Why do we go to college? We don’t just go to get an education; we also go to develop social, leadership and entrepreneurial skills. Leadership boils down to people. How you treat others determines your success, so all of the time you spend in college building relationships is good practice for your future as a leader in whatever field you choose to go into. Life is a balance between relationships and work, but if you neglect relationships, the quality of work you and those around you produce will decline as a result. 

According to Forbes Magazine, the character traits most apparent in successful leaders in the business world are respect for others, empathy, selflessness, listening, open communication and humility. These so-called soft skills are the qualities that are getting people places today, and that is because, oftentimes, relationships matter more than being the smartest person in the room  – especially if you take on the persona that you are the smartest person in the room.

While belittlement in the workplace is not a male vs. female issue alone, it is important to note that many women feel they are overlooked for promotions because their male counterparts wouldn’t respect a female boss. Many women feel patronized, undervalued and perceived as less competent than men, according to the same source. 

Psychiatrist Judith Orloff stated in an interview with Forbes Magazine that she’s had an innumerable amount of people, male and female, seek her guidance because they felt they were being bullied at work. From observing these situations for years, Orloff explains that these difficult or intense personalities of bosses and coworkers are draining and prevent people from doing what they need to do.

Orloff explains the seven personality types that have the effect of making those around them feel inferior: the critic, the passive-aggressive, the victimized, the needy, the negative, the narcissist and the control freak. However, she points out that many of these complexes in practice can cause other people to act negatively or feel victimized. Essentially, respect goes a long way. When you don’t respect the people around you, you don’t trust them, and then you push them to their worst, not their best.

Workplace bullying involves harassment and conflict that is ongoing, creating a sense of entrapment in the situation. According to Psychology Today, many researchers argue that workplace bullying stems from a mixture of personality traits and stress associated with certain jobs. However, rather than producing a sense of urgency in people who are the victims of bullying, these employees are proven to become less committed to their work.  

While students do need to be qualified educationally in whatever career they want to pursue, character is most important in landing that job. Students often get caught up in their work and fail to see the value of sitting down with people to just talk about life. While that may seem like a waste of time, those soft skills will come to fruition in the future.