Mutual respect is the foundation of teamwork. When your team respects you, they listen to you, collaborate with you, and trust your leadership decisions. When that respect is missing, it shows in subtle ways. The following 10 signs may help you understand what’s happening if you feel disrespected by your team.
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They ignore your instructions
When you’re giving out instructions, they ignore what you say and do what they want. They may flat-out dismiss your input, or they may keep dragging their feet on a project or task you asked them to complete.
They talk over you in meetings
Team members who talk over you, cut you off, and interrupt your ideas frequently during meetings don’t respect you as their leader. A respectful group is a group that listens well, and team members will wait their turn before offering their own ideas.
They make decisions without you
Team members who move forward with plans, initiatives, and changes without notifying you are disregarding you as their leader. This can cause problems in the lines of trust and team hierarchy.
They openly criticize you in front of others
Getting constructive criticism is one thing, but being publicly criticized crosses the line. Someone rolling their eyes at your ideas, mocking you, or rudely questioning you in front of others is completely out of line.
They don’t take accountability
Excuses, blame-shifting, and making others the bad guy instead of owning up to your mistakes are some of the clearest signs you don’t have respect from your team. Taking accountability is a good way to show respect to a leader.
They constantly arrive late or miss deadlines
Lateness is another sign of disrespect. This includes team members who come late to meetings and don’t respect deadlines, and don’t try to rush to get back on schedule.
They gossip about you behind your back
If you hear that team members are talking negatively about you instead of addressing issues directly, it shows a lack of professional respect. If they have an issue, they should confront you directly.
They don’t involve you in team discussions
Is your team constantly having discussions and making decisions as a group, but then you’re left out? If so, it could be purposeful. If your team respected you, your leadership would be expected and automatically included in every step.
They show no interest in your feedback
You may be sharing helpful insights and ideas with your team, only to have them brushed off or be met with defensiveness. When you offer input, they might not value your experience or your leadership advice.
They undermine your authority with others
If one of your team members goes over your head or criticizes you in front of clients or upper management, they don’t respect you. They don’t respect your position, your title, or your role.
Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
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