How to Lead a Team and Gain Respect

Most of us start at the bottom of the career ladder and work our way up. We become so proficient at our job, earning respect of the management and becoming a valued member of our team. Eventually promotion is offered, usually within the same team and we can find ourselves leader of the team we were once part of.

This does have its advantages, however, doesn't come without its problems. There is nothing that can gain respect more than people knowing that you have been there and done the job for yourself. You know the systems and procedures, what is expected and the problems that your team may encounter. You can see things from their point of view. This can be a great advantage when leading a team. You know when to cut the slack because of genuine difficulties, but you also know an excuse when you hear one.

The problems arise though when some of the team members may have been there much longer than you, may be older with more experience, or may feel that they were the ones that deserved the promotion. You may find it difficult to be assertive and to feel that you are taken seriously as a manager. Since you were once in their position,you will know how hard the job is and may feel guilty for enforcing deadlines. So how can you gain respect from your team and get them to do what you need them to without them thinking that power has gone to your head?

Firstly, stop beating yourself up and congratulate yourself on your promotion. It is quite normal to feel this way when you have been used to working on the other side ofthe fence, as it were. The dynamics of your team have now changed so now you need to embrace this change and take control. In order to gain respect, you have to give it. Show your team that you value them and support them by listening to how you can help them. Listen to any ideas that they may have. Think back to when you were in their position. If you had a problem, how would you have liked your leader to have handled it? Remember that the only way to get what you want is to ask for it. Never assume that anyone in your team knows exactly what is expected of them. When enforcing a deadline, explain to them when it has to be done by and why, then ask how they think they can achieve it, what do they need to make this happen, how can you best help them?

Once they know that they have your full support, then they will do whatever they can for you.

How to Get the Respect You Think You Deserve

Well actually you don't get respect, you earn it.

Respect is earned by words, and by actions. Things like keeping your promises or proactively providing service. Things like becoming more personally involved with the success of your customer, or taking responsibility when responsibility is not really yours. It's the extra effort. It's the extra mile.

One of the keys to respect is the word personal. How personal are you in your actions? How personal are you in your communication? The more personal you are with others, the more respect you will earn.

But there is a secret to respect. The secret is: In order to earn the respect of others, you must first respect yourself.

This means you have to have confidence in yourself. You have to like what you do. You have to be willing to serve. You have to like yourself. And you have to love yourself. Like and love are two separate issues. You may like yourself for how you look, or how you sell, or how you communicate, but you love yourself for who you are, what you believe in, and what or who you seek to become.

Try writing a list of all the good things that you've done for yourself, and all the good things that you've done for others. Be real enough with yourself to admit what you like about yourself, and what you love about yourself.

Then list what you need to change about yourself that will make you better and stronger. Maybe your self-respect suffers from the way you see yourself in the mirror, or some of the personal choices that you make. Maybe it's your environment. But whatever it is, if you don't acknowledge it, you will never be able to change it or enhance it. You'll never be able to grow in earning respect from others until you grow in respecting yourself.

The secret is easy. Do the right thing all the time and respect will be yours. Say the right words, take the right actions, and believe in your heart that you're doing the best you can do -- for yourself first, and for others second.

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Time Management - How to get more done in less time

When you run your business and work from home, the day really does just seem to go nowhere and the weeks even faster. It is so important to keep your focus and not get distracted. This system is as effective for sole practitioners as well as business owners and managers. It really is so simple, as all the best systems are. The important thing is that you USE IT!

1. Spend a few minutes thinking about where you loose your hours. What do you get distracted by?
   Get a blank piece of paper and note the things and times you get easily distracted. What uses
   your time? Are these things moving you forward in your business?


2. 
   Every job, piece of paper, e-mail, etc. apply the rule of the four D’s
   Dump it
   Delegate it
   Diarise it
   Do it
   Ask yourself – Does this need doing? Is it taking me towards my goal?
   If the answer is no then DUMP IT. If the answer is yes then:-
   Ask yourself – Does this need to be done by me or can somebody else do it?
   If it can be done by somebody else, then DELEGATE IT. It it needs to be done by you then:-
   Ask yourself – Does it need to be done today?
   If the answer is no then DI ARISE IT.
   If the answer is yes then either DO IT or


3. 
   Set up a diary system so that you schedule blocks for specific tasks. Treat these as appointments
   as you would if you were having a meeting. For example, I only check my emails 3 times per
   day, first thing in the morning, lunch time and just before I sign off. I book my clients in for
   specific days and schedule days when I am going to complete other tasks such as newsletter,
   working on courses etc. This keeps me in the flow rather that having to stop and start and try to
   remember where I was and what I was thinking. I would rather fill my day with back to back
   clients so that this frees another day to work on tasks.


4. 
   Schedule time each day, either first thing in the morning or last thing at night to make your To
   Do List. Once you have your list, grade them A,B,C in order of priority. Never move onto a B
   task until you have completed all the A tasks and never move onto a C task until you have
   completed your B tasks.

In Brian Tracy's book 'Eat that Frog' Brian uses the concept that if you had to eat 10 frogs every day, always eat the biggest, ugliest frog first and then the day can only get better. So when you grade your list, all the A's should be the things you really don't want to do. Do these first then reward yourself with a cup of coffee or whatever your preference is. Remember, once they are done, the day can only get better!