10 Reasons Your Employees Don't Respect You
Being the boss isn't all fun and games. The promise of power
can be alluring, but the reality of being responsible for a team of
employees may not be as glamorous as you imagined.
You're a fallible human being managing a team of fallible human beings. You're bound to fail them from time to time, just as they're bound to fail you.
1. You don't let your employees play to their strengths.
One of the best pieces of business advice I've ever received is this: "Hire people smarter than yourself." This means being more selective about who you hire, and paying your employees what they're worth. But the tradeoff is that you have extremely high-quality individuals working on your behalf, and you can give them the freedom to play to their strengths.
2. You avoid conflict at all costs.
Great leaders aren't afraid to bring up difficult issues or to be confrontational (when necessary). While you may think that 'playing the nice guy' is a surefire strategy for gaining the respect of your employees, the opposite may actually be true.
By consistently avoiding conflict, you send the message that you're not confident in yourself or in your decisions. A strong leader doesn't shy away from uncomfortable situations, but instead approaches them confidently and with an eye to rectifying the situation.
3. You don't appreciate your employees (or at least you don't show it).
Someone once said, "A person who feels appreciated will always do more than what is expected." A person who feels appreciated will also naturally feel more of an affinity and respect for the one doing the appreciating.
Your employees are the ones who are helping you grow your business. Show them the appreciation they deserve by being generous with your praise and encouragement, and by letting them know how integral they are to the success of your business.
4. You aren't reliable.
You expect your employees to show up for work on time, to meet their deadlines and to do what they've promised to do. But do you hold yourself to the same standards?
Your employees are watching you to see if you practice what you preach. When you miss a deadline, don't make excuses or assume no one noticed. Apologize and do better next time--just like you expect your employees to do.
5. You don't respect them.
According to recent research by Harvard Business Review, over half (54%) of employees feel they don't regularly get respect from their employers.
Respect is a two-way street. If you don't respect your employees, I can guarantee they aren't going to respect you. Calling them out in front of customers, failing to recognize their achievements, and not listening to their feedback are all signs you don't respect them.
6. You offload blame onto others.
Arnold Glasow said, "A good leader takes a little more than his share of the blame, a little less than his share of the credit." Offloading blame onto your employees not only ensures they won't respect you, it also sets the standard for acceptable office behavior.
7. You don't care about their personal lives.
It would be unrealistic to think you need to know everything about your employees' personal lives. But there's a big difference between knowing everything and caring about the things you do know.
Pay attention when your employees tell you about their child being sick, or having to put their dog down, or their spouse being laid off. Express your concern, and remember to check in later to see how things are going. A little care and concern goes a long way to earning the trust and respect of your staff.
8. You aren't self-aware.
Great leaders are able to accurately gauge their own skills and abilities. Instead of assuming you know everything about everything, be realistic about your own strengths and weaknesses. Hire people who can fill the gaps, and then trust them to do their jobs.
9. You aren't a good communicator.
You expect your employees to communicate with you in an efficient manner, but do you pay them the same courtesy? Do you respond promptly to their emails? Do you actually listen when they come to you with ideas?
10. You're impossible to please.
Expecting your employees to be conscientious and to do their best is reasonable; demanding perfection is not. When you're constantly tearing apart their work or nitpicking at tiny details, you tell them they can never be good enough. And you know what happens when people feel like they're always falling short? At the least, they lose respect for you; at worst, they stop trying or even quit.
source://www.inc.com/jayson-demers
You're a fallible human being managing a team of fallible human beings. You're bound to fail them from time to time, just as they're bound to fail you.
1. You don't let your employees play to their strengths.
One of the best pieces of business advice I've ever received is this: "Hire people smarter than yourself." This means being more selective about who you hire, and paying your employees what they're worth. But the tradeoff is that you have extremely high-quality individuals working on your behalf, and you can give them the freedom to play to their strengths.
2. You avoid conflict at all costs.
Great leaders aren't afraid to bring up difficult issues or to be confrontational (when necessary). While you may think that 'playing the nice guy' is a surefire strategy for gaining the respect of your employees, the opposite may actually be true.
By consistently avoiding conflict, you send the message that you're not confident in yourself or in your decisions. A strong leader doesn't shy away from uncomfortable situations, but instead approaches them confidently and with an eye to rectifying the situation.
3. You don't appreciate your employees (or at least you don't show it).
Someone once said, "A person who feels appreciated will always do more than what is expected." A person who feels appreciated will also naturally feel more of an affinity and respect for the one doing the appreciating.
Your employees are the ones who are helping you grow your business. Show them the appreciation they deserve by being generous with your praise and encouragement, and by letting them know how integral they are to the success of your business.
4. You aren't reliable.
You expect your employees to show up for work on time, to meet their deadlines and to do what they've promised to do. But do you hold yourself to the same standards?
Your employees are watching you to see if you practice what you preach. When you miss a deadline, don't make excuses or assume no one noticed. Apologize and do better next time--just like you expect your employees to do.
5. You don't respect them.
According to recent research by Harvard Business Review, over half (54%) of employees feel they don't regularly get respect from their employers.
Respect is a two-way street. If you don't respect your employees, I can guarantee they aren't going to respect you. Calling them out in front of customers, failing to recognize their achievements, and not listening to their feedback are all signs you don't respect them.
6. You offload blame onto others.
Arnold Glasow said, "A good leader takes a little more than his share of the blame, a little less than his share of the credit." Offloading blame onto your employees not only ensures they won't respect you, it also sets the standard for acceptable office behavior.
7. You don't care about their personal lives.
It would be unrealistic to think you need to know everything about your employees' personal lives. But there's a big difference between knowing everything and caring about the things you do know.
Pay attention when your employees tell you about their child being sick, or having to put their dog down, or their spouse being laid off. Express your concern, and remember to check in later to see how things are going. A little care and concern goes a long way to earning the trust and respect of your staff.
8. You aren't self-aware.
Great leaders are able to accurately gauge their own skills and abilities. Instead of assuming you know everything about everything, be realistic about your own strengths and weaknesses. Hire people who can fill the gaps, and then trust them to do their jobs.
9. You aren't a good communicator.
You expect your employees to communicate with you in an efficient manner, but do you pay them the same courtesy? Do you respond promptly to their emails? Do you actually listen when they come to you with ideas?
10. You're impossible to please.
Expecting your employees to be conscientious and to do their best is reasonable; demanding perfection is not. When you're constantly tearing apart their work or nitpicking at tiny details, you tell them they can never be good enough. And you know what happens when people feel like they're always falling short? At the least, they lose respect for you; at worst, they stop trying or even quit.
source://www.inc.com/jayson-demers
Comments