People in positions of leadership have a lot of freedom in terms of choosing how they want to lead. In any work environment, leaders generally want what’s best for the business. With this said, there aren’t always leaders who are as committed to their character as they are to their business. This is unfortunate for a number of reasons. Apart from the fact that nobody likes an unapproachable or patronizing boss is the reality that businesses often suffer greatly under leaders who don’t know how to lead respectfully.
It’s almost impossible to find a disrespectful professional who makes a genuinely positive impact on their business. At the core of any business model is the commitment of all workers to be respectful and considerate of one another. For leaders, however, this is even more crucial. When those who have the most power decide to be understanding of others’ needs, positive energy resonates throughout the entire workplace.
Leaders who can’t lead with respect often ultimately find themselves without enough workers. Qualified and admirable professionals who leaders are lucky to be able to lead won’t tolerate being disrespected. When a high-ranking leader conducts themselves in a way that’s condescending to their employees, they’re demonstrating that they take their workers for granted.
When a leader treats their workers with the respect they deserve, they not only promote productivity throughout the day but create an environment in which conflicts are less likely to arise. As trivial as it may sound, the happiness of all workers is truly important to a business’s success. When a leader comes into work, they should be assessing themselves as much as they assess their workers. They should consistently be asking themselves questions such as “Am I modeling my core values for others to see?” or “What can I be doing better to improve the work experience for everyone?” More about how being respectful can bring out the best in others can be read here.
By showing respect at all times, one demonstrates what it means to do the right thing. A real leader never gets away with putting self-interest over the good of the work community. When a leader shows respect, they’re automatically more trustworthy, reliable, and reputable, and the business always benefits.