A lot of people think being a leader means asserting yourself and taking control of a situation, but that will only take you so far in the workplace. Instead of asserting your control over your employees, you need to ensure that they will follow your lead, which is more about working with them and earning their respect. Yes, an assertive personality will help you in the office, but following these tips will be much more useful.

Show Respect

In order to earn someone’s respect, you need to show respect for them. Treat all of your team member fairly, listen to them if they have suggestions or concerns, explain all of your decisions, and show that you trust them to do their jobs and make the right decisions. That goes much further than simply expecting your staff to do what you tell them because you’re in charge.

Lead By Example

Instead of just telling your employees what you expect of them, show them. You are just as much a member of the team as they are, and you need to be willing to put in just as much work. Your staff will respect you much more if you see yourself as one of them.

Take Responsibility For Your Team

As a leader, you need to take responsibility for your own team. If something goes wrong, own up to it yourself instead of throwing your team under the bus. Even if the mistake was made by just one person, you should still be ready to take responsibility for what happened. Don’t make an example out of that one person if any disciplinary action needs to be taken, either. Do what needs to be done behind closed doors and keep working as a team.

Keep in mind that the inverse applies as well. When everything works out well with a project, give credit to your team and show them that you appreciate their hard work.

Admit When You’re Wrong

Finally, you need to remember that you are only human and that you make mistakes. Some people think that this will undermine your authority, but it actually does the opposite. No matter what you say, your team will know when you mess up, and they will lose respect for you if you don’t own up to it or play it off as a success. If you’re willing to admit when things go wrong, your team will respect you enough to give you another chance and help you fix your mistakes.