Nine out of ten leaders are not respected by nine out of ten of their followers.
Well, that’s the way it often appears when you get a group of people together in a room talking about leadership. This also came across loud and clear earlier this year when I was researching line management relationships.
Part of the problem is that respect is a concept that varies wildly in interpretation, especially in diverse populations.
But, does respect even matter these days?
Absolutely, now more than ever.
Why? Because it is inextricably linked to credibility and trust, without which, influence is just a distant dream, or a patchy experience. The old adage of it being more important to be respected than liked still holds a great deal of sway.
Nine out of ten leaders want to be respected by nine out of ten of their followers.
So, I have a question for you.
Do you respect your leader?
If so, why?
If not, why not?
Working out your own definition is a great foundational step in gaining the respect of others – clarifying how you make that judgement. Yet this is only the start, because you also need to consider how other people make their judgement about respect.
After all, if you want to be respected, that decision is not yours to make. Although you can go a long way to influence it by your behaviour, if you know what behaviour your followers will respect, you might be wide of the mark.
So, do a little exercise.
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Ask a few of your colleagues if they respect their leader. When they start to answer, get curious and probe around a little. What exactly do they mean? Why are they making that judgement?
Don’t ask your team though – that could get a little interesting to say the least! Instead, ask them what they want from you, what they expect from you?
Then start to join the dots and work out what behaviours win their respect (assuming you want/need to). You also need to consider what behaviour will lose respect, and avoid them at all costs.
Naturally, I have no idea exactly what situation you are facing, but one of the common things I hear from followers is that their leader is not influential enough, on behalf of the team, in the wider political environment.
What they seem to want more than anything, is a strong leader who can defend their work, clear political road blocks and free them to do what they do best. Sure, they need to respect you as a person, and someone who cares and is there to help them. Yet that is not quite enough, what you have to do is look after their interests, in the corridors of power, and be seen to be doing so.
My bet would be that…
Nine out of ten followers want to respect nine out of ten of their leaders.
And, given half a chance, they probably will.
The Gautrey Influence Blog
Ever felt overlooked, unheard, or stuck in office politics? You’re not alone. The Gautrey Influence Blog breaks down the real-world strategies behind leadership, influence, and power—giving you the tools to be heard, respected, and successful. Join 35,000+ professionals getting ahead the smart way—subscribe now..
💡 Benchmark your Influence: Take the Master of Influence Assessment (Free for Subscribers!)
👉 [Subscribe & Take the Assessment]