3 reasons why your credibility needs to be assessed for each situation and stakeholder

In the Strategic Communication & Leading Change Framework that I teach emerging leaders, there are three core elements: credibility, thought leadership and influence.  Credibility is why people listen to you.  Thought leadership is what you are saying - your idea or message.  And influence is how you communicate it. Today, I want to discuss credibility and why its so foundational.   

Over the years of coaching and mentoring engineers and other corporate professionals, I've often identified credibility as the first place they needed to take action.  Credibility is often misunderstood and overlooked.  But it's foundational - credibility is why people listen to you.   It's always evolving based on the situation and who you are interacting with, so it's important to be intentional about it.  Credibility is about WHAT you do and HOW you do it.

1) Credibility is situational.  Your credibility is directly related to the moment.  You may be credible in one situation but not another.  In his book "The Speed of Trust," Covey talks about how you can trust one person in one circumstance but not another.  For example,  I have a friend who makes no effort to keep up with the news and by her own admission is uninformed about what is currently going on.  So, when she talks about COVID-19, I don't find her very credible.  I recognize that she's probably sharing information she saw on Instagram. However, on a different topic, like one related to her career, I would find her very credible. 

The same thing is true for us as we advance in our careers.  Initially, our credibility may be tied to specific subject matter expertise.  As we continue to advance, our credibility becomes more generalized as we become known for our thought leadership.  

2) Credibility is perceived.  It's about whether someone thinks you are an expert, whether you are or not.  This is probably the area I coach the most on.  Credibility is shaped by our confidence or presence.  We can be extremely knowledgeable but if we come across as lacking confidence, it can undermine our perceived credibility.  On the flip side, there are people are are amazing communicators who are able to have more credibility with a tenth of the knowledge.

Your credibility may initially be shaped by people's perception of your department or profession.  Then as they get to know you, their perception may evolve to a personal level.  For example, when I tell people that I'm an engineer, there's usually an immediate reaction that I must be smart.  The perception is that engineers are smart - therefore I probably am.  As they continue to work with me, I am (hopefully) reinforcing my expertise which builds my credibility on a more personal level.

Because credibility is impacted by perception, sometimes you may be in the same exact situation with two different people and with one you have high credibility and with the other you don't.  For example, to a fellow engineer who is knowledgeable on the topic, I will probably have to prove my expertise in more detail in order to be credible to them, compared with someone with a non-technical background.

3) Credibility is fragile.  Covey talks about intent and integrity as key elements of why people trust you - your HOW.  They need to believe that you are looking out for the best interest of all, not just yourself.  If you prove in those initial interactions, that you are just looking for a win for yourself, you will not be credible with them in the future.  How does that old saying go - Fool me once, shame on you.  Fool me twice, shame on me.   Your credibility is not just about how knowledgeable you are, but your integrity as well.  At many companies, your effectiveness at year-end is not measured just by your results but also by HOW you achieved them.  It's important to keep in mind that credibility is a long-term frame.  If you focus on a quick win for yourself, you may lose out on building your credibility which can have longer-term impact. 

Curious about your credibility?  Take the assessment.

Interested in building your credibility, thought leadership and influence so you can grow your visibility with senior leaders in your organization? The Emerging Leaders In Technology & Engineering (ELITE) Mastermind is now accepted applications for the fall 2020 cohort.  Learn more about the program.