Respect

There are a lot of people in leadership positions who got their position because they interview well or have a good resume. There are many more who are promoted because they are talented in their field but are not trained and/or gifted as leaders. Even more people work for someone who they think is a bad leader and know that “I can do better.”

There are a couple things we all need to remember. The first is this: trust is earned, not granted. Whether we are a leader or a follower, we all need to earn the trust of those we work with. The second is this: it is our responsibility to communicate clearly with each other without reading into what people say or do. If you have a question, ask it. If you misunderstand, clarify. If you are asked a question, humbly answer it and don’t be burdened by the question. Third; care about other people more than yourself. Nothing builds a team better than knowing that your teammates have your best interests at heart. Finally, be honest about your feelings, mistakes and successes with those you work with. 

See, it all boils down to respect; for yourself and for others. We have to be able to respect others to be respected ourselves. We have to understand why people do what they do and why before we criticize them. We have to build workable relationships so that we can communicate honestly with each other respectfully. This means setting aside our own selfish pride, self-proclaimed wisdom and endless knowledge. Then we will meet people where they are at. Until we do, we will never be successful as leaders or followers. 

Geremy