On Dignity and Respect - as a Humanist

I have been thinking about the terms "dignity" and "respect a lot recently.  First - let me share - this:

Stimmyabby is correct - respect doesn't mean the same thing to different people.  I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Hicks on the concept of dignity.   She challenged my thinking even more. 

I am a Humanist - so I think in terms of everyone having dignity and worth - and I need to respect their dignity and worth. When I talk about respecting people as the individuals they are - I am talking about recognizing they have dignity and worth as humans and treating them with dignity. 

I am becoming more aware of the problems with using the word respect as a short cut to the concept of dignity. Curious to know what other people think. 

Leading With Dignity

Dr. Donna Hicks has 20 years of experience as a facilitator during international conflicts. One of the main things she learned during her time helping people who really don't like each other to find common ground, is to focus on dignity.

Here is a TedX talk she did on the topic:

She is going to be doing a live Q&A conversation with the folks at the International Humanistic Management Association (which I am associated with). I may even be interviewing her! Maybe.

The event is scheduled for April 27th - details and to RSVP at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/leading-with-dignity-join-donna-hicks-at-our-humanistic-management-community-of-practice-call-tickets-44595102151


Her book - Leading with Dignity: How to Create a Culture That Brings Out the Best in People is coming out in August and is available for pre-sale https://amzn.to/2Ef7bwf 

"Most people know very little about dignity, the author has found, and when leaders fail to respect the dignity of others, conflict and distrust ensue. She highlights three components of leading with dignity: what one must know in order to honor dignity and avoid violating it; what one must do to lead with dignity; and how one can create a culture of dignity in any organization, whether corporate, religious, governmental, healthcare, or beyond. Brimming with key research findings, real-life case studies, and workable recommendations, this book fills an important gap in our understanding of how best to be together in a conflict-ridden world."