“Any fool can make a
rule, and any fool
will mind it.”
-Henry David Thoreau, journal, Feb 3, 1860
Obedience, respect, and responsibility are all connected with each other. When people respect you, they are more likely to help you out and listen to you. When people listen to you in a meaningful way, they expect you to make the best decisions possible in that situation. This leads to an elevated level of responsibility and when that level is met, people will respect you even more. The cycle will then begin again so it’s important to execute and be consistent in all of those stages.
Have you ever wondered just how much power you can have by being in a position of authority such as a doctor? In one study conducted by Annamarie Krackrow and Thomas Blass, they examined the authoritative and obedient dynamic that exists between nurses and their doctors. This study concluded that nurses would follow the orders of their superiors’, even if the nurses believed those orders would be detrimental to the patients. This clearly shows how harmful an authoritative figure such as a doctor can be if he/she is incorrect. As many of us strive to become authoritative figures we need to keep in mind that we are all human and therefore capable of making mistakes. It is important to realize the power that we can have when put into positions of authority so that we treat others with respect and listen to their input regardless of how frequently they may be wrong. Because, it is the one time that they are correct that could be the time that saves us from committing a gross error.