Personal statement: "Respect“– a big word. And an important one. Eventually, everybody wants to be respected. Maybe respect is even the lubricant for social interaction. But: to treat others respectfully can be a real challenge.

One can observe how important and at the same time challenging respectful interaction really is in nearly every social relationship. This is also true for leader-follower relationships in occupational and other contexts. Respectful leadership for me has a special relevance for two reasons: 1) Every human being deserves respect and with it respectful leadership – out of esteem for him or her as an unique individual. 2) Respectfully led human beings can be what they really are, are challenged to fully deploy their abilities and skills, act with higher motivation, and are more willing to perform well. By this they positively change their environment –

successful in a specific project, in the company, in society at large.

For me it is especially interesting to look into the conditions in which respect – and respectful leadership – are possible and can develop best. I am happy to follow this and other questions regarding respect as part of the RespectResearchGroup – in a respectful atmosphere of exchange, of reciprocal challenge, and joint thinking. In order to simultaneously work in a sound scientific manner and be relevant to practice.

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