Recognition or Respect?

Which are we seeking, recognition or respect? What is the difference?

Merriam-Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary defines recognition as “acceptance of an individual as being entitled to consideration or attention.” When we perform well at work we may be rewarded with a raise. Or we may get a promotion and find our new office is now closer to the boss. Since so much of our daily life can be spent at work and the rest of our daily life can depend on how we do there, it is certainly understandable that we wish to do our work well. 

But a problem can occur if, in our attempts to win recognition, we sacrifice being deemed worthy of respect. In Lessons of the Lotus, Bhante Y. Wimala defines respect as “a spiritual acknowledgement of one human being by another human being simply because they are human beings.” While recognition can be a measure of work performance, respect is a measure of how we are doing as human beings.

Thus, the president of a company and the person who cleans her office may not receive the same recognition, but they both deserve respect.