What Do You Do When People Don’t Respect Your Leadership, Even Though You’ve Been Appointed to Lead Them?

Being appointed to lead people does not automatically mean they will respect your leadership. Sometimes, the appointment gives you the position, but you still have to build the trust and credibility that comes with the position.

So, first, don’t become desperate to prove that you are the leader. Don’t start shouting, reminding everybody, “I am your leader. You have to respect me.” That can actually make the situation worse.

Ask yourself why they don’t respect the leadership in the first place.

Maybe they don’t understand why you were appointed. Maybe they think they should have been chosen. Maybe they are older than you. Maybe they have been in that department longer than you. Maybe you have not communicated properly. Or maybe… there are things in your own character that you need to look at.

You need to be honest enough to check yourself.

Then, focus on doing the work well. Know what you are leading. Be consistent. Keep your word. Treat people fairly. Don’t have favourites. Don’t use your position to intimidate people. And when you make a mistake, be humble enough to admit it.

Over time, people begin to see what kind of leader you are.

But there’s also a point where you have to address the behaviour directly. If somebody is deliberately undermining your leadership, influencing others against you, refusing legitimate instructions, or constantly disrespecting you publicly, you cannot just keep pretending everything is fine.

Call the person privately. Find out what the real issue is, and make the expectations clear.

Because there is a difference between someone disagreeing with your decision and someone deliberately undermining your leadership. You should be able to receive disagreement without feeling threatened, but you also need to establish healthy boundaries.

And don’t forget… you are not trying to force people to respect you. You are trying to become the kind of leader whose leadership can be trusted.

Your position may have been given to you, but the way you handle that position will determine the kind of influence you eventually have.