You Have the Title. But Do You Have Their Respect?

One of the traps leaders can fall into is assuming respect comes with the title, whether earned through a bold vision, past achievements, or, for founders, the company they’ve built.

But respect isn’t a permanent fixture. It’s something you earn every day.

Respect takes two forms. It does stem from admiration for a leader’s abilities or accomplishments. However, just as importantly—and often overlooked—it also comes from how leaders regard others’ feelings, ideas, and rights.

So why does respect matter?

For some people, feeling respected outweighs a pay raise and is often why people leave well-paid jobs. Respect is also the foundation for trust, and trust, in turn, fuels performance. Without it, your influence likely weakens, no matter your vision or achievements.

As a business grows, so do your team's expectations. What once felt inspiring— your hustle, hands-on style, quick decisions—can start to feel distant or even dismissive if you're not intentional about how you lead each day.

In my experience, it is not through ill intent. It’s not taking time to reflect on your emotional impact.

People don’t just remember what you said or did—they remember how you made them feel, especially under pressure.

When leaders dismiss concerns, ignore feedback, or assume alignment because the team shares the vision, they risk eroding the respect they’ve worked hard to build.

Respect is cultivated in everyday interactions. Leaders who consistently cultivate it:

• Actively listen—and show they’re listening.

• Value different perspectives, especially those that challenge them.

• Communicate transparently and fairly.

• Bring common courtesy and politeness to situations.

• They are clear and intentional about decision-making and ownership.

To illustrate with an example of what can get in the way:

Fostering awareness of how to communicate can be challenging when leaders feel compelled to act hastily to resolve ambiguity. An urge that can emerge when faced with pressure and uncertainty. This can lead to a closed-mindedness toward others’ perspectives, resulting in a failure to listen or jumping to conclusions without involving others.

Leaders benefit from psychological flexibility in these moments by accepting uncomfortable internal experiences that pressure and uncertainty trigger, allowing them to remain attuned to others’ needs.

In today's complex, rapidly evolving world, psychological flexibility is a vital leadership capability. 

The most effective leaders understand that emotional impact isn’t a “nice to have”—it’s what earns lasting respect, trust and influence.

In organisations, culture emerges in the relationship between a leader and their team. However, respect, like culture, is either nurtured or quietly lost.

Want to health-check the respect you foster?

• Do you assume respect is automatic because of your position or achievements?

• How would you rate the quality of your daily interactions?

• How does your communication change when you're under pressure?

If you want to learn more, please send a DM for a chat.