Early success may be good for some, but it can also lead to arrogance. And if it does, there are chances that one may lose respect at the workplace. Professionals may taste success for sometime, but to be successful in the long run, respect plays major part to take you to the higher levels. Mahima Puri lists some points to keep in mind to gain respect at workplace
Help Others Succeed It is important to let go the ‘me’ factor and focus on ‘us’. Says Gagan Adlakha, partner, Vyaktitva Consulting, a Delhi-based HR consulting firm. “If a person focuses on too much of ‘me’ at the workplace, the respect for him is likely to go down. Instead, one should have an open mind and help others succeed too at the workplace.” Such an attitude is likely to go a long way in earning respect for any individual. He described an incident where a senior manager with a telecom company encouraged his team to do the best and earned their respect. Gradually, they started believing that they have some potential in them. This unlocked potential made the team one of the best in the country. As a result, the senior manager not only got rewarded for his efforts, his team won accolades across the organisation.
Share Credit
As much it is important to help others, it is equally important to share credit with peers. If you are handling projects and working as a team, it is important to share the credit within the team and push them forward, instead of individually taking away the credit yourself. Taking away credit may work once with the senior management, but in the long term they will also like to see if you are a good team leader as well.
Attain Domain Expertise Knowledge is another medium to get respect at the workplace. For instance, if you are working in niche areas such as research & development and knowledge industry, your better understanding of the subject will help to gain respect at the work place. So, work hard on improving your skills within your area of work. Tejinder Pal Singh, partner at Delhi-based executive search firm, Transearch International, says that it is also important to position yourself as the go-to expert or be a leader in your area of expertise.
Build Goodwill Treat the office as a workplace, not a school and treat your peers as professionals, not school kids. It is important to guide and help colleagues, but it may not be a good idea if you preach to them all that you know. “Different people learn differently and while people like learning at the workplace, they may not like being lectured. Be a mentor and add value to people around you,” Mr Adlakha said. Mr Singh adds, “One should build an image and reputation at work by consistent performance, thought leadership and most importantly spending a reasonable time in the organisation, to demonstrate success rather than short-stints.
Listen And Empathise If you are a team leader and managing a team, it becomes relevant to listen to peers and empathise with their situations. “As a leader, one should cater to other’s needs as well, whether it’s family, colleagues or subordinates. Only then one can earn that desired respect,” Mr Adlakha adds. Also, one may climb the corporate ladder fast with a high level of IQ, but what will make you earn respect in your subordinates and peers will be high level of EQ, not IQ.
(The Economic Times, Mumbai, 21-06-2011)
As much it is important to help others, it is equally important to share credit with peers. If you are handling projects and working as a team, it is important to share the credit within the team and push them forward, instead of individually taking away the credit yourself. Taking away credit may work once with the senior management, but in the long term they will also like to see if you are a good team leader as well.
Attain Domain Expertise Knowledge is another medium to get respect at the workplace. For instance, if you are working in niche areas such as research & development and knowledge industry, your better understanding of the subject will help to gain respect at the work place. So, work hard on improving your skills within your area of work. Tejinder Pal Singh, partner at Delhi-based executive search firm, Transearch International, says that it is also important to position yourself as the go-to expert or be a leader in your area of expertise.
Build Goodwill Treat the office as a workplace, not a school and treat your peers as professionals, not school kids. It is important to guide and help colleagues, but it may not be a good idea if you preach to them all that you know. “Different people learn differently and while people like learning at the workplace, they may not like being lectured. Be a mentor and add value to people around you,” Mr Adlakha said. Mr Singh adds, “One should build an image and reputation at work by consistent performance, thought leadership and most importantly spending a reasonable time in the organisation, to demonstrate success rather than short-stints.
Listen And Empathise If you are a team leader and managing a team, it becomes relevant to listen to peers and empathise with their situations. “As a leader, one should cater to other’s needs as well, whether it’s family, colleagues or subordinates. Only then one can earn that desired respect,” Mr Adlakha adds. Also, one may climb the corporate ladder fast with a high level of IQ, but what will make you earn respect in your subordinates and peers will be high level of EQ, not IQ.
(The Economic Times, Mumbai, 21-06-2011)
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