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Earn Respect
September 27th, 2012
by Bill Boyajian

Respect is an endearing quality of admiration that recognizes the value of people. There is a lot that goes into earning respect — good management decisions, a successful business model, and the ability to plan for the future, to name a few. But respect is a lot easier to earn when people know you care and want the best for them. Winning their affection, then, can be an important part of winning their respect. Respect is a lot like authority. You earn respect and authority. You are given, and you accept, responsibility. You aren’t running a popularity contest, but a little kindness goes a long way in earning respect. Successful leaders make everyone feel respected. They are liberal with praise for a job well done, and genuinely appreciate the work and activities of each person in the firm. It doesn’t matter who it is or what level they occupy. Leaders treat others with respect.

Good leaders know how to win people to their way of thinking and gain their respect without arguing their points to death or bullying their way through an objection. Never use your position or status to take advantage of a weaker person or a subordinate. Doing so just magnifies your own insecurities and makes them more obvious to those observant enough to recognize them. This erodes respect and keeps you from maintaining a “common touch” with people. Don’t force yourself or your way of thinking on others. A non-deliberate sense of arrogance can develop. Don’t let self-importance get the best of you. All that shows is the exaggerated fear of a weak leader. A great leader knows how to give up power and in turn get more of it.



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–Charles Denaburg,
Managing Partner,
Levy’s Fine Jewelry
Birmingham, AL

"Our family needed some guidance on business transition and succession planning. We asked Bill Boyajian to help us because we knew we could trust him to tell us what we needed to hear. Bill became a valuable resource for our company and our entire family. He has the ability to meet each of us where we’re at and it has served us very well."

–Ceylon Leitzel
Leitzel Fine Jewelry
Hershey & Myerstown, PA

“We needed a plan to transition our business to a non-family member and we asked Bill Boyajian to help us. His experience in the area has really paid off, but we didn’t expect the added value of putting us together with a financial planner who helped organize our retirement needs. We now have the fundamentals to transition our business successfully, and we have Bill to thank for it.”

–Ernie & Debbie Cummings
Kizer-Cummings Jewelers
Lawrence, KS