Respect is not gotten on a silver platter, you have to earn it. As a CEO you have to possess the charisma of a leader if you want your employees to respect you.
Having the charisma of a leader is not about people getting scared of you when you enter the hall or your organisation building, it has to do with building personal relationships with people under you.
Building personal relationships requires being attentive to your employees’ needs and concerns, being supportive emotionally, treating people with respect, and validating other’s opinions.
Note that being respected as a CEO is not totally about you but your company’s growth.
If you are respected, people will work tirelessly to get your validation and try their best not to be in your black book. This automatically means the potential success of your company.
Let’s discuss realistic ways to earn respect from employees without overstepping boundaries:
- Lead by Example
As a CEO, you have to be conscious of the fact that you are the head. The operation of your employee depends on your overt behaviour. What you do, what you say, and how you assign roles are critical elements that can make or break your company.
If you are not confident about your ideas or implementation method, it can slow down the operation of another member of your team.
Let me tell you a true life story about my former company.
Before now, I used to work as a part-time writer. I was a bankable media buyer in a digital marketing agency. We had several departments including SEO, graphics, and website development.
One day, a client who was the president of an accounting firm came into our office. He wanted us to develop a customised website for them.
Moving forward, we had a meeting, and it showed that the man didn’t know the kind of design or interface he wanted, he trusted our company to handle all the creativity.
When it was time to execute the project, our CEO did the sketch and handed over the tasks to the creative team. Even though the client was an influential man, the CEO trusted the team to do their magic without much interference.
At the end of it all, the result was impeccable! The approach by the CEO illustrated trust and autonomy which enhanced the team to do their job diligently.
As a CEO you should trust your team and prove it with actions. This will not only make them respect you more but also improve work productivity in your company.
- Respect Your Employees
If you want to be respected, you have to set the pace. No matter how far you are above your workers, you should treat everyone fairly. Pay attention to their concerns, settle conflicts with wisdom, and give accolades when needed.
- Be what you Stand for
If you want your employees to work hard, you must be willing to work harder. Show them you are dependable. Do what you are supposed to do and never hold anyone accountable for your failure.
Also, oversee and ask for reports from the appropriate channels when due and take the lead when necessary.
- Be a Man of your Word
CEOs who go forth and back with their decisions don’t get the respect of employees. You believe in your ideas and stick to them no matter the situation.
If you know what you are doing is the right thing, you don’t have to feel guilty if someone else is not happy about it. The only idea you should welcome is the one that enhances or better than yours. However, if you think your idea is not favourable to your team, you should consider a change.
5. Stick Together
You need to let your executives and employees know you are one big family by showing them physical and emotional support.
Furthermore, give them bonuses based on performance and let them feel your sense of appreciation. Praise them publicly and let their managers know what they need to improve on without sounding harsh.
6. Show no favouritism
Once you have a favourite among your team, you have already set your company and personality on fire and it will blow up in no time. As a leader, you have to treat everyone equally no matter what.
Conclusion
Being a CEO or leader of a corporate entity is a delicate job. It comes with so many cons that must be carefully managed or else, your personality will be in the mud. However, it is easier to win if you possess the qualities we mentioned in this article. i.e. show no favouritism, support your team, be uptight with your words, respect your employees, and lead by example.
Even though these might seem simple, any acting CEO knows they are difficult to execute, but that is where the key to successful management lies.