5 Ways to Build Credibility

credibility

“Credibility is a basic survival tool.” – Rebecca Solnit

Have you ever had to work with or for someone who had no credibility to lead?

I’m sure we’ve all been in a situation where you’ve had a supervisor or boss that you felt didn’t have the credibility to lead you. It could’ve been because of previous decisions that didn’t work out, or even character issues that made you question their integrity. Either way, a lack of credibility will impact everyone, and the job you are trying to accomplish.

A person who wants to be an effective leader must be credible. A leaders’ credibility allows people to see them as a reliable resource for information and decision-making. It also allows the group they are leading to have a genuine respect for the person and the decisions they make.

So, how can I establish or re-establish credibility with those I lead?

Here are 5 things that will help you establish credibility with those you lead.

  1. Have you established trust?

The foundation of any personal or professional relationship is trust. To obtain and maintain the trust of those around you requires both time and consistency. Your reputation and others’ perception of you influence every interaction. As a result, you must be intentional in being transparent, open and honest. Allow yourself to be vulnerable so those around you can understand your perspective, motive, and genuine concern for them as well as the task at hand.

  1. Are you investing in your personal growth and development?

It is said gaining an education is a never-ending process. Personal growth and development is a process that should be ongoing. The day you stop growing is the day you start losing your capacity to lead and manage. Your growth will allow you to help those around you develop and to be more effective as well. It will show them that you don’t have all of the answers, but you are willing to do the work necessary to learn those answers.

  1. Do you own your mistakes?

Credible leaders are also accountable for their decisions and their actions. A common mistake made by leaders is to pretend as though they never make a mistake, or they never acknowledge their poor decisions. This is one of the easiest ways to lose credibility with anyone. It doesn’t matter if you are a parent, a coach, or a CEO, it is imperative that as a leader, you own your mistakes and take steps to fix them.

  1. Do you delegate?

Credible leaders show their trust in their team members by delegating authority. Trusting in their ability to perform tasks helps cultivate their problem solving skills and lessons learned as team members. These opportunities also give them room to grow, develop, and even make mistakes. This can lead to developing greater levels of confidence in themselves, and in you, as a leader.  

  1. Do you hold people accountable?

One of the biggest mistakes I’ve seen leaders do is to not hold people accountable. Failure to hold someone accountable for the effort, behavior, attitude, or performance results in causing those who are trying to do it the right way to feel as though their efforts are not appreciated or needed. It is one of the fastest ways to get high-performing people to not only stop seeing you as credible, but also to stop giving high levels of effort. By giving people correction with the purpose of helping them grow, you will reinforce the behaviors that you want to see replicated in your home, business, and organization.


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