1re·spect
noun \ri-ˈspekt\
a : high or special regard : esteem
b : the quality or state of being esteemed
(Source: http://www.merriam-webster.com)
You are a leader and there is some sort of unwritten law that your team members must respect you. That is one of the most outdated ways of thinking in the world of business and in general. So much so, that some people automatically think that their subordinates hold them in esteem and are very much taken aback when they find out that it is not the case. To avoid this kind of situation at work, here are a few ways to make sure that you, as a leader, are at least trying to be respectable.
Do not make insensitive jokes
You may want to come off as the “cool” leader and you make a few crass or offensive jokes to prove it. Just because you are their superior does not mean that they will all find it acceptable. The last thing an employee wants to hear before they even have their first cup of coffee is an off-color joke. These jokes are also a gateway to getting a sexual harassment case filed against you so watch it.
Respect their personal space
Employees are made to do a certain number and kind of tasks per day and they are given a timeframe in which to finish them. As a leader, you are not supposed to take advantage of your rank and make them cater to your whims or make them attend conferences they are not supposed to be at. You will be wasting their time and hindering them from finishing their duties. When they are taking a break, for as long as it is within company policy, do not interrupt their quiet time by telling them to look at something you found on Facebook. It is their time and you do not have any part of it.
Communicate with them properly
You are supposed to assign them their duties, yes, that is true, but you are not supposed to hand them out in a militant fashion. Offices encourage an open channel of communication and with a leader barking orders, there is no room for it. There is nothing wrong with being polite and asking them for their opinions. There might be something they know that you do not which could save you all from a major mishap down the road. Talk to them the way they deserve to be talked to; they are colleagues, and not cadets.
Trust them
If your team is there, there must be a reason why they got hired in the first place. They are bound to have the necessary skills and expertise to carry out their tasks without you breathing down their neck. By micromanaging, not only are you annoying them, you are giving them the impression that you think they are incompetent.
Lastly, one of the best ways to get your employees to respect you is to respect them as well.