Interesting Psychology Team
Think about the people you respect the most. It could be a friend or family member, your boss or professor, or even a famous athlete or author. We respect people we deeply admire based on their actions, qualities, or achievements.
Do you consider yourself to be respectable? Respect isn’t something that someone can merely demand. You earn it over time and maintain it through consistency. Sometimes, though, we can do things unintentionally that lessen or destroy people’s respect for us.
Here are 11 things to watch for that can make people lose respect for you:
1 – Behavior Switching
Everyone behaves differently in different environments. That’s normal and socially acceptable behavior.
For example, you wouldn’t act like you’re at a nightclub while in a business meeting. But your personality and the way you treat someone shouldn’t change based on the setting.
In other words, if you’re only kind, caring, and friendly with someone when no one else is around, but then belittle or ignore them when other people are there, they will likely lose respect for you because of your inconsistency and disrespectful behavior.
2 – Being A Prevaricator
Prevarication is really just a fancy way of saying lying, but it can also mean skirting around the truth, being vague, or only telling half the story.
Your words hold value, and people’s respect for you depends on how much they can trust what you say. If people find out that you’re dishonest, they’ll be sure to question your respectability.
3 – Apologizing for Everything
Over-apologizing, especially for things that are out of your control, is not only unnecessary, but it can also get annoying. Rather than saying sorry all the time, try to reframe things.
For example, if you missed a deadline at work because you were waiting on someone else, instead of apologizing for being late, thank your boss for their patience.
In this case, there’s no need to apologize for something that wasn’t your fault – what’s done is done, and throwing the other person under the bus won’t do any good either.
When you’re wrong, say you’re wrong. But just remember that overdoing it with apologies devalues your words—and this can result in people losing respect for you.
4 – Getting Offended Easily
Respectable people are secure in themselves and don’t take everything too seriously. If you can’t take things lightly or get easily offended by the most innocent jokes, others always have to worry about what they say or do around you.
Even if you don’t verbalize your feelings, your silence and body language can convey that you’re offended. As a result, you might find that others pull away from you.
5 – Procrastinating Too Much
If you consistently put things off until the last minute, you’re bound to drop the ball at some point. When that happens more than once, others will start to question whether you’re dependable, which, in turn, negatively affects your relationships.
It’s better to plan ahead and stick to a schedule so that you can be sure to meet all your commitments. After all, reliability is one of the most respectable traits you can have.
6 – Forcing People
Maybe your parents had to force you to take a bath or wake up early for school. But as a kid, you need that guidance in your life. It will help you learn how to be a functioning human when you’re on your own.
As an adult, though, trying to force someone to take a bath could come off a bit creepy. In general, pressuring someone to do something they’re not really into, can make that person uncomfortable and unhappy. When you make people feel this way, their respect for you will fizzle.
