Many people mix the authority given by position or title with respect. I am ... so and so in a position of that and that, therefore I am respected. NO!!
Respect, my dear people, is EARNED!! Earned by what you do, how you do it, the way you behave and treat others. It is never, ever given!!
Lately, I was writing separately on confidence, authority, leadership. Let me sum up all these, as they are interconnected :
Confidence has an aura of humility, while insecurity leads to arogance. True leaders are confident, while wannabes are arrogant. Arogance usually hides insecurities for the lack of knowledge and skills in certain areas. Arrogant people hide the information for they see any kind of sharing as a personal threat.
Confident people and true leaders share the knowledge and information, because they know the best way to achieve goals is through collaboration.
Authority comes naturally to confident people, they do not micromanage and hold on to every little thing. They understand that respect is EARNED, not given by a title or position. Those who think otherwise, and sadly there are plenty of those, are running us into the ground.
