Respect: How to Change the World One Interaction at a Time
Robert L. Dilenschneider
Wiley (October 2025)
Why respect needs and deserves more respect, especially now.
I think the world today is much more volatile, more uncertain, more complex, and more ambiguous than at any prior time that I can recall. Robert Dilenschneider asserts — and I agree — that respect needs and deserves more respect. In his latest book, he shares his thoughts about HOW to change the world — make it a better place for everyone — “one interaction at a time.” As my Swedish grandmother often observed, “the best way to eat a whale is one bite at a time.”
So far, Dilenschneider has published 18 books and I’ve read most oƒ them, reviewed several of them, and rank his insights and counsel among the most valuable in the so-called “self-help” genre. Countless people struggle to answer important questions and solve serious problems.
Of course, as “self-help” correctly emphasizes, insights and counsel from the best sources is ultimately worthless unless and until those who obtain it then apply it effectively.
In his latest book, Dilenschneider approaches the subject of respect in three dimensions: self-respect, respect for others, and earning respect by others. He offers a “road map to restoring respectfulness in every facet of life and improving society along the way, one personal interaction at a time.”
In this context, I am again reminded of TouchPoints in which Douglas Conant and Mette Norgaard explain how and why great leadership is about servant leadership in human relationships, “about being present in the moment and feeling confident that you can deal with whatever happens in a way that is helpful to others.” Think about it. How many times, on average, during your waking hours, do you interact with other people? Each interaction is a “TouchPoint,” one that offers an opportunity to make that contact mutually beneficial. ToughPoints can also involve sources of inspiration, knowledge, and cultural enrichment. To those who aspire to leadership, Conant and Norgaard offer an abundance of information, insights, and counsel that can help them accelerate their development as leaders with a model that is most appropriate for them.
More specifically, they help their reader to prepare for their own daily TouchPoints. That is, create situations in which they will occur, and then when they do, ensure that the shared experience has great value to everyone involved. The approach must be crystal clear, the intentions must be honorable, and the competencies must be applied with humility and gratitude as well as with confidence. As Conant and Norgaard observe when concluding their book, “The beauty of TouchPoints is that they are both approachable and aspirational: every moment is an opportunity to aim for mastery, while achieving mastery will remain an elusive target. That’s because mastery is not a destination – it’s a quest. It is a commitment to developing ever greater clarity and capabilities so that you may become ever more helpful for the moment.”
May your own journey continue from one meaningful “touch point” to the next.
With Robert Dilenschneider’s insights, counsel, and strong encouragement, you really can nourish your own self-respect, and meanwhile earn and retain the respect of others, and overtime — work effectively with others to change the world.
Keep in mind this observation by Margaret Mead: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”