"How can I command the respect of the people who elected me?"
Novices who are thrust into positions
of leadership hear the term Acommand respect@
and often make the mistake of thinking it means they should somehow order subordinates to respect them. However Acommanding respect@
is different from Ademanding respect.@
Respect,
like trust, faith and love, does not come in response to a command; it grows naturally in response to certain qualities. One who B by whatever circumstance B is put into a position of authority might be able to demand silent obedience from
subordinates, but only a true leader will earn their respect. Sir Ernest Shackleton
earned the respect of his followers by strong leadership; George Donner=s
indecisiveness cost him his life, the lives of many of his party, and undying shame.
Leadership is not based on a title.
A leader=s effectiveness diminishes in direct proportion to his or
her dependence upon the supposed authority of the leadership position. John C. Maxwell,
author of Developing the Leader Within You, calls these people "positional leaders." They are the people
who think they can lead others because they happen to hold a title. They have the mistaken idea that authority comes from
impressive titles and fancy insignia.
Few if any people will follow a leader whose authority comes from nothing more than a title. This is especially true of volunteers who have no reason to work for an organization. In the club, the workplace and the home, the leader who relies merely on a title for obedience may get
grudging obedience; he or she will never get respect. The yacht club commodore
who plans to rely on his or her title alone as the basis of leadership may find many members opting to pay their dues but
>sit out a year= to wait for a replacement.
