Many people seem to believe that there is a strong connection between the two, but the truth is that they are totally different. The difference consists both in your attitude, the actions you take and your motivation as well as the impact you have on others, how they react and interact.
When someone is looking to be liked they are going to take care of how they act, what message they send and the image they create in order to please you. They focus only on gaining attention and creating a positive emotion from your part. They are going to bend their opinions and the things they say in order to get into your grace, focusing more on words than on action. Usually, this kind of behavior can be observed from the fact that they avoid having a blunt position, opinion or attitude that might start reactions or controversy.
On the other hand, people who are looking to be respected and don’t really care about being liked will be guided by principles. They focus on transparency, clear opinions, and on actions rather than on words. They feel free to express their beliefs and act in accordance with them because their interest is to transmit a message that is in agreement with their mission rather than one meant to please others.
Being liked is just a matter of pleasing others, while being respected is more about having an attitude that inspires.