of the company. \