You likely must have heard the saying, “Respect is earned, not demanded.” Like most people, and probably you, I found it hard to believe. I was part of the school of thought that respect comes with the position, and because of that, I struggled for years. I couldn’t understand why the people I led didn’t seem to respect me or the vision I was working so hard to build.
I learned the hard way, but you don’t have to. If you follow what I share here, you’ll start seeing a shift in how people respond to your leadership.
1. Your Title Means Nothing Without Trust
Here’s something I wish I had known earlier: Your title might get you authority, but it won’t automatically earn you respect. You can have “leader” in your job description, but if people don’t trust you, they won’t follow you wholeheartedly. In healthcare, where lives are on the line, trust is everything. If your team doesn’t trust your decisions, it affects patient care, team morale, and the overall work environment.
2. Speak Less, Listen More
I used to think that as a leader, I had to always have the answers. I would jump into conversations, give instructions, and expect people to just follow along. But the moment I started listening more than I spoke, everything changed.
When you take the time to genuinely listen to your team, their concerns, ideas, and frustrations, you show them that their voices matter. And when people feel heard, they naturally respect the person who listens to them.
3. Be the Example, Not Just the Boss
People don’t follow what you say; they follow what you do. If you expect your team to be professional, but you’re always late to meetings, they’ll start showing up late too. If you talk about teamwork but make decisions without considering others, they’ll notice. The fastest way to lose credibility as a leader is to expect something from others that you don’t demonstrate yourself.
On the flip side, when your team sees you leading by example, showing integrity, staying calm under pressure, and treating people with respect, they will naturally respect you in return.
4. Own Your Mistakes (Yes, Even as a Leader!)
One of the biggest mistakes leaders make is acting like they’re always right. I used to think admitting I was wrong would make me look weak. But the opposite is true, owning your mistakes actually makes people respect you more.
Healthcare is unpredictable, and mistakes happen. When a leader acknowledges an error instead of covering it up or shifting blame, it builds trust. Your team doesn’t need you to be perfect; they need you to be honest.
5. Make Decisions with Confidence (Even When It’s Hard)
No one respects a leader who is constantly second-guessing or waiting for someone else to take charge. Healthcare teams want a leader who can make decisions with clarity and confidence, even in uncertain situations.
This doesn’t mean rushing into choices without thinking. It means gathering the right information, consulting your team when necessary, and then making a firm decision. When people see that you stand by your choices, even the tough ones, they respect you for it.
6. Respect Goes Both Ways
If you want respect and authority, you have to give respect too. Simple things like acknowledging hard work, treating every role with value, and recognizing people as individuals, not just employees, go a long way.
I’ve seen leaders demand respect from their teams while speaking down to them or ignoring their contributions. It doesn’t work that way. If you want people to respect you, make sure they feel respected first.
Final Thoughts
Respect isn’t handed out just because you have a leadership title, it’s something you build through trust, consistency, and the way you treat people. If you take these steps seriously, you’ll notice that respect and authority start coming to you without you having to force it.
So, take a moment and ask yourself: What’s one thing you can start doing today to earn more trust and respect as a leader? Because the moment you start making that change, everything else begins to shift.
The Trust Factor: How to Gain Respect and Authority as a Healthcare Leader.
You likely must have heard the saying ‘respect is earned not demanded’. Like most people and probably you, I found it hard to believe as I was part of the people in the school of thought that respect comes with the position which kept me struggling for years because I didn’t see respect for me or the vision in the people I led.
I learnt the hard way, but you don’t have to if you follow what I’ll share with you here.
