I was recently promoted to the position of marketing manager, but my team doesn’t support me or respect my decisions. How can I change this?

The lack of support and respect you feel might be a matter of your communication style. Do you tend to do more telling than asking when you communicate with members of your staff? For example, do you issue statements more often than you ask your co-workers questions? Do you also supply more criticism than you do praise when you speak with them? If the answer to either question is “yes,” your team will likely perceive you as a know-it-all who ignores their own experience. This is very likely the root cause of the perceived lack of respect.

The solution is relatively straightforward. Whenever you interact with staffers on work-related matters, routinely ask them for their opinions. Before you make a decision about any given problem, ask how they would approach it. Thank them for their input and tell them how valuable their knowledge and experience is to you. Also, take the time to compliment them on specific tasks or items, such as their idea about the XYZ show, or their cost-saving suggestion. Whenever possible, acknowledge their contributions in front of others.

Performed regularly, these actions will go a long way toward building mutually respectful relationships. In the end, to paraphrase The Beatles, the respect you take is equal to the respect you make.