I'm going simple on this one. In the past couple of days some of the employer horror stories I've heard lead me to emphasize this critical fundamental concept: Employees are real deal people.
Your coworkers in the department at the other branch are real deal people.
The folks who make the goods and services you buy are real deal people.
They are certainly somebody's kid.
They may be somebody's parent.
They've experienced heartbreak.
They've laughed until they've cried.
They've experienced life altering moments.
And yet often employees are called "human capital" or "assets" or "cost."
You have family who are employees.
You have friends who are employees.
You have neighbors who are employees.
Treat fellow employees as the people they are, as the people you are: as a breathing, feeling, complex, life experiencing and creating individuals.
If you are an employer, a leader, or a manager, if you keep this simple concept at the forefront, you will be respectful of those you lead. And you will treat the people who work for you, the way you would want your favorite family member (PAUSE take a moment: see their face, say their name) to be treated by their organization.
And for all of you who work for someone, who have a supervisor, simply keep in mind - they're real deal people too.