Many of today’s values are derived from respect and responsibility. It is the basis for civility and consideration towards others. We can’t get away with being rude our entire lives and never expect to pay the consequences. Our actions will always lead to some sort of punishment or reward. A disrespectful person will not be followed by good things. If a person is being treated with respect, they are being shown that you expect good things to precede you and them as well.
A wise man shows regard for another’s thoughts. Recent studies (conducted by the University of California, Davis) reveal that a happy person that desires a peaceful existence gives and receives more respect as opposed to a person with blatant disrespect for those around them.
Today, so many of us are busy with our own hectic schedules that we don’t have a lot of room for anyone else or their needs or feelings. This doesn’t show the intention of being rude or disrespectful, but in reality that is exactly what it translates into. We are losing out on so many things by being rude and inconsiderate. We miss opportunities to excel and to better ourselves as an individual as well as for your career. Since the first key step to building any relationship, whether it be work related or personal, is respect, then the absence or breakdown of respect is a key factor in the breakdown relationships and the occurrence of conflict.
Another way of understanding why respect is so important is to imagine a world without respect. Think, if nobody has respect for others views and/or thoughts, what

would the situation be? We would live in a world where we would stop tolerating each other and would become so selfish in our own thoughts and deeds. This action is defined as moral degradation. People would begin to fall towards immoral actions. In short, if we take respect out of human values, then there will be nothing left but chaos and impudence. As a society, we need respect to function, to collaborate and to work together to keep a peaceful world.
Furthermore, complacency is “A feeling of contentment or self-satisfaction. Especially when coupled with an awareness of danger, trouble, or controversy.” As defined by The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000.
We become complacent when we are overly comfortable, whether it be a particular process, situation, or even lifestyle. People can become complacent in many areas of our lives. Relationships, work, health and wellbeing for example. In work, complacency makes for a dead end job or business which leads to vexation or discontent.
Complacency can become a safety hazard. Many jobs are repetitive in nature, and the more they are repeated, the better the chance of becoming complacent without even realizing it. Therein lies the potential danger of complacency. It has been estimated that 80% to 90% of workplace accidents are the result of unsafe acts. The increasing number of unsafe acts is a primary indicator that workers may be becoming

complacent about safety. Employees may not be paying attention to what they are doing or to the task at hand. They may be taking shortcuts and risks.
When it comes to safety, complacency can be a literal “killer” on the job. Each moment we are working we must keep focused on the task at hand. There is much danger in going into “autopilot” when working on the job, especially in the military. All too often we don’t realize how complacent we are until we have a near miss or close call. Those events tend to jump start our hearts and focus our attention . . . at least for a little while, on the task at hand.
Complacency is one of the most dangerous positions in the military. It can cost people their lives. Being too comfortable and not focused allows for a more relaxed mind. Therefore, situational awareness is not being applied and lives are at stake. Becoming complacent in the workplace is not only a danger, but can also cost you your career. Being too comfortable and relaxed can cause mistakes and “slip ups” which, in turn, can cause career halting errors. Complacency in any job or career especially that of military personnel, is proof that the job is going nowhere. In all workplaces it is important to always strive to do better. To excel and promote is to not get comfortable or complacent with your job.