Gaining Respect As A Female Business Leader

Today, women in business are far more common than they ever were. From female entrepreneurs to business managers, females are making their mark in the business world. But one thing that we here at Technalink feel still needs to be talked about is the process of gaining more respect as a female business leader.

Fear Versus Respect

The first thing to understand for women in business is that there is a huge difference between fear and respect. Employees may fear you because you have the power to fire them or reprimand them for various reasons. But that fear only breeds resentment and distrust.

When your team actually respects you, they regard you as someone to look up to. Someone that they can trust to lead them in the right way. This helps you improve employee retention, motivate them to be more productive, and helps them rise to greater things.

Gaining Respect

Over the last several years, women in business have broken down barriers and torn apart the stigmas that were once associated with it. But that doesn’t mean that things are completely fine for a female business leader. Here are a few tips that can help you gain the respect of your employees and become a better leader as a whole.

• Start by developing your communication lines with your employees. They should feel that you are always open to hearing their ideas and opinions, and that you take those messages to heart to make positive changes within the business. When your employees feel as though you’re acting on their ideas and not punishing them for being honest, respect follows.
• Credit and blame are two huge factors in gaining respect. Terrible leaders end up taking credit for the hard work of their team, and shifting blame onto the shoulders of others. Instead, you should be willing to give credit to those who deserve it and to accept responsibility for actions and ideas that don’t pan out. This is instrumental in getting the respect of your team.
• Lead with compassion and empathy. When you’re able to put yourself in the shoes of your team and treat them with compassion, they respect you more.
• Don’t hide behind your office door. Get out and get involved in projects your team is working on. Seeing you roll up your sleeves and help out is a big part of your employees developing respect for you.

Keep these tips in mind and you’ll be able to gain much more respect from your employees and those who see your business in general.