1. Never Pass By People Without Acknowledging Them

There is nothing more rude than to be overlooked as if you don’t matter. Always keep your head up and your eyes looking for others. Acknowledging people does not mean you need to engage in a twenty minute conversation, but people will accept your acknowledgment even for a moment more than they will an ignored attitude. Never let your “problems” or “issues” keep you from acknowledging others. Too many people are personable until they are dealing with something internal then they retreat in a self focused persona. Inconsistent people will never gain the respect they can unless they learn to be consistent with their attitude. People want to be acknowledged so always honor them and recognize their presence!

 2. Remember People’s Names

Dale Carnegie taught that…

“There is no sweeter sound to any person’s ear than the sound of their own name.”

When you remember peoples name it shows them that they matter. Names give us a personal touch. There is something within us that is stirred by a name. During World War II Hitler and his Nazis used many ways to dehumanize the Jewish people. Some of those ways were by basically taking away their name and referring to them as only a number. They even tattooed that number onto their skin, and did it intentionally on their forearms so that they would always see it. Names give us a sense of belonging. Be a person that uses names to gain the respect of others. It takes a lot of work to remember everyone’s name but it is worth the payoff.

 3. Be The Initiator 

People want to be sought after. If you find yourself as one who is always being approached try and turn that around. Be proactive about connecting with others. Go to them first and initiate conversations and ideas. When others see that you are taking of your time to meet with them it means a great deal. Respect is earned when the other person feels that they are worth something. Being the initiator and proactively seeking others is a sure way to show the value they have. When someone asks you a question you are obligated to respond within the terms of conversational etiquette. However, when you ask others questions that is something you have chosen to do because you wanted to. People subconsciously will feel valued and honored when you seek them out and take the first step to connect.