3 Ways to Get More Respect in the Office

3 Ways to Get More Respect in the Office3 Ways to Get More Respect in the OfficeNearly every time someone says the word respect, a few things come to mind- namely Aretha Franklin and Rodney Dangerfield. What rarely comes to mind- but always should- is workplace relationships. Respect among colleagues is a powerful connection, and without it, things can get pretty difficult (bedrngnis to mention miserable). So, what do you do if you, as Mr. Dangerfield used to say, cant get no respect in the bro? If youre feeling like youre not getting the appreciation (or assignments) you deserve, try these tips.1. Build a ReputationWhether its with clients, vendors, or colleagues, yur reputation will always precede you, and working hard to build a great one is a surefire way to earn respect in the office. After all, we all know respect is something thats earned.Several years ago, I worked on a small team in a small office. Each of us mostly worked independently, so it was sometimes difficult to get a sense for what each person was working on, let alone how hard they were working. This was especially the case when we had someone new join the team- well call him Bob. Bob recognized immediately that it was important to establish respect within the team, but because none of us worked directly with one another, he had to go about it a bit differently. Fortunately, Bob was a jupe star at his job, and by treating clients, business partners, vendors, and colleagues professionally and with respect, word soon got around that Bob was the cats pajamas. Bob never had to say a word about it- but rave reviews from everyone who interacted with him showed the rest of the team he was pulling his weight. As a result, he quickly won us all over.Its hard to ignore results, and when youre striving for the respect of your colleagues, one of the best things you can do is show youve got the right stuff. Soon, youll find you have the respect youve earned.2. Make AlliesEven if youre doing everything rig ht, there may sometimes be colleagues who seem impossible to win over. And when you just cant seem to get an ounce of respect from a particular colleague- or colleagues- its time to call in cavalry.Several years ago, when I worked for a large bank, a new woman- well call her Sally- joined the marketing department. She was young and lacked the years of experience held by the rest of the team, which automatically gave her a bit to prove. From the start, my manager had his doubts about Sallys abilities. Whether it was by dismissing her ideas in front of the team or just excluding her from meetings completely, our boss made it clear he didnt respect our newest employee. While it wouldve been easy for Sally to feel singled out, she decided to fight back. And, by fight back, I mean she started to make friends. When Sally realized my boss would be hard to win over, she went to work on the rest of us. Before long, shed proven to the entire team she was not only capable, but a great asset an d someone we could- and did- depend on. After a few months, Sally had an entire department of allies on her side, which made it much harder for our boss to ignore her contributions. It took a while, but after several months our boss eventually realized he hadnt given Sally a fair shake. And he ended up respecting her so much more because he realized she had proved herself in such a mature, professional way.You may not always have the chance to win over a doubting colleague, but chances are, youll have a shot at impressing others in the office. Start by wowing the pants off everyone else, and your reluctant co-worker will soon follow suit.3. Look For Probable CauseIts not easy to admit, but sometimes the lack of respect youre receiving in the office, justified or not, has something to do with your behavior in the office (or when youre off the clock). Just because youre doing stellar work and have an army of supporters behind you, doesnt mean no one will notice when youre habitually l ate or had a few too many at last months company happy hour.Take one of my old employees from a few years back. He was a fantastic worker- when he actually made it into the office. For whatever reason, he just couldnt get it together, was late every morning, and managed to have a different excuse each day. After I had a chat with him about the issue and he still didnt change his ways, I quickly lost respect for him as an employee. To me, the fact he had so little respect for the companys hours of operation or his fellow colleagues who did manage to make it in on time every day meant I couldnt rely on- or respect- him. Although he did great work, I stopped trusting him with any major projects or deadlines. Doing great work in the office is obviously a step in the right direction toward winning the respect of your colleagues, but all that hard work can easily be overlooked if youre not minding your actions before and after youre on the clock. I wish earning respect in the office was a s easy as just spelling it out, Aretha-style, but the reality is, sometimes youre going to have to fight a little harder to get your profits when you get to the office. But, follow these tips, and soon youll find you dont need to ask for respect in the office, because youve earned it.Photo of people working courtesy of Shutterstock.