The funny thing about mutual respect is that you can’t control it. Sure may check whether or not you exercise regularly, either you control your temper, or whether or not you express respect to others, but mutual Respect implies that two or more people respect each other, and as unfortunate as it may seem at times, you can never control when and where others choose to show you respect. So perhaps the question should be, “How can I foster mutual respect?”

Read the five tips below and learn what you can do to create an environment that is more conducive to displays of mutual respect.

1) Build mutual respect over time

It’s painfully obvious that we just don’t get along with some personalities, but it’s also pretty obvious that the more you get to know someone, the more you start to understand them and, in turn, respect them. After those primary bad impressions “wear off,” you might even make some surprising friendships.

If you really want to foster mutual respect with people who can be hard to get along with, you’ll need to “buckle up” and set aside time to be with that person, work with that person, talk with that person, and even play with that person. You may have to clench your teeth from time to time, but eventually you will gradually begin to realize that of him or her personality or point of view are not so difficult to understand after all.

2) Foster mutual respect with patience

Patience, in my opinion, is a combination of empathy and selflessness. In other words, patience is about other People, that’s why patience is such a difficult virtue to master. After all, who wants to spend time thinking about other people when we’re so busy with our own schedules? The truth is that the best people, the smartest people, and the most successful people take a hard look at other people and express empathy and selflessness toward the people they associate with. The sincerity of the action is also very important. A person who just goes through the motions of being disinterested (i.e. taking more time to talk to someone) will simply come across as fake if they don’t show sincerity.

3) Foster mutual respect by listening

Listening is one of the greatest manifestations of respect. Even if you think a co-worker or acquaintance’s ideas are “off the mark,” listen carefully to what he or she is saying, and then ask questions that really make you curious. For example, if your co-worker wants to increase your marketing budget and you think it’s the stupidest idea you’ve heard in your entire career, don’t express your feelings or your own thoughts about the supposed stupidity of the suggestion. Instead, start asking questions like “How will the company have enough to pay for new hires in two months?” or “What do you think about our current marketing strategies? Do you think we should improve them first? You might find that he or she has some great ideas that weren’t well expressed because no one took the time to look into them further.”

4) Encourage mutual respect by laughing

If you laugh with others, you can relax, and when you relax and help others relax, more effective communication happens every second. Take the time to analyze your “opponent’s” sense of humor and be patient with him or her. Try to find common interests or laugh at experiences you’ve already had together without using humor that he or she might find offensive.

5) Maintain Mutual respect with honesty

Once a person trusts you and starts showing you respect, it does not mean that you will have their respect for life. To maintain mutual respect, you need to be honest with that person even when it’s extremely uncomfortable to do so, and you need to be honest every day, not just on days that are convenient for you. A dishonest businessman or professional is not really a businessman or professional. If you are honest, you will be better at everything you do and others will crave your mutual respect.