What do “credible” leaders bring to the table that others don’t? Credibility is a leader’s currency. Credibility creates a climate of the leader being believable, worthy of respect and able to be trusted. Credibility paves the way to inspiration, motivation, and influence. Leading with Credibility achieves results. It is both important and difficult to build and maintain credibility.
1) Align your words and actions. Stay very aware of your actions versus words. Do they align, even on small issues? If they don’t, you’ll have a difficult time establishing mutual respect with employees and colleagues.
2) Stay humble. Humility is a key component to building your credibility. Consider your own experience. If you have had a manager in the past who is bombastic and self-aggrandizing, his (or her) credibility certainly is much lower than a more thoughtful, humble approach. Elevate others. This tip relates directly to maintaining a humble attitude.
3) Live your values. Everyone in your workplace does not have to share your values. Still, showing others that you consistently follow your own values, you will be able to maintain a high level of credibility. Take time to raise self-awareness of your values and goals. Most people don’t realize how much clarifying these core parts of their personal and professional identity lend to current and future success!
Above all else, the majority of the working population wants to:
- Believe in the leaders they follow
- Trust what leaders say
- Connect a match between the leaders’ words and behaviors
- Feel that leaders have personal passion about their direction
- Feel confident that the leaders being followed have a full complement of knowledge & skill
The EDSI Leading with Credibility program is a course guides leaders in enhancing their skills. They learn to choose credibility as the core of their leadership direction and mission. At last count, there were over 7,000 management books listed on Amazon.com. With all the variety, the business leaders, and their widely varying philosophies, most of them have one thing in common. They all value one thing–credibility. Credibility defines leadership success, and it is the one essential ingredient that can topple a leader from the height of power when it is lost.
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