The Power of Respect by Deborah Norville

The Power of Respect by Deborah Norville is a book that addresses and discusses an important element of life. I recently read it as part of Thomas Nelson’s Book Review Blogger program, http://brb.thomasnelson.com/. Respect is something that figures into many aspects of a person’s life, and naturally plays a large role in our relationships with others. Norville’s book delves into how respect affects life at home, in school, in the workplace/business world, as well as inside oneself. At just under 200 pages, the book is divided into seven chapters. At the end of each chapter there is a list entitled “respect reminders”, which summarize the main points one should take from that particular section of the book. These lists can also serve as a quick reference to someone who would like a refresher on what is important to remember when dealing with the various people and aspects of one’s life.

This book is applicable to anyone and everyone, and therefore I would highly recommend this book, particularly to those seeking to improve interpersonal relationships. The examples provided in each chapter were excellent and served as wonderful reminders of just how important and influential respect can be in everyday life. Parents are encouraged to model respect for their children; spouses are shown the importance of respect in marriage and how it leads to trust; people in the workplace see how respect leads to greater productivity; and teachers and students are shown how respect contributes to a successful and positive learning experience. Of course, not every point applies to every person, since not everyone is married, some people are not in classroom settings, and some are not in the workplace. But each person can learn and discover through reading this book, and I enjoyed the chapters that were not personally applicable in my life at this time, too.