A Thin Line Between Ego and Self Respect

Dear Friends,
It must be well known to all those who are doing job.. somewhere sometimes every one have to think over this difference that what they should do when they feels quite confuse about the Buttering and Respecting,, I know some of my friends who thinks themselves very professional saying the fact that if you want to succeed in your professional life than you should forget this word called as buttering,, even call buttering as Respecting.. but doing something which your innerself doesn't permits you, is not permissible for me.. this is because i can't fake myself.. i can't think myself as the Blind follower of his boss,, There are some people about whom i heard in my office have no spine and are ready to bend in the direction which their boss likes. Some says being flexible is an good attribute for survival.. just like an Eucalyptus tree which is flexible enough to touch its top to ground when subjected to strong storm.. this is the only tree which remain unaffected even after strong storm..so being one similar to him(Eucalyptus) is very much required for survival and success in corporate/professional life...i also admits that it is the nature's law that those who couldn't change themselves with changing times are lost back in the race of evolution.. People who have some self respect may not agree with example just given above, same as myself not being able so far for to implicate what my brains tells right now i m more in control of my heart. That's why some times i talks about this topic but the question still remains standing and laughing on me, How to know this thin line between Ego and Self Respect
Or Buttering and Respecting..