To: My Friends

Issue: Respect - A Key Element in Leadership

"I like my boss as a person. As a leader, he does things that create problems for me."

"How is that?"

"He's fun, has a good sense of humor, and is easy to talk to. We go bowling together and sometimes he gives me a ride to work. He's a good guy. As our leader, he seldom involves us in decisions where our input would contribute to a better decision. He bawls me out in front of others, and when he says, `I'll get back to you,' he seldom does. He asked two of the women who report to him for dates, and they were afraid to say `No.'"

Leadership is the art of inspiring and enabling people to achieve a shared vision. People will support a respected leader in the pursuit of shared goals. They trust him/her to do the right things for the right reasons, and to support them in their quest. If they like their leader, too, all the better.

People are less willing to entrust themselves to a leader they don't respect, even if he/she is likable. Too much of what is important to their values and lives is at stake to follow someone whose behavior they question.

Someone who is neither respected nor liked can lead only for as long as it takes people to bail out, if they have a choice.

I could cite a hundred examples of what leaders have done to lose respect. Instead, I'll focus on behavior that earns respect.

These four elements of respect are essential:

1. Being scrupulously honest. People want and can deal with the truth, even when it is painful. They have little tolerance for lies. If President Clinton is impeached it will be for lying and/or obstructing justice, not for his affairs.



2. Trusting others. It is very difficult to respect someone who doesn't trust you. Micromanaging is a prime expression of not trusting others. Involving others in decisions that affect them and what they do builds trust. Empowering people not only communicates trust, it also increases the power of the leader through the additional respect earned.



3. Being trustworthy. Following through on promises, living up to values shared by the team, taking responsibility for one's decisions, treating others fairly, and giving credit where credit is due all help demonstrate that one is worthy of trust.



4. Competence - knowing what to do, and doing it with skill - fosters respect. It is important in both the technical aspects of the job and the processes that enable people to work effectively. People look to leaders for a clear sense of purpose, direction, and support for reaching their goals.

Like a house, respect takes time to build, but can be destroyed quickly. Before respect can be rebuilt, as with a house, the debris must be cleared. That takes time, as does the rebuilding process.

It is rare to find a college course, even in an MBA program, that helps develop the skills to earn respect. Because respect is so crucial for effective leadership, my approach to coaching emphasizes becoming authentic and skilled in behavior that earns respect.

Sincerely,

Ian Jacobsen, FIMC
Certified Management Consultant