The 5-Minute Manager - How to gain Respect

High-performance managers know that respect isn't an entitlement linked to a job title; rather, it is earned. To increase team members, trust in you, act as follows.

·      Lead by example. Demonstrate the qualities and characteristics you expect from the team members you manage. You must exhibit the traits you want team members to adopt, such as honesty, creativity, being forthright, and industriousness.

·      Be humble. No one cares about where you went to school or past successes. Egotists are boring and turn people off; they need to get over themselves and do it quickly. Avoid conversations that entail self-promotion; they are obvious and damage your reputation.

·      Know when to initiate communication and respond. In a team setting, allowing team members to speak without interruption means you are being professional and respectful. Communicating respectfully means using your time and someone else’s time wisely, asking clear questions, and responding fully to any questions you’ve been asked.

·      Show commitment every single day. Get into the trenches with your team members and get your hands dirty as often as possible. Work longer and harder than they do. Get out of your office and visit their workplaces. Talk to them, get to know their names so you can address them personally, ask them how things are going, ask what their top three issues are and follow up.

·      Share your expectations. Team members want to know what your expectations are of them; that way, they can work to meet or exceed them.

·      Help people succeed and advance. Help team members gain exposure and give them opportunities for development and advancement. Be a mentor, focus on those team members who are bright, hardworking, dedicated, reliable and creative, and have skill sets that you don’t or those who show potential. Mentor team members by delegating work that uses their strengths and initiating support programs that allow them to learn a new skill or certification.

·      Compromise. This is not a weakness; in fact, nothing could be further from the truth. A manager who can compromise comes across as caring and someone who puts others before themselves and appreciates understanding a differing point of view.

Management and TeamsRussell FutcherHow to gain Respect