Here’s How To Behave To Have A Happy Home & Workplace

Respect is recognizing the worth of someone or something and treating it real even when it is inconvenient to you. It is acknowledging the right to own thoughts, choices and dignity, of a person even when you disagree with them. You can respect someone without agreeing with them. It refers to staying courteous and fair with someone even when you do not share their views and actions.

Here’s how you can show respectful behaviour to people at home and at work:

1. Active Listening: - Give the speaker an undivided attention.

· Avoid interruption

· Avoid distraction

· Don’t think what you have to say when the speaker stops

· Take careful notes

· Clarify any doubts

· Give people your undivided attention, maintain eye contact and avoid interrupting others.

Example: When talking to anyone put your phone away, maintain eye contact, make notes.

2. Accept accountability: - Keep in mind accountability cannot be delegated. Note that results are rewarded, efforts are not. Good professionals make commitments and they are solution focused. They find a way to achieve results, non-performers always have a book full of excuses.

For Example: Take ownership. When people take ownership, they have a feeling of belonging. When people take ownership two things change:

a) Problem solving ability

b) Decision making ability

This is what we call leadership.

3. Ownership: - People with employee mentality only work for money. They work by the clock. Hence, they remain employees forever till they die. They only pass time hence, gossiping, socialising, postponing things are common practices.

Taking ownership is called the employer mentality. They work with integrity. To them every minute counts. A minute loss is a big loss.

4. Respect time: – Punctuality and meeting deadlines becomes a habit. For example: don’t waste yours and other peoples time by gossiping, socializing, taking extended lunch breaks and postponing things.

Being on time for family dinners or outings show respect. Be punctual whether for an office or a social get together.

5. Prioritising: - Unprofessional people do what is easy rather what is important. If you use or lose your time in doing ten easy things and the most important thing gets left out, you are really wasting your time. Reverse it, if the most important thing gets done and the balance gets left out, it is no big deal because the most important thing was taken care of.

6. Giving and receiving constructive feedback: - Feedback is a gift. It is the only way to get on a path of continuous improvement. It’s like a coach who gives feedback with a caring attitude. The objective is to correct and not to punish. The receiver accepts it constructively and learns from it and implements. They are thankful to the coach as it shows they care. Offering constructive feedback helps in generating new ideas and find creative solutions.

Example: instead of saying your reports were terrible, you can say that the reports need improvement in order to be stronger.

7. Make Courtesy a way of Life: - Treat everyone with equal respect and courtesy regardless of their titles. Maintain decent language and avoid ethnic jokes or the ones that have dual meaning.

For example: you make a new employee feel welcome as they need some time to settle down. Consider yourself as a host.

8. Mobile usage: - Do not use mobile for personal use or access social media during working hours. It is both unethical and dishonest. Why? Is that what we are getting paid for?

9. Ask before you borrow things – Never take anything, whether electronics or personal items, without explicit permission. Remember to:

1. Always return items when you promised

2. Put things back where you pick it from

3. Always knock on a close door – wait for permission before entering.

10. Use Polite language – Use magic words like “please, thank you, excuse me”. It may seem like common sense but common sense is become very uncommon or many time sincerity is missing behind these words. Show appreciation by expressing your gratitude.

11. Tone of voice - Keep the tone of your voice pleasant and audible.

12. Express Gratitude – Be it at work or at home, you must convey your gratitude- even to your family members for acts like cooking and cleaning.

13. Offer Help/ Extend a helping hand – Volunteer to help. Don’t wait to be asked to help. It is a moral obligation for every person, whether at work or at home to extend a helping hand. Look for opportunities to assist your colleagues, family and friends without waiting to be asked. E.g, help with a chore. Initiate to help with chores such as cleaning up or taking the trash.

14. Clean up after yourself – Keep common areas clean such as conference room, living room, bathroom by picking up your items and putting chairs back at their proper place.

15. Conflict resolutions

1. Admit mistakes

2. Apologise sincerely and ensure corrective actions when you have wrong someone whether a family member or a colleague at work.

3. Discuss calmly – express your feelings gently instead of yelling or name calling.

4. Agree to disagree – when there is a difference of opinion, then listen carefully and then you may agree to disagree.

16. Mealtime manners

1. Chew with your mouth closed

2. Avoid talking with food in your mouth

3. Use napkins

4. Clear the table

5. Take your dishes to the sink

6. Wipe the crumbs when you finish

7. Always have a plate under your mouth as crumbs keep falling everywhere.

8. Politely ask permission to be excuses when you leave the table after the meal

9. At home wait for everyone until everyone is seated and serve.

17. Be considerate and discrete - be mindful of your environment. E.g, if you are in a public place or public transport such as a bus, train, subway or a common work area. Be cognizant to control your volume and respect others.

18. Put on a Warm Smile – a smiling face is always pleasant to look at.

19. Apologise sincerely – accept responsibility when you make a mistake and take corrective action immediately. Say “I am sorry” and do not make any excuses. It takes courage and integrity to accept a mistake and shows depth of character. Stop making excuses or shifting blames.

20. Participate constructively – make sure your contribution enriches the meeting respectfully. Avoid interruption don’t be a mute observer.

21. Respond in a timely manner – responding in a timely manner shows professionalism. An example:

1. answer phone call in three bells

2. reply to email the same day but no later than next day

22. Always put in the extra effort – always go the extra mile, winners always put in the extra effort even when it hurts. When a person does not meet the benchmark, winners increase the effort, losers lower the benchmark.

23. Keep your commitments. Be reliable – meeting your commitments and behaving responsibly shows respect. Keeping your words builds trust.

Good manners and etiquette are not a mark of formality but a mark of maturity. In a world that often rewards speed and self-interest, one who chooses courtesy, humility, and respect stands out and rises further. Talent may open the first door, but character, expressed through good manners, is what keeps every other door open. Make etiquette a habit, not a performance, and you'll find that respect, trust, and opportunity follow you naturally, wherever you go.