Inspiring Trust in Others
Ensure that you build credibility on firm foundations.
Would you attend a training course run by
someone with no experience of his subject?
Would you buy from a
sales professional who had previously let you down?
Or, would you go
"above and beyond" for a leader who didn't routinely keep her word?
Chances are, you'd
answer "no" to all of these questions. If you're going to invest your
time, energy, and enthusiasm with someone, you want that person to be credible
and worthy of your trust.
But what is
credibility? Why is it important? And, how can you build it?
In this article, we'll
answer these questions, and we'll look at why being credible is so important
for a successful career.
What is Credibility?
The root of the word
"credibility" is "credo," which means "I believe"
in Latin. Put simply, credibility is the feeling of trust and respect that you
inspire in others.
No single thing
creates credibility. Rather, a combination of things must be in place for you
to establish it.
Why is Credibility
Important?
Think about a time
when you worked under a leader who had credibility. Chances are that she
energized and excited her entire team. You knew that she would do the right
things for the right reasons, and you trusted her judgment.
Credible leaders
attract enthusiastic and committed followers, and people want to work for them.
But credibility is important in many areas, not just in leadership roles.
For instance, sales
professionals need credibility to be successful – people don't want to buy from
someone they don't trust, or from a person who doesn't know about his product.
You also need
credibility when you give presentations, deliver training, and sell your ideas.
How to Build
Credibility
No matter what your
role or position, credibility is something that you have to earn. It takes
time, patience, and consistency to build it. Follow the tips below to establish
credibility.
Build
Character
If credibility were a
pyramid, then your character and integrity would make up the foundation.
To build character,
first identify the core values
that you won't violate – people with strong character stand up for what they
believe in, even when it goes against popular opinion. Spend time getting to
know yourself and what you care about most, and be willing to defend your
values and choices.
Integrity
is also essential for credibility. You need to be known as someone who
does the right things for the right reasons.
To preserve your
integrity, think carefully about the choices and promises that you make, and
never make a promise or commitment that you can't keep. When you make a
mistake, own up to it immediately, and do whatever it takes to correct it.
You also need to be authentic.
People who are authentic do what they say; there's no mystery about their
intentions, or about how those intentions might translate to their actions.
This is why it's important to know yourself inside and out, and to demonstrate
authenticity in everything that you do.
Develop
Expertise
The more expertise you
have and can demonstrate, the greater your credibility.
To build expertise,
choose a single area that is fundamentally important to your role,
organization, or industry. This will help you focus your efforts and ensure
that you don't become overwhelmed. For example, if you're in engineering, you
could develop an expert knowledge of the materials that your products use, and
you could then build out from this.
Also, make sure that
you stay up-to-date
on your industry. When you're informed about industry trends and
developments, people will trust your judgment.
While your reputation
for expertise is important, it's just as important to protect it
and acknowledge what you don't know. When you guess, or operate in areas
outside of your expertise without informing others, you run the risk of giving
out false information, making bad decisions, and being shown to be wrong. This
can undermine your reputation for
expertise, and damage your credibility.
Tip:
Be careful in how you communicate your expertise; you don't want
others to see you as arrogant or as a know-it-all. Stay humble about your
accomplishments, and develop your emotional
intelligence, so that you can communicate in a sensitive way.
Be
Transparent
People trust what they
can see. When you're open and honest, others don't have to guess what your
motivations or intentions are.
Keep this in mind when
you interact with your clients, team, or suppliers. You inspire trust when you
talk openly about your intentions, values, and goals.
Also, keep the lines
of communication open, especially when you have bad news
to share.
Self-disclosure, when
you reveal information about yourself to others, is an important part of
transparency. For instance, one study found that college professors who shared
personal information were perceived as more credible than those who didn't.
(The Johari Window
concept helps you think about how you can build trust with self-disclosure.)
Communicate
Clearly
Your communication
skills play an important role in your credibility. For example, people who
listen attentively and make thoughtful, informed comments are often seen as
more credible than those who don't listen well, or those who speak
thoughtlessly.
Start by strengthening
your active listening
skills. When people are speaking, give them your full attention,
and ask questions to clarify anything that you don't understand.
When communicating
with others, speak clearly and confidently. Don't use industry jargon
to make yourself sound more knowledgeable – instead, focus on
eliminating barriers to
communication, so that your listeners clearly understand your
message. Also, don't exaggerate facts or stories; stick to the truth.
Be
Professional
Have you ever worked
with bosses, clients, or colleagues who were unprofessional? Perhaps they did a
poor job controlling their emotions under stress. They might have disrespected
others, failed to "do the detail," or made little effort with their
appearance.
Professionalism
is an important element in credibility because it shows others that you truly
care about your relationships and your work.
To exhibit
professionalism, control your
emotions at work. Don't lash out at others when you're tired,
stressed, or frustrated. When you're in an argument or negotiation, don't take
others' comments or opinions personally. Do your best to remain objective, and
keep emotion out of the discussion.
Come to work
well-dressed. It might seem like a small matter, but how you present yourself
says a lot about who you are and how you feel about yourself. When you dress in
a professional and appropriate manner, you'll likely find that your
self-confidence and self-respect get a boost as well.
Also, meet the
deadlines that you've been set, always deliver high-quality work, and don't
make excuses when you haven't performed well.
Key Points
You establish credibility when you inspire trust in others, and
it's important to your success, no matter what role you're in. It's especially
important if you're in a leadership role.
To build your
credibility, demonstrate honesty and integrity in everything that you do.
Work on building
expertise, be transparent, be professional, and communicate clearly.
By Tom Hallett and the Mind Tools Team
