Summarize:

If you want to command respect, then you have to be a good role model for people. They should see the way you live your life and feel inspired. Though this may sound a little general, you just need to live your life the way you think an ideal life should be lived. Be kind to people in the service industry, achieve your goals, give your work your all, and make time for kindness and generosity in your life. If you are a person who lives your life with class, dignity, and grace, then you will be respected for your strong character. Commanding respect does not mean taking advantage of other people. If you want to command respect, then you have to be respectful and kind to people, instead of trying to make them your minions or your puppy dogs. Don't take advantage of people in your office in a lower position, or of needy friends or acquiescent siblings. This won't make you look awesome because you have people doing everything for you; instead, you'll look like a person who doesn't care about anyone else, and nothing will make you lose respect faster than that. If people respect you, then they will be happy to work with you to achieve mutual goals. But if you're just using people for money, rides, and favors, they'll catch on pretty quickly. Even if you're the CEO of your company, it doesn't mean you have the right to be mean to the mail carrier. You should be grateful for whatever position you have and to treat people above and below you with kindness and care. This means that you should respect people in positions of authority and pay attention to the people who work under you; if you snap at a waitress or are mean to a new employee, then people will see that you don't give common courtesy to other people. Sure, rising to the top at your company can earn you some respect. But giving the guy who delivered your company lunch an extra tip will earn you even more. You may be so desperate for other people to respect you that you feel the need to flaunt every little thing you've ever done, from earning your first tennis trophy in middle school to winning the New York marathon. However, if you work hard enough and maintain your modesty, then people will learn about your achievements and will be impressed by them anyway. If you're the one who has to bring up all of the great things you've done, then your achievements will begin to lose their luster. It may take time for people to notice all of the great things you've done, but once they do notice, it'll be worth it. If you want to command respect, then people have to see that you are so invested in the more important things in life to care about who hooked up with whom over the weekend. Instead, start a trend by saying something nice about people "behind their backs." People will be impressed that you have so much good will and that you aren't nasty, jealous, or conniving. They'll respect you for not giving in to idle gossip and for not spreading rumors.  And who knows, they may even follow your trend, and you will not only command respect for being kind, but for starting a positive movement. Additionally, it never hurts to compliment people to their faces. Resist the urge to snap at people or to be mean if you're in a bad mood and focus on being nice to people instead. People will tend to like -- and to respect -- you more if you make them feel good about themselves. If you want to command respect, then you cannot live selfishly. Take time out of your busy schedule to volunteer in your community, to help a classmate or co-worker understand a difficult task, or to help your parents around the house. The act of selflessly giving your time, even if you don't have a lot of it, will not only make people respect you more, but it'll make you feel better about yourself as well. If you're so focused on achieving your goals and impressing everyone that you have no time for helping others, then you will certainly lose respect. Of course, you shouldn't volunteer or help others just so people will respect you more. It should be a natural impulse. Another way to get people to respect you is to be truly excellent at something. You could be amazing at your job, write beautiful poetry, or be the best goalie your college team has ever had. You can even excel at making anyone laugh in under a minute, no matter how terrible they are feeling. Find what you're good at and take it to the next level. If you're truly going above and beyond in some aspect of your daily existence, then people will notice. Again, this doesn't mean that you should brag about how amazing you are at something. If you go about it the right way, then people will notice. Being a man or woman of your word is the key to showing strong character and commanding respect. How can people respect you if they think you'll flake on them or go back on your word within minutes? If you say you're going to do something or make a promise, then you better back it up. And if you're not sure if you can really do it, then don't make empty promises that will only temporarily make people feel better. Work on being someone people can depend on and the rest will follow. Know your limits. Don't say you'll do twenty different things if you only have time for five of them.
Be a good role model. Don't take advantage of other people. Treat everyone with the same level of respect. Avoid bragging about your achievements. Praise people instead of gossiping about them. Give your time. Excel at something. Stick to your word.