We’ve worked with a lot of individuals and organizations who believed they were credible. When we ask them to rate their credibility, they score it high. When we ask them what elements they used to score themselves high, they answer with things like years of experience, specialized expertise, licenses, degrees, service to customers, good deeds and such.

Even though some of the things mentioned do in fact contribute to one’s credibility, the lesson that most people miss is that It’s not what you think that matters. Credibility rests in the other person’s perception.

No matter how great your personal integrity or competence, it is not you who gets to determine your Credibility. Credibility can only be given to you by other people.

So, if the criteria for credibility is in the mind of the other person, how can we consistently meet that criteria? Stay tuned for next week’s post where we give you the answers.