All the knowledge, experience, and skill in the world won’t make someone a great leader unless people
are confident that they know what they’re doing and that they can achieve results. For that faith and
trust to exist, that person must have credibility, “the quality or power of inspiring belief.”
Credibility isn’t an inherent quality but one that must be actively developed and regularly sustained.
It’s difficult to earn and easy to lose. And as part of the foundation of effective communication,
it’s one of the most valuable items in any leader’s box of management tools. Before you can persuade anyone to believe (or follow) you, you first need to convince them that you know what
you’re talking about. Depending on your audience, your goals, and the particular field you’re
in, you have many options when it comes to establishing your expertise. For example, your credibility could
be based on your level of formal education and trainingâuniversity degrees, professional development
seminars, and the like. Perhaps your on-the-job experiences have enabled you to master a subject (or
position). The key is to be good at your current role and get stuff done. If you’re not doing your
current job well, your credibility will suffer tremendously. In addition to building your knowledge, you also need to build trust. If your colleagues, your employees,
your bosses, and your clients don’t trust you, you won’t get a chance to put your knowledge to
work. Trust must be earned through thoughtful interactions with others. Build a reputation as someone who follows through on their claims. If you describe yourself as a person who
can be relied on to hit a certain deadline or meet a certain goal, for example, be sure you actually do it.
Saying “I don’t know” out loud can be a humbling experience, but you’re better off
pointing out your own ignorance than having someone else shine a light on it. The longer you wait to reveal
thisâand the farther your project (or even your career) progresses before you’re caught outâthe worse
your fall will be. So rather than try to bluff your way through unfamiliar territory, ask relevant and
thoughtful questions that will help you learn more about it. Don’t be afraid of looking
“foolish” in front of others: your willingness to ask questions can actually boost others’
estimation of you. When you don’t shy away from acknowledging what you don’t know, people are
more likely to have confidence in what you do know. No one is perfect, and everyone makes mistakes. When (not if, but when) you mess up, assume
responsibility for your actions. If you had any control (whether as the decider or as a bit player) over a
situation that didn’t have the desired outcome, own up to the role you played in it. Then do
everything you can to correct the problem immediately. If you instinctively push back every time someone disagrees with you, you’ll get a reputation as a
difficult-to-work-with reactionary. But if people know that you’ll give careful consideration to
information even when it contradicts your own viewpoints, they’ll be more likely to see you as someone
who’s open minded and a careful thinkerâand therefore they’ll be more likely to support your
final opinion or decision. When someone tells you that a piece of information is confidential but you share it anyway, you violate their
trust and diminish your credibility. Whether your actions are intentional or accidental, the fallout is the
same: others will not want to trust you with their own confidences. On the other hand, if you demonstrate
your ability to keep a secret, others will feel more comfortable sharing sensitive information with you. People who say, “I don’t care what others think” may think that they’re being
independent but are actually setting themselves up for lots of problems in the workplace. By not respecting
and valuing their colleagues’ input, contributions, and time, they establish the precedent for their
colleagues to treat them similarly. There’s a big difference between being confident about yourself
and alienating others. Credibility arises from positive social interactions, and those can’t exist
without respect and connection. Exaggeration and hyperbole can add lots of spice to stories, but if you use them too often people won’t
know when to believe youâso they’ll assume that they usually shouldn’t. Your credibility
increases when people know they can count on you to deliver the truth accurately and consistently. Stick to
the facts. When you want input, never lead with “Will you do me a favor?” Instead, start with something like
“What do you think the best solution for this problem is?” to make it clear that you are
inviting (and valuing) someone’s assistance and not asking them to do the work for you. (And on that
same note, if you want people to have a helpful attitude toward you, be sure you have that attitude toward
them.) When someone prefaces their comments with “to be honest,” that begs the question “Waitâare
you usually not honest?” By implying that for you stating the truth is an exceptional (and
not typical) behavior, you undermine your own credibility. If you yourself are announcing that you
aren’t usually believable, why should anyone else have faith in you? If you want to be an effective leader, you need to know how to build workplace relationships that are founded
on clear communication, trust, and respect. When you have credibility, people have faith that you know what
you’re doing and pay heed to your ideas and your feedback. They also have confidence that you’ll
have their back (and in return they’ll have yours). Your credibility can inspire them to do their best
work and achieve their goals, because they believe you when you tell them “I know you can do
this.” Building credibility isn’t a one-and-done accomplishment but an ongoing endeavor. The work can be
challenging at times, but anyone who’s willing to be thoughtful about their own actions and
motivations can do it. The key is to cultivate behaviors that build trustâtreating others with honesty and
respectâwhile also cultivating your own knowledge.How to Build Credibility
Lack of credibility slays your character.
âBernard Kelvin CliveDemonstrate mastery of your craft.
TIP: Never stop learning! Even subject matter experts (SMEs) constantly expand
their knowledge to ensure that they know the latest information on a topic. Sign up for formal training
(even if you have to pay for it out your own pocket). Do your own research on topics that will help increase
your skill level. Throw your hat in the ring to lead new projects that will help develop your leadership
chops. Find mentors. Volunteer with nonprofit organizations in ways that help you develop certain
leadership, management, or technical skills.
Deliver on your promises.
TIP: That said, value yourself, your skills, and your time by agreeing to do only
what you can reasonably expect to accomplish. Stay involved and work hard at your job, but learn how to set
boundaries so you don’t end up way over your head and unable to fulfill your obligations. Remember,
“no” is a complete sentence!
Admit when you donât know something.
TIP: When you come up against your own knowledge shortcomings, consider that an
opportunity to build connections with people who have more expertise in that area than you do.
Own up to your mistakes.
TIP: Stepping up and being responsible for your actions can improve your
credibility not just when things go wrong but especially when things go wrong. After all, everyone
loves a good comeback story!
Be receptive to criticism and objections.
TIP: Being open to criticism isn’t the same as letting people walk all over
you! If you truly believe that your proposal is the best, then by all means stick with it. But just be sure
to examine other reasonable perspectives first.
Keep confidences.
TIP: Along those same lines, refrain from gossiping about the company, its
leadership, or its employees. However, think before agreeing to remain quiet about a potentially bad
situation, and don’t allow yourself to be drawn into a conversation that makes you feel uncomfortable:
if you agree to hide anything immoral or illegal, you can kiss your credibility goodbye.
Show respect for others’ input.
TIP: Show your colleagues that you care about their projects and especially their
success even when it doesnât have an impact on your own work. Showing empathy and support builds trust and
credibility with your coworkers. People will reciprocate the care and trust you show to them.
Avoid exaggeration.
Stop asking for favors.
Remove “to be honest” from your vocabulary.
Final Thoughts
Once you lose your credibility, you can never restore it.
âReinhold Messner