What Does Respect Mean to You? 11 Women Leaders Say Their Respects

We all aim to earn the respect of our colleagues. What does it mean to you?

Aretha Franklin famously spelled it out and we found out what R-E-S-P-E-C-T means to her. But what does it mean to you?Closing in on a tumultuous year, and anticipating the dawn of one that is prime for women taking the lead in leadership, we offer some insight on respect.[bctt tweet=“We all aim to earn the #respect of our colleagues. What does it mean to you?” username=“takeleadwomen”]Respectfully speaking, here are some of our favorite recent takes on respect:

Gloria Feldt, co-founder and president of Take The Lead: “It’s obvious from the recent harassment revelations that there is so much more work to be done to create a culture in which women are respected and have the tools they need to reach their full potential.”
Sherry Argov, author, “Truly powerful people don’t explain why they want respect. They simply don’t engage someone who doesn’t give it to them.”
Neffer-Oduntunde A. Kerr, writer, author: “Do not decide that a woman is not worth respecting simply because of what she has on. The respect of women has nothing to do with dressing modestly. There are plenty of modestly dressed women in this world who get treated like trash while “ill dressed” ones—whatever that means—are treated like gold. “Neffer Kerr
Rhonesha Byng, founder and CEO of Her Agenda: “Don’t seek accolades or advancement too soon. Instead focus on demonstrating your competency and capability to handle the small tasks. The small tasks in the beginning serve as an opportunity to earn trust, respect, and credibility from your colleagues through flawless execution of those tasks. Focus on the task at hand and leverage it. “
Sandra Sassow, co-founder and chief executive of SEaB energy: “Some people’s perception of a woman’s role doesn’t include that of the decision-maker, so establish with them that you’re the boss. In countries where it’s the norm, I will only deal with other chief executives and won’t communicate with people below my level [of authority].It can sometimes take a bit longer to earn respect, but once you have it, you can get down to business.”
Charlene Rhinehart, Managing Director of CEO Unlimited LLC: “Spend your time thinking about how you can make the greatest impact in the workplace. How will you add value today? Shift your mindset, and you will notice that people will change how they see you. Focus on the unique skills that you bring into the workplace that can take the company from where they are to where they want to be.” [bctt tweet=“How will you add value to your workplace today? #womenleaders” username=“takeleadwomen”]
Keisha Howard, founder of SugarGamers : ”Don’t adopt other people’s stories or narrative, because then you lose out on cultivating your authentic narrative.”
Carey Lohrenz, first female fighter pilot in the U.S. Navy and leadership development trainer: “Too often women try to conform and not tell people they are kicking ass. They try to blend in. Playing small serves nobody. You have to know your value and you must be willing to speak up and not fly under the radar.”
Angela Rye, principal and CEO of Impact Strategies: “Slack if you want to. It will be all of our faults.”
Sue (Kildahl) Tietz, president/CEO of McDonough Manufacturing, “If you have a job that suits you, then it doesn’t matter what your gender is. If a woman feels she needs to be singled out and treated differently, she needs to find another job. I believe the employees respected me because I respected them.
Rosalind Brewer, president and CEO of Sam’s Club: “You can and should set your own limits and clearly articulate them. This takes courage, but it is also liberating and empowering, and often earns you new respect.”