Respect is something that is earned. It doesn’t just happen because you have been put in a leadership position. If your subordinates respect you simply because you can fire them, you are a very poor leader. By consistently working to cultivate respect over time you can raise the level of respect that your subordinates have for you.
You earn respect in different ways. The biggest way to earn people’s respect is to do what you say you are going to do. I’ve seen many leaders with a moderate amount of skill lose a lot of respect simply because they didn’t follow through on what they said they would do.
Another way to cultivate respect is by having a very high level of technical skill at what you are managing. Your subordinates are going to run into roadblocks and difficulties in their work. While you don’t need to help them work through every single issue, being able to understand the problem and point to solutions will go a long ways in building respect. This isn’t something you can pretend to do. If you don’t understand their job, you will lose more respect than you gain by trying to help.
Another practice that will help you gain respect is to take a genuine interest in your employees’ success. If they feel like you are trying to help them attain success not just in their current job, but over their whole career, they will respect the fact that you care beyond just the fact that they work for you.
Respect isn’t something that happens automatically. It is easier to lose respect than to gain it. These practices (follow through, being an expert, and caring about your employee’s success) will go a long ways toward helping you build respect.
By: Mark Shead
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