Promotions typically go to those who have shown great skills and achievements in their previous roles. But the question as to how much respect they have from peers often gets ignored, which can be detrimental to their function as a leader and overall to an organization. Therefore, you must ask certain questions to ensure you are promoting a respected leader. This article continues our Leadership Development Series: Promoting Leaders Who Will Be Respected.
Without a respected leader, success will be absent. Not only must executives have respect, but anyone in a leadership position within the organization as well. Therefore, whoever is promoted within your organization should be an individual who is respected by his peers and subordinates-to-be.
Senior management, though, is often unaware of this most important aspect—they may see a promotion candidate as one who has adept skills and abilities, but are blind to the fact that he or she has a lack of respect from co-workers.
Promoting these individuals can be detrimental to the organization's pursuit of its vision, as newly promoted, disrespected leaders will find themselves on a team that is difficult, if not impossible, to direct. Any momentum will be killed, and the culture will be rife with tension, confusion, and even gossip. This scenario can be avoided if senior management considers peer respect as an important factor in promotion decisions and asks certain questions before elevating individuals to new roles.
Most leaders only observe subordinates from a top-down view. While that perspective gives great insight into strengths and abilities, it offers little for how a person relates to those around them. Peter Ward, author of 360 Degree Feedback, writes, "In addition to results and output, there is now the opportunity to measure how well managers communicate with other people. Not only that, but a competency like communicating can be broken down into very specific behaviors, such as listening, writing, giving presentations and influencing."
In other words, making evaluations and annual performance reviews a process that collects feedback from an employee's own subordinates, peers, direct supervisors, and anyone else with whom they interact will provide clear and compelling data for how well this candidate is respected.
If someone is only focused on themselves, it is doubtful that person will be respected. Subordinates want to follow those who have more than just their own self-interests at heart, and a true focus on the vision of the organization. "The leaders who work most effectively, it seems to me, never say 'I.' And that's not because they have trained themselves not to say 'I.' They don't think 'I.' They think 'we;' they think 'team.' They understand their job is to make the team function. They accept responsibility and don't sidestep it, but 'we' gets the credit... This is what creates trust, what enables you to get the task done," explains noted author and speaker Peter Drucker.
"The quality of a leader is reflected in the standards they set for themselves," Ray Kroc, McDonald's founder pronounces. No one will follow or respect a leader who does not have a clear set of personal standards—these include integrity, professionalism and relational fortitude. You may have witnessed a tangible acheivement by an employee that accelerated the organizations's goals, but how did he or she go about doing it?
Consider the values and qualities exhibited during those efforts. Perhaps the easist way to evaluate a candidate's moral standards is to ask yourself if the roles were reversed, would you be willing to follow them?
Many employees find themselves caught up in office politics—some even campaign for promotions. While wanting to ascend within an organization is a good sign, how an individual goes about it can be a very telling regarding how subordinates-to-be will follow that person. Those who blatantly ingratiate themselves to management are divisive and not likely to be respected by peers, subordinates or those to whom they report. And if these individuals get promoted, the reward appears as one manipulated rather than truly earned.
An anonymous saying is that "leaders manage change, managers control process." The employee who does not deviate from the routine or prescribed process when necessary to achieve a goal, is not likely to be looked upon admirably by others. Subordinates want to follow an individual who has confidence in their leadership abilities, not a formula, while navigating challenges in pursuit of success.
This can even go beyond the walls of the office—witnessing how one handles personal challenges and the curveballs of life testifies greatly to their character, and to how much respect others will have for them.
Meetings are rarely looked upon favorably by employees and managers alike, as most consider them to be an unproductive and useless part of their week. But when managed well, a meeting can become one of the most reliable and efficient tools you have to lead your team to achieve its goals.
A good leader concentrates on individual strengths and utilizing them to the fullest extent possible. But great leaders also focus on the weaknesses and find ways to support those shortcomings toward even more success.
Some leaders within your organization will have great pattern recognition, wisdom, trend anticipation, personnel insight and confidence, while others do not. Those who display these attributes will have the kind of intuition on which you should rely.
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