Ways of Making People Respect You

1. How to Make People Respect You
Dr. Kibet PK
@Chalan Academy

2. Ways of Making People Respect You
1. Show people that you respect yourself
Ask yourself how someone who is respected would act in the situation you are in.
Then act like that. You shouldn’t brag. But you also shouldn’t be afraid to stand for
what’s good about you.
2. Set clear and enforceable boundaries
If you feel like you’re often taken advantage of or that you’re too nice, then this is
going to be extra important for you. The number one way to stop others from
taking advantage of you is to set clear enforceable boundaries. This method shows
people they can’t take you for granted and that you expect them to treat you with
respect.
3. Speak so that people listen to you
Many people who struggle with getting respect feel like they have no voice and
nobody listens to them. Talk to people. Making yourself heard will help you
develop more of a presence. That presence will earn you respect from the people
close to you, both family, friends, and work colleagues.

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4. Stop apologizing for your mere presence
Imagine someone accidentally spilling their drink on you. Then, out of pure habit, you say “I’m
sorry” even if you did nothing wrong and are now covered in tear or beer. Over-apologizing is a
sign that you’re more submissive than dominant. You don’t want to be a pushover or a doormat,
but you don’t want to be rude or arrogant either.
5. Use a confident body language
Our body language can tell people how we feel about ourselves. If you walk around with your
shoulders hunched, arms crossed, and eyes on the ground, you will seem shy, afraid, or insecure.
None of that commands respect. However, if your body language portrays confidence, people
will look up to you. Having confident body language includes good eye contact when speaking
and listening, Good posture; keeping your chin up and eyes forward.
6. Stand up for your opinions and beliefs
When we compromise our beliefs to fit in, we disrespect ourselves. For example, beliefs about
life, Christian, religious. Stand up for your beliefs.

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7. Don’t let people regularly interrupt you
If your comment gets ignored or interrupted, you can say-“Just a second, I’d like to finish my
thought.” “Excuse me, What I was saying was that ___________.” I have not finished.
8. Keep your temper and anger in check
If you’re prone to losing your temper or overreacting in certain situations, it’s probably affecting
the respect people have for you. If you lose your temper, people won’t take you seriously
because you seem so emotional and not logical. And some might even start avoiding you instead
of talking with you. Learning to keep your calm and to handle situations constructively will make
people respect you.
9. Improve your leadership skills
Leadership makes people listen to you and it also helps you accomplish things at work and in life.
Being a leader means being a person who helps the group achieve their goals. Being a leader
also means standing up for what you believe is right. Treat others with respect at all times and
don’t lose your temper or blame others. Focus on solving instead of blaming.

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10. Present yourself properly
The way you present yourself determines how people will see you and how much they will
respect you. For example, dressing appropriately based on the situation, well-fitting and nice
clothes, grooming eg. Showering, shaving, skin-care, Haircut, and staying in shape.
11. Be respectful to others
The quickest way to shatter your reputation and lose respect is by speaking or behaving
disrespectfully to someone else. But showing respect to people will go a long way towards
earning respect from others even when they don’t deserve it.When you behave respectfully
you’re proving that you’re the bigger person.
12. Own up to your own mistakes
It is so important to have the ability to admit when you’re wrong, do this: People who stand
their ground even after they realize they’ve messed up are doing so out of pride. Admitting when
you’re wrong is always humbling. No one enjoys making mistakes. But the reality is that we all
make mistakes, and each one of us is going to be wrong at some point.

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13. Avoid self-belittling humor
When you talk about yourself to others, what messages are you sending? Here are some examples of
what type of messages self-deprecating humor can send:“I’m no good”, “I’m terrible at everything”, “I
don’t like myself”, “You’re better than me”, “I’m not worth your time”. Self-belittling humor can be great,
but it should be obvious that there’s no truth to it.
14. Don’t be overly apologetic
A big problem with saying “I’m sorry” is that it gives the impression that you’re in the wrong, even if you
are not .One way to stop saying “I’m sorry” too often is by replacing the phrase with a simple “Thank you”
when it’s possible. For example, if you’re asking someone for something. When you say “Thank you”
instead of “I’m sorry,” you’re changing how the other person perceives you. “Thank you” shows
appreciation to the other person for their time. It switches your mindset from an apologetic one to one of
gratitude. Another thing to say instead of “Sorry” is “Excuse me.”
15. Avoid over-sharing belittling
It’s common to talk too much and start rambling when you get nervous or want to make a good
impression. To gain others respect you can’t just ramble and talk about yourself. You need to slow down
and find some common ground first. That way people will start valuing your input and what you say.