Creditable people are trusted. They are believed by others. A leader needs large doses of credibility if she is to be effective. Credibility is something a leader earns by how they act.
There are characteristics that all credible leaders share. The good news is that they are characteristics a leader can intentionally develop.
In an article written for FastCompany, Gwen Morgan provided seven common qualities that credible people share.
THEY ARE COMPETENT: When you show you know what you’re doing, or talking about, it enhances credibility. Competency cannot be feigned. You either know what you’re doing, or you don’t.
THEY KEEP THEIR WORD: You keep your word by doing what you say you will do. Credible people don’t make promises they may commitments. When you give your word make it a practice to keep it.
THEY VALUE ACCOUNTABILITY: This accountability is both personal and corporate. A credible person not only accepts accountability, but expects it. When you call out people for what they should be doing, but aren’t; or complimenting people for a well done performance, this reveals balanced accountability. Consistent accountability builds your credibility.
THEY CONNECT WITH OTHERS: Connecting with others is being able to relate to others. Carol Kauffman, coauthor of Real-Time Leadership: Find Your Winning Moves When the Stakes Are High, says this is going beyond the Golden Rule.
Kauffman states, “The Golden Rule is ‘treat others as you would want to be treated.’ But to be truly credible, you want to treat others the way they would want to be treated.” What this means is you adapt to the person you are striving to connect with. You understand that people are different. Each person has a different way of understanding. You find it and connect in that uniqueness.
THEY CARE: Credibility is also bolstered when someone truly cares about a person, an issue, or situation. It is as the adage states: ‘people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.’ Genuine caring builds credibility.
THEY ARE OPEN TO NEW IDEAS: Credibility requires having the ability to listen and question our own assumptions. A credible person recognizes he is not always right. There are different means of addressing challenges. Your ability to listen and be open in a non-defensive manner heightens your credibility.
THEY KNOW WHAT TO DO WHEN THEY BLOW IT: Mistakes happen. Deadlines get missed. In short, we blow it sometimes. Credible people own up to their mistakes and figure out what to do to make them right. Admitting, over rationalizing, mistakes is critical.
Building credibility is both necessary and doable. Make an effort to be a credible leader.