Your team watches every move you make, deciding if you’re worth their trust and respect.
𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲; you gotta earn it through what you do daily.
Research from SHRM and CIPD shows that leaders who get hands-on training handle team stuff better and build trust faster.
SHRM’s 2022 Workplace Report found companies with proper leadership onboarding see way better engagement in the first six months.
CIPD notes that real-world leadership skills create stronger communication. These findings prove respect comes from consistent actions—not from pretending you know everything.
Let’s explore 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽𝘀 to help you gain confidence and build credibility as a new leader.
Earning Respect Isn’t Guaranteed
Many new leaders struggle to get the respect they need to lead well. This happens from inexperience, poor talking skills, or not connecting with their teams.
The fallout of not earning respect is huge—low morale, checked-out employees, and people quitting. McKinsey research shows good leadership seriously improves results when you match leadership styles to your organization’s needs.
To tackle these challenges and earn respect, try these strategies:
Develop Strong Communication Skills: Be clear and consistent. Harvard Business Review research backs this up.
Build Personal Connections: Take time to know your people personally. Academic journals show these connections make leadership work better.
Demonstrate Accountability: Show what responsibility looks like. National Library of Medicine studies prove accountability builds trust.
Foster a Collaborative Culture: Ask for everyone’s ideas. McKinsey found inclusive leadership creates better outcomes.
Provide Constructive Feedback: Give specific, helpful feedback that helps people grow. Emerald published that effective leadership predicts job satisfaction.
Recognise and Celebrate Achievements: Acknowledge wins regularly. This boosts spirits and creates appreciation.
Using these strategies consistently helps new leaders create respect that lasts, leading to engaged and productive teams.
Look to Respected Role Models
Leaders like Satya Nadella at Microsoft and Mary Barra at General Motors have deep respect not from their fancy titles, but from how they lead. They show qualities any leader wanting respect should copy. They listen, act with integrity, and connect rather than control, making team members feel valued.
Satya Nadella changed Microsoft by creating empathy and innovation. Under him, Microsoft’s stock went up a lot, and employees got happier. Nadella talks about empathy being critical in leadership, matching research that emotional intelligence predicts leadership success.
Mary Barra’s leadership at GM features transparency and taking responsibility. During her time, employee engagement improved. Barra suggests leaders must listen but also push back when needed, showing the balance between being open and being decisive.
Give Respect First: The Reciprocity Principle
Respect goes both ways—you gotta give it to get it.
Many new managers think their title automatically gets them respect. But real leaders know respect must be given before receiving it. Treating your team with respect first creates trust and admiration.
Get to know your team personally. Ask about their work, challenges, and dreams.
Acknowledge contributions publicly. Making people feel seen makes them feel valued.
Give credit where it’s due. Nothing kills respect faster than a leader taking all credit and dodging blame.
Research shows employees feeling respected by leaders are 55% more engaged. Plus, respected employees are 1.1 times more likely to stay with their companies (Harvard Business Review). When people feel valued and respected, they naturally return that respect to you.
Lead by Example: Actions Speak Louder Than Words
Your behavior sets the tone for your company and team—make it worth following.
Respected leaders don’t just talk about high standards; they live them. If you want punctual, professional, accountable team members, you must show these behaviors yourself. Your work ethic matters.
Be on time. If you want your team respecting deadlines, you should too.
Follow through on commitments. Consistency builds credibility faster than empty words.
Stay composed in challenging situations. How you react creates the emotional climate.
A Wilmington University study found that leading by example is one of the fastest ways to build credibility as a new leader. If you want trust, integrity in action isn’t optional.
Build Trust Through Consistency
Trust creates respect—and consistency builds trust.
Trust dies quick if your leadership style changes based on mood or pressure. Great leaders stay steady, fair, and dependable, even in tough times.
Hold yourself accountable just like you hold your team accountable.
Base decisions on principles, not personal preferences.
Follow through—don’t make empty promises to sound good.
A Harvard Business Review study found leaders showing consistency build stronger, more resilient teams. When your team knows they can count on you, they’ll respect you deeper and support your leadership completely.
Recognise Success: Celebrating Wins Builds Loyalty
Acknowledgement fuels motivation—and motivation fuels respect.
People thrive on recognition. When a leader acknowledges them, it strengthens relationships. One-on-one meetings with each team member to understand their views isn’t just a duty but a powerful way to inspire your people. When your team sees you sticking to these standards, they follow your lead, improving team performance. The team’s hard work builds mutual respect.
Celebrate both big milestones and small wins. A simple “Great job!” goes far.
Publicly recognise achievements. Whether in email or meetings, appreciation builds morale.
A study in the National Library of Medicine found employees receiving consistent recognition feel more engaged in their work. When people know their efforts are seen and valued, they naturally develop greater loyalty toward their leader.
Encourage Ideas: Foster Innovation Through Inclusivity
Great ideas can come from anywhere—create space for them.
Respected leaders know innovation grows where team members feel safe sharing ideas without fear. Encouraging different opinions leads to breakthroughs and builds creativity.
True leaders recognize every team member has unique insights that can help the organization grow. By seeking these perspectives, leaders uncover hidden potential and drive innovation.
Listen actively: When someone offers a suggestion, give full attention. This shows you value input and encourages others to speak up.
Welcome fresh perspectives: Often, best solutions come from unexpected places. Encourage thinking outside the box. This openness creates innovative solutions.
Eliminate judgment: Making it clear no idea is “stupid” keeps creativity flowing. Create a place where sharing thoughts feels safe. This inclusivity creates belonging and encourages more idea sharing.
Research shows leaders who promote diverse opinions build more innovative teams. By creating a culture where every voice matters, leaders use collective intelligence, driving progress and results. This approach earns respect and positions the organisation for long-term success.
Own Your Mistakes: Accountability Builds Credibility
Admitting when you’re wrong earns more respect than pretending perfection.
Mistakes happen. What matters is how you handle them. Leaders don’t shift blame or hide errors—they own them.
Acknowledge mistakes openly. Say, “That was my mistake—here’s how I’ll fix it.”
Focus on solutions rather than excuses.
Show your team that learning from failure is part of growth.
Research from Harvard Business Review highlights that leaders who admit mistakes and show vulnerability foster strong relationships and greater team engagement and trust. Accountability doesn’t weaken authority—it strengthens it.
Communicate Transparently: Clarity Breeds Trust
As a leader, your vision must be clear—and so must the decision-making skills that guide your actions and choices.
Transparency eliminates uncertainty and builds confidence in your leadership.
Explain the “why” behind decisions. When people understand your reasoning, they’re more likely to support you.
Be open about challenges. Hiding problems creates distrust—honesty earns respect.
Encourage two-way communication. Make it safe for your team to ask questions or challenge ideas respectfully. Push for constructive feedback to create continuous improvement and open dialogue.
Research from MIT Sloan Management Review shows leaders who communicate transparently build teams that are more engaged. Clarity creates trust, and trust builds respect.
Final Thoughts: How to Earn Respect as a Leader
Respect begins with integrity. When your words match your actions, people trust your leadership. It’s built through accountability, showing you take responsibility for successes and failures. It grows through how you treat others—listening actively, valuing input and recognizing contributions. It’s strengthened by confidence paired with humility, showing competence and willingness to learn.
Gaining respect as a leader means embodying qualities that naturally inspire it. Leaders who gain lasting respect understand it comes from consistent actions, not just authority.
The leaders who earn the most respect don’t seek control—they create environments where people feel valued, empowered, and motivated. When you lead with fairness, transparency, and genuine commitment to your people, respect follows naturally.
A trailblazer in humanising leadership and building high-resilience teams. As a former United Nations Peacekeeper, he leverages his high-stakes experience to redefine leadership dynamics. With a career distinguished by numerous accolades, Joseph now helps organizations thrive through a human-centric approach, enhancing performance, productivity, and workplace culture.
