11 Things That Make People Lose Respect For You

11 Things That Make People Lose Respect For You

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:

Number 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.

Number 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.

Number 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.

Number 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.

Number 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.

Number 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.

Number 7 - Taking A Defensive Approach When someone points out one of your mistakes or faults, do you handle it with grace or do you get defensive about it? Humility is a very respectable trait, and you should be able to accept feedback or criticism without getting defensive. Ask yourself this: Would you rather be right or respected?

Number 8 - Allowing Others to Interrupt You Easily A common pet peeve is being interrupted while speaking. If someone does this to you once or twice, it might be okay to let it slide. However, if it becomes a pattern, you might need to say something. Allowing someone to interrupt you continuously can make you seem less respectable. Failing to address someone’s rude interjections makes it seem like you can’t stick up for yourself. Courteously point out the behavior. They might not even realize they’re doing it, but you have to show that you know where to draw the line. By doing so, you’re making it clear that you have respect for yourself, and they should too.

Number 9 - Thinking of Personal Gains in a Relationship Successful relationships, whether professional or personal, are built on mutual trust and respect. If you’re always just thinking about yourself and how you’ll benefit from a situation, you’ll come off as selfish, which is neither attractive nor respectable. Instead, you should be focusing on the greater good of those involved and compromise when necessary.

Number 10 - Not Understanding the Limits That Others Have Drawn Everyone has boundaries, and it’s important to respect them. Some people are more private than others, and it’s not okay to push them beyond what they’re comfortable with. If you’re constantly testing other people’s patience by poking into their personal affairs, they’ll view you as inconsiderate. Do it enough, and they’ll not only lose respect for you, but they may blatantly tell you to mind your own business.

Number 11 - Allowing Others to Disrespect You Have you ever had someone disrespect you in front of other people? It’s not a great feeling. Not only is it embarrassing, but if you don’t speak up about it, then others might perceive you as weak and respect you less. Disputes and sensitive matters are best handled in private, so if someone tries to demean you in public, keep your cool and tell them you’d rather discuss it at a more appropriate time and place. By standing your ground, you show that you deserve respect. And by handling it calmly, you demonstrate that you’re also respectful of others.

Your behavior and how you allow people to treat you will determine whether or not they’ll respect you. Being respectful of yourself and others demonstrates that you deserve it, and people will treat you accordingly. Be cautious of these things, so others will respect you for the magnificent person you are. What do you think? Are you guilty of any of these? Which one do you need to work on the most? Let us know in the comments below. If you enjoyed this video, give it a thumbs-up, and share it with your friends, so we can keep making them.