Top 10 ways to be more R-E-S-P-E-C-Ted as a leader

Want to raise your level of effective leadership?
Take a look at the “Law of Respect” – people naturally follow leaders stronger than themselves

Wherever you are on your leadership journey, you can begin to see this pattern emerging.  People who are a 5 or a 6 (out of 10) in leadership will tend to respect and follow the vision of 7’s, 8’s, 9’s or 10’s.

How do you gain the respect of followers?

Here is a “top 10” list:

1. Be good at what you do.  This is a critical first step.  People will not respect incompetence.
2. VALUE others  – really consider them not as “resources” to be used, but as unique people with value as a person. 
3. Loyalty – Do you stick with the team until the job is done?  Do you give credit  to the team for wins?  Do you publicly take personal responsibility for team failures?  When the team knows that you’ve “got their back” they will have more respect for your leadership.
4. Talk less, listen more.  This is almost always a great place to start.
5. Offer sincere appreciation – these days people can spot a phony a mile away!
6. Don’t judge others – perhaps you’d make an even worse choice if you were in their shoes!
7. Be honest – really!  You don’t have to say everything you know, but people will know they can’t trust you if they catch you in a lie.  Besides, it’s just easier to remember the truth than whatever story you told to each person!
8. Let others praise you – if you’re praiseworthy, others will notice and comment.  If you’re not, you won’t snow anyone anyway.
9. Do you respect yourself?  Do you have integrity – keeping promises to yourself – even about small things – like being on time, watching what you say, watching what you eat?  If you don’t respect yourself, others won’t either.
10. Do you take yourself too seriously?  Perhaps learning to laugh at yourself is a good place to start.  My wife does a good job of helping me see when I’m taking myself too seriously, and she’s helping me learn to laugh at my foibles.

Giving respect to others is the first step in gaining their respect.

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This post is another in the series based on John Maxwell’s book – The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership.