10 (Psychological) Tricks To Help Others Respect You.

This article is designed for educational purposes only and is designed to suggest that you should use this tricks to gain respect.

As human beings, we have an innate need to be liked and to be respected by our families, friends, peers and work colleagues. It isn’t always necessarily about focusing on yourself and focus on how you can help others. Being respectable or earning the respect of people usually take years of demonstrating good character (Confidence Union, 2020) However, there are some exceptions where you can be respected without having to wait for years. 

Here are some psychological tricks to help others respect you.

1. Stop saying sorry.

Ever find yourself constantly saying sorry for no reason? People who are constantly saying, “I’m sorry,” without giving it a second thought are usually not the ones that are well respected (Labud, 2013). There is generally a time and place for apologies, for example, if you make a mistake or if you say something which upsets somebody. Try and stop using the word “sorry” more times than you need to, especially in the workplace.

2. Share your shortcomings.

It’s natural to want to hide your imperfections or flaws so that you don’t feel like you are being judged by others. However, it doesn’t always work because people can somehow sense when you are hiding the truth (Confidence Union, 2020). Actually sharing your flaws shows confidence and willingness to show things that you need to develop on can make you come across as being ‘human’. This level of confidence can help you respected.

3. Don’t waste peoples’ time.

In the age of busy lifestyles, working days get filled up by meetings and deadlines which can be time consuming and stressful. As we know, time is precious and you don’t get that time back. If you respect others’ time, they will respect yours (Labud, 2013). This may include not being late for appointments, getting to the point fast, bringing up issues or concerns right away, being more succinct, and of course, making it easier for others to make decisions, especially when they are busier than you (Labud, 2013).

4. Get comfortable with platonic touching.

Sometimes people are usually uncomfortable with making physical contact with people. Especially in the workplace, this is why people would prefer to wave than give a handshake. But the truth is that touch is very integral to human connection; it builds trust and brings a feeling of closeness (Confidence Union, 2020). In order to ensure that you don’t overstep boundaries, ensure that the touch does not last more than 5 seconds and that this is universal rather than towards certain people. Finally, be mindful of how people react to your touch and make sure to adjust accordingly (Confidence Union, 2020).

5. Think about your emotional reaction in situations.

Often we can react instinctively in situations rather than taking time to think about situation. This does not mean changing who you are but rather being more mindful about knowing the difference between responding and reacting. Good leaders and well-respected people respond rather than react to situations. This behaviour does not go unnoticed and people are more likely to trust you and your judgments if you act in an appropriate way.

6. Think about your moral code.

When we think about our morals, they may vary from person to person. What do you believe in? What’s important to you? What makes you mad and want to change the world? These kinds of questions will get you to the core of your own personal moral code (Labud, 2013). If you have a clear moral code, people will know where they stand with you and will respect you more.

7. Think about your body language and posture.

How you hold yourself can have an impact on how people receive you. Physically taking up more space will help you command more respect (Labud, 2013). Body language is used as a form of non-verbal communication so think about how to take up space non-invasively with your posture. You can do this by taking a second to roll your shoulders back and increase the space between your ribs and hip bones before you enter a room. This will help you to stand taller and change the way people look at you positively (Labud, 2013). Furthermore, having open and relaxed body posture when seated or stood up can also make you feel more approachable which people respect.

8. Keep your promises.

This is by far one of the most important actions you can take to start gaining respect (Labud, 2013) so always try to honour commitments and promises that you make to people. If you find yourself having a lot of trouble with that, it means you make too many promises you can’t keep. Be honest with people if you can’t make promises; they will respect you more for being honest.

9. Upgrade your attire.

Ever heard that people usually make their decision on whether to like someone in the first 5 seconds of meeting them? That is all it takes and we rarely get a second chance to make a first impression. One of the easiest ways to command respect is the way you dress, and unlike your natural looks, this you can control (Confidence Union, 2020). It comes as no surprise that some people make the mistake of dressing to blend in just because they are scared of being judged. Wear clothes that fit nicely and flatter your body type as this will make you feel comfortable and in turn, more confident. It is also a way to get noticed positively and gain respect by being comfortable in your own skin.

10. Speak up when you are mistreated.

It can be hard to stand up for yourself sometimes, especially if you don’t want to offend or get confrontational with somebody else. However, when someone is mistreating you, or taking advantage of you, do your best to stand your ground. Be professional and diplomatic, but don’t be silent. Speaking up for yourself is not always easy to do, which is why it is the mark of a person deserving respect (Labud, 2013).

Thank you for taking the time to read this article and I hope you have found it interesting. If you have comments or feedback regarding this article, please leave a comment in the box below. We love hearing back from our readers as this helps us to create future content for articles.

Hope you all have a lovely Christmas. Look after each other and stay safe!

J 🙂

References

confidenceunion. (n.d.). 6 Psychological Tricks To Command Respect Instantly – Confidence Union. Https://Confidenceunion.com/6-Psychological-Tricks-to-Command-Respect-Instantly/. Retrieved December 24, 2020, from https://confidenceunion.com/6-psychological-tricks-to-command-respect-instantly/

Labud, J. (2013, October 30). 21 Ways You Can Earn The Respect Of Others. Lifehack. https://www.lifehack.org/articles/communication/21-ways-you-can-earn-the-respect-others.html

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