7 Things Really Respected People Do

Everyone wants to be respected. Here are 7 actions that make those who truly deserve our respect stand out from the pack.

inShare Respect is not something you can conjure or demand, no matter how often you sing Aretha’s anthem. Respect is earned. And often the people who are most respected don't have to try to earn it. They simply take action in a way that makes others feel admiration.
Without respect, it’s hard to lead a company, manage a team or gain accomplishments. Earn and cultivate the respect of those around and you’ll soon find support that can help you achieve almost anything. Here are 7 actions that respected people naturally take. With a little focus, you can add them to your daily practice and avoid the Rodney Dangerfield dilemma.

1. They Under-promise and Over-deliver
Think about how you lose respect for someone. It usually happens when they represent something to you that turns out not to be true. It doesn't matter how big or how small the act. The first time it happens you may forgive, but the second raises credibility concerns. By the third time, you’ll likely never trust that person to deliver again. Conversely, respect follows those who religiously do what they say they’ll do. With trust comes respect and vice versa; it is a continuous circle. Respected people never leave you hanging.

2. They Are Comfortable in Their Own Skin

It's nearly impossible to respect people who don't love and respect themselves. They don't need to be flawless, but neither can they be flaw-focused. A little self-deprecation is admirable, but only if it accompanies self-confidence and assuredness. No one wants to follow leaders who are insecure and constantly complain about their own inadequacies. Most respect those people who take control of their own lives and resolve or accept their own shortcomings with a peaceful smile. Respected people understand nobody is perfect.

3. They Find a Way to Be Inclusive

Individual performers can certainly impress, but not when they disregard others on the journey. In fact, the more someone blazes a solo trail, the more resentment they create. It's great to lead the way, providing you bring the followers along and engage them in the process. There is little glory or fun in reaching a pinnacle and then waiting for everyone to catch up. People earn respect by bringing others to the Promised Land so all who are motivated and capable can share in the experience, the risk and the reward. Respected people leave behind no willing and able person.

4. They Focus on Solutions, Not Blame
So much productive time in life is wasted playing the blame game. I can't think of a single benefit to the practice. Those who insist on harping on scapegoats for political gain end up looking foolish. In most cases, either the truth surfaces or the work environment becomes so toxic that productivity drops and no one walks away unscathed. Analyzing a problem and identifying the source is certainly valuable but, once the problem is clear, the focus should be on resolution. People who bypass the politics and blame to resolve issues for the common good earn admiration and loyalty from almost everyone. Respected people solve problems without creating new ones.

5. They Seek and Share Knowledge

There is great value in being an active and continuous learner, but keeping it to yourself raises the proverbial "tree in the forest" question. What good is growing smarter if you don't share that knowledge for the benefit of all involved? So many entrepreneurs strive for learning ... only to struggle when it's time to open up to the team that needs to execute. Of course it takes work and effort to create an effective process for teaching, but this is why excellent teachers garner so much respect and stay lifelong in your memory. Respected people know the value of communal learning.

6. They Praise the Work of Others

Everyone appreciates being acknowledged. A job well done deserves recognition, while false modesty gets old fast. But people who ignore those who took part in a successful accomplishment are soon despised as selfish and ungrateful. There is little you can truly accomplish solely by youself. A little demonstrated gratitude and acknowledgment will go a long way in bringing you the reverence of your supporters. Better yet, share the glory and raise the esteem of everyone involved. Respected people take pride in contributing to the success of others.

7. They Find the Joy in Everything

It's hard to believe that anyone can actually discover happiness in trauma and tragedy; amazingly, it does happen. Humans constantly hope for joy, yet many gloss over daily events on that can raise a smile or elicit a giggle. But there are those who take life a little less seriously, always looking for that moment that can break the tension. These are the people who demonstrate the best of humanity and make even the hardest workday a day worth having. Respected people love life with all its twists and turns.


by Kevin Daum the best-selling author of Video Marketing for Dummies @awesomeroar

5 Critical Leadership Traits

1. Good communicator. That means effectively communicating timely and consistent messages during good and bad times. And, knowing how and when to be a good listener. Communicating is critical. Employees must hear from their leaders. And, hearing from their leaders in person versus e-mail and written memos is even more effective.
2. Being a servant leader. Put your employees and your company first. A top manager who makes decisions that are self-serving will lack followers and will bring the company down.
3. Adaptable. Today, more than ever, a leader needs to adapt. That means adapting to competitive and industry situations. It also means being willing to change your decisions if new information or circumstances warrant the change.
4. Decisive. Leaders who aren’t decisive and who can’t make a decision will spin their organization into a frozen state where employees are unmotivated, wasting time, and discouraged.
5. Motivating. Smart, decisive, engaging, tough yet fair, personable and encouraging leaders are motivating. These leaders motivate employees to deliver their best for their leaders and for their company.

What is your list of five traits?

Posted by Eric Jacobson  

What makes a leader special?

 I’ve seen my share of leaders.  Some I’d rather forget, but learned a lot from and others I admire and emulate what they did and how they interact with their people.

As I look back and reflect on those that help me grow and develop, I noticed that good and great leaders have 10 things in common.   Here are the 10 common things I observed about the leaders that I’ve worked with:

1)      Listen to their people – When I say they listen, they really listen and respond to their constituents in a timely manner.   They value their interaction with their people and see to it that they make time to listen to their needs and concerns.

2)      Roams the floors – Just like Abraham Lincoln, a great leader spends time in their constituents’ work area and interacts with them.  They walk the floor and make themselves accessible.

3)      Believe in continuous improvement – their leadership paradigm is that the more they learn the more value they can add to their people.  They invest time to learn something.   Upon learning it they live it and lead others to what they learned to spread the knowledge and grow talents around them.

4)      Never quit – the word quit is not in their dictionary.  They know who to tap and ask for help to guide the team to get the job done.  They’re able to encourage and motivate the team to dig deep and muster the courage to work through adversity.

5)      Admit their mistakes – everyone makes mistakes, but great leaders admit their mistakes and apologize and make it right for their people.  They learn the lesson from their mistake and make sure that they address it in a timely manner.

6)      Love their people – they understand that people are their most important asset.  They value their people and make sure that they have their people best in interest when they’re making decisions.

7)      Add value to others – Great leaders always look for opportunity to add value to others.  They make this a priority to ensure that they seek opportunities to grow and develop their people.   When you grow leaders in your organization, you multiply the overall capabilities of your organization.

8)      Use story to convey their message – they know how to use personal stories to connect with their people and appeal to their people.

9)      Touch people’s heart – before they ask people to do something for them, they’re often the first one out there to lead other and work amongst everyone.

10)   Grateful for their people’s contribution – they appreciate the contribution of their people. Take the time to recognize and seek opportunities to celebrate their success and achievements.  They make it a point to make sure people know that their work is valued and appreciated.

I’d like to leave you with this quote from John Quincy Adams, “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.”  Want to be a leader?  Make sure you do the same thing to help others and inspire them to achieve things they otherwise thought they could not accomplish themselves. 

 

By Will Lukang, CLDC, PMP, CSM in October 24th 2013

Trust and the Workplace

The office is more than a place that employees go to earn a paycheck. Relationships between employees and employers are essential in creating an efficient and successful businesses. For these relationships to flourish and employers to successfully manage employees, there needs to be some degree of trust.
The Jacobs Model , outlined in an infographic by U.K. financial-protection insurer Unum, identifies eight drivers of trust that are necessary in the workplace.
Find out what they are and how to use all eight to build workplace trust below

Read more: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/228439#ixzz2iljGQ9T7

5 Keys to Inspiring Leadership, No Matter Your Style

Forget the stereotypical leadership image of a buttoned-up person in a gray suit hauling around a hefty briefcase. Today, standout leaders come in all shapes and sizes. She could be a blue jeans-clad marketing student, running a major ecommerce company out of her dorm room. He might be the next salt-and-pepper-haired, barefoot Steve Jobs, presenting a groundbreaking new device at a major industry conference.

"Our research indicates that what really matters is that leaders are able to create enthusiasm, empower their people, instill confidence and be inspiring to the people around them," says Peter Handal, chief executive of New York City-based Dale Carnegie Training, a leadership-training company.

That's a tall order. However, as different as leaders are today, there are some things great leaders do every day. Here, Handal shares his five keys for effective leadership:

1. Face challenges.

Great leaders are brave enough to face up to challenging situations and deal with them honestly. Whether it's steering through a business downturn or getting struggling employees back on track, effective leaders meet these challenges openly. Regular communications with your staff, informing them of both good news and how the company is reacting to challenges will go a long way toward making employees feel like you trust them and that they're unlikely to be hit with unpleasant surprises.

"The gossip at the coffee machine is usually 10 times worse than reality," Handal says. "Employees need to see their leaders out there, confronting that reality head-on."

2. Win trust.

Employees are more loyal and enthusiastic when they work in an environment run by people they trust. Building that trust can be done in many ways. The first is to show employees that you care about them, Handal says. Take an interest in your employees beyond the workplace. Don't pry, he advises, but ask about an employee's child's baseball game or college graduation. Let your employees know that you're interested in their success and discuss their career paths with them regularly.

When employees, vendors or others make mistakes, don't reprimand or correct them in anger. Instead, calmly explain the situation and why their behavior or actions weren't correct, as well as what you expect in the future. When people know that you aren't going to berate them and that you have their best interests at heart, they're going to trust you, Handal says.

3. Be authentic.

If you're not a suit, don't try to be one. Employees and others dealing with your company will be able to tell if you're just pretending to be someone you're not, Handal says. That could make them question what else about you might be inauthentic. Have a passion for funky shoes? Wear them. Are you an enthusiastic and hilarious presenter? Get them laughing. Use your strengths and personality traits to develop your personal leadership style, Handal says.

4. Earn respect.

When you conduct yourself in an ethical way and model the traits you want to see in others, you earn the respect of those around you. Leaders who are perceived as not "walking their talk" typically don't get very far, Handal says. This contributes to employees and other stakeholders having pride in the company, which is an essential part of engagement, Handal says. Also, customers are less likely to do business with a company if they don't respect its values or leadership.

5. Stay curious.

Good leaders remain intellectually curious and committed to learning. They're inquisitive and always looking for new ideas, insights and information. Handal says the best leaders understand that innovation and new approaches can come from many places and are always on the lookout for knowledge or people who might inform them and give them an advantage.

"The most successful leaders I know are truly very curious people. They're interested in the things around them and that contributes to their vision," Handal says

 

BY Gwen Moran | June 14, 2013

Read more: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/227012#ixzz2iTgskOqT