Everyone wants to be respected at their job. But the respect of your colleagues and bosses isn’t guaranteed—it has to be earned. And simply doing your job isn’t enough, either. Being a revered member of your company requires hard work, dedication, and a positive demeanor at all times. Workers who are held in the highest esteem exhibit the following characteristics.

1. Display self-confidence.

If you want others to respect you, you have to respect yourself. And you have to exude this respect for yourself by being confident in everything you do. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there and take calculated risks that you know will benefit yourself and the company. Others will take notice of how comfortable you are when getting things done, and will treat you with the utmost respect before of it.

2. Complete tasks ahead of time.

Don’t be the one scrambling to finish a project while others have moved on to the next task. Make sure you know exactly what’s expected of you at all times, then exceed these expectations. Don’t waste time on water-cooler talk and extra-long bathroom breaks; do what you need to do, and do it efficiently. While others are wasting time getting another cup of coffee, you’ll be finished with the task and have enough time to check it over to ensure perfection in your work.

3. Be humble.

When you finish a task ahead of time, don’t gloat about it. You’re at your job; even if you know you did great work, keep in mind you’ve simply done what you were supposed to do regardless of whether or not others around you have done so. When commended for a job well done, keep the attitude that it’s “all in a day’s work.” This shows you’re responsible and don’t look for handouts just because you’ve worked hard.

4. Respect all co-workers.

Like I said, some of your colleagues will most likely slack off in their work. This doesn’t mean you should look down on them. They might not be as motivated as you are, or they may be going through other personal issues that hold them back from doing their best when at work. Look at them as people first, employees second. Just because you might not respect the work they do doesn’t mean you shouldn’t respect them as people.

5. Praise others.

Not only should you respect others, but you should also praise them for a job well done. Just because they’re not as skilled or driven as you are doesn’t mean they don’t deserve a pat on the back when they complete a task efficiently. Plus, if you’re held in high esteem by others, your kind words will serve as motivation for them to continue working hard.

6. Build others up.

It can be incredibly easy to look at others who waste time and aren’t as competent as you and write them off as ineffective workers. However, this does nothing to further your own productivity, or the productivity of your company. Your aim should be for your entire team to succeed. If you want that to happen, you have to build other people up. Take time to show them where and how they can improve in their work. If you’ve established yourself as a hard-working, competent individual, they’ll use the time you give them wisely, and will hopefully become more efficient in the process.

7. Don’t gossip.

You should never use the office (or anywhere else for that matter) as a place for gossip. First of all, it’s a waste of time that you could be using to get your work done. Second of all, nobody respects someone who spreads rumors and negative talk about others. You won’t come off as respectable, and you definitely won’t be trusted. In fact, spreading gossip is a surefire way to make others turn on you. If this happens, you can be sure that any mistake you make will immediately be reported to your superior, and you’ll be reprimanded accordingly regardless of how well you’ve been performing otherwise.

8. Be inclusive.

Along with building others up, don’t shut them out of a group project, either. If you take the reins and do all the work, your colleagues will not only be insulted, but they’ll also be less willing to help in the future. It’s one thing to be a leader of a team, but it’s another to take the team over completely. Delegate tasks accordingly, assist others when needed, and make sure all of your co-workers are pulling their own weight and feel confident in their ability to do so.

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