How does a leader earn respect? By following the principle of Leigitmacy.
E-Canteen Fundas: Want to command and not demand respect as a leader? Follow this principle
To get people to conform to your directions willingly and enthusiastically, you must earn their respect. To earn their respect, follow the Principle of Legitimacy
Lead away | (Pic: Edexlive)
‘Rinku, there was this interesting situation in the college assembly today,’ said Rahul. ‘Some students had a heated altercation over a trivial issue. Even the principal could not get the students to disperse.’
‘Really?’ asked Rinku. ‘What happened then?’
‘No one was listening to the princi despite his warnings and threats,’ said Rahul. ‘Then Professor Shama walked in and everyone went quiet. It was like magic. She smiled and asked everyone to disperse quietly and they did it. It was amazing to watch. Respect.’
‘True,’ said Rinku. ‘Everyone respects Shama ma’am. Though we fear the princi and his position of authority, the students don’t really respect him. I would love to be like Shama ma’am who has so much respect among the students and staff despite not having the power of princi’s position.’
‘That’s an excellent idea, Rinku,’ said Rakesh. ‘A good leader, teacher, parent or coach looks to get people to work willingly and enthusiastically. That is how they get the best results. And to get people to work willingly one must earn their respect. As we all know, one cannot command or demand respect — respect has to be earned.’
‘How do we earn respect?’ asked Rahul. ‘By being nice to people?’
‘No,’ laughed Rakesh. ‘By being consistent with our behaviour and genuinely caring for people. And, by following the Principle of Legitimacy that Malcolm Gladwell refers to in his book, David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants. The Principle of Legitimacy says that when people in authority want the rest of the group to behave in a particular manner, it matters — first and foremost — how the leader behaves.’
‘You mean that it is the leader’s behaviour that influences the people’s behaviour?’ asked Rahul. ‘That whether they are the class monitor or the head of state, the Principle of Legitimacy applies? How can we use this Principle of Legitimacy, bhaiyya?’
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‘The Principle of Legitimacy is based on three criteria,’ said Rakesh. ‘A good leader is aware of these criteria and behaves accordingly. When the leader is not consistent with these three criteria, her people will not conform and work unwillingly — which compromises the results.’
‘The Principle of Legitimacy is based on three criteria,’ said Rakesh. ‘A good leader is aware of these criteria and behaves accordingly. When the leader is not consistent with these three criteria, her people will not conform and work unwillingly — which compromises the results.’
‘What are the three criteria, bhaiyya?’ asked Rinku.
‘The first is to listen to your people and make them feel heard,’ said Rakesh. ‘If you want people to conform or obey, you must make them feel like they have a voice. That if they speak, they will be heard. When a leader lets people express their thoughts and listens to them, people feel empowered and feel they have a say in what they are doing. They respect you because you’re respecting them. Consequently, they follow your instructions and engage in work willfully. On the other hand, if you do not listen to them, they will work, but resentfully.’
‘True,’ said Rinku. ‘Most leaders prefer the, ‘My way or highway approach’ instead of listening. That’s exactly the difference between Professor Shama and princi. She listens. He doesn’t. What’s the second criteria, bhaiyya?’
‘As a leader, you must ensure that the rules remain consistent,’ said Rakesh. ‘The law has to be predictable and be roughly the same tomorrow as it is today. If you keep changing rules at your whim, people won’t trust you to have their best interests in mind. And when people don’t trust you, they will not respect you. Since they do not know what to expect from you, they do not conform or engage with the work wholeheartedly.’
‘Our previous football coach would keep changing the rules and we could never trust him or respect him,’ said Rahul. ‘We didn’t fare well under him. What’s the third criteria, bhaiyya?’
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‘This one is very important and one that most people miss,’ said Rakesh. ‘Any good leader, or any person in authority, cannot treat one group differently from the other. People expect authority to be fair, but if the leader is soft towards those who are his friends, relatives and favourites, and harsh towards others, then the leader will neither earn respect nor will people work willingly.’
‘This one is very important and one that most people miss,’ said Rakesh. ‘Any good leader, or any person in authority, cannot treat one group differently from the other. People expect authority to be fair, but if the leader is soft towards those who are his friends, relatives and favourites, and harsh towards others, then the leader will neither earn respect nor will people work willingly.’
‘Wow, that’s where Professor Shama scores,’ said Rinku. ‘She’s fair to everyone and treats us all equally. So, let me sum up what I need to do — be open to listening to my team, apply rules consistently and treat everyone equally.’
‘Absolutely,’ said Rakesh. ‘When you behave consistently like that, you earn their respect. In fact, these behaviours show that you genuinely care for people. That’s all you need to do, really.’
‘But bhaiyya,’ said Rahul. ‘Most leaders in our world are not doing any of these things. They don’t listen to people, they change rules to suit them and they treat one group differently from the other. In fact, most leaders are in power because they differentiate and pit people against one another.’
‘True,’ smiled Rakesh. ‘These are leaders who are feared, not respected. Though they say all the right words, their actions betray them. Like not listening or engaging in a discussion, changing rules arbitrarily and being quiet on certain issues. Since they are not following the Principle of Legitimacy, the people will not conform or act willingly and enthusiastically.’
‘Wow,’ said Rinku. ‘I think the Principle of Legitimacy works in every human relationship. I’ll practice it properly so that it helps me and my team and all other relationships as well.’
‘Absolutely,’ said Rakesh. ‘I respect your decision.’
Pro Tip: To get people to conform to your directions willingly and enthusiastically, you must earn their respect. To earn their respect, follow the Principle of Legitimacy and practice its three criteria — listen to your people and make them feel heard, don’t keep changing the rules and treat everyone equally and fairly.
Pro Tip: To get people to conform to your directions willingly and enthusiastically, you must earn their respect. To earn their respect, follow the Principle of Legitimacy and practice its three criteria — listen to your people and make them feel heard, don’t keep changing the rules and treat everyone equally and fairly.
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