About this quote

Respect starts with how you treat people, even when they seem powerless or small. Notice the moments you talk over someone or rush past their opinion. Try a small change: slow down and let the quieter person finish one time today. That single habit shifts how decisions get made and how people feel around you.

When to use it

• At a sprint planning meeting I stopped the room and said, 'Let Sam finish—A person's a person, no matter how small,' after he kept getting cut off.
• At the playground I told the older kids, 'Don't push him aside; a person's a person, no matter how small,' when they wouldn't let the toddler join the game.
• During parent-teacher night I told a worried parent, 'Give your child a chance to explain—A person's a person, no matter how small,' before we decided anything.
• On the pediatric ward I urged the team, 'Speak to the kid directly and explain the shot. A person's a person, no matter how small,' instead of only talking to the parent.