CEOs; are you feared or respected? How do you tell if your employees respect you or fear you?
A Team of Yes-men: Feared CEOs either surround themselves with like-minded people, or train people to share their views in a vacuum. Either way they lose…Great CEOs value the opinions of their team whether or not said views happen to be in concurrence with their own beliefs.
Lack of Interaction: Along the lines of number one above, if executives, management, and staff don’t proactively seek your advice and input then you have a respect problem. They either don’t value your contributions, or they know from experience that you’ll treat their inquiry in a belittling fashion. Over time, many fear-based CEOs unknowingly train their team to think: “Why even try if there is no upside? The boss will never go for that.”
Lack of Feedback: If as a CEO you don’t subject yourself to a 360 review process, then you are not earnestly looking for personal growth and development opportunities. Let’s say that you do utilise a 360 review…if all the responses are positive it is much more likely because you are feared and are thus the recipient of insincere flattery than because you are perfect.
Revolving Door: If you either can’t attract or retain tier-one talent, you are not an effective leader who has earned the respect and loyalty of your team…In fact, upon closer examination you’ll find that you probably don’t have a team. Sad but true…real talent won’t be attracted to, or remain engaged with leaders who operate on fear-based tactics.
Poor Performance: CEOs who have the respect of their team will outperform those that don’t. CEOs who attempt to use command and control tactics without the necessary underpinnings of real leadership principles will simply not do well. If your organisation is not thriving and growing, then the first thing that should occur is a long look in the mirror…Begin your triage by first evaluating your leadership qualities or the lack thereof.
Ask yourself the following question: If your employees held an election today, would you be re-elected as CEO by a landslide, or would you be voted out? Bottom line…what is rightfully earned and freely given (respect) will always outlast what is imprudently acquired for the wrong reasons (the bully tactics of fear-based control).
