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.
Pam and I recently taught a Business Credibility seminar. We asked the people to rate their own credibility. Then, we asked them to turn the tables and rate someone else’s credibility. That shift in perspective brought it home to them that they are being judged for credibility all day long – and they are also judging other people. That litle exercise opened their minds to learning how to improve the Credibility Impressions that other people get from them.
– Michael Lovas
Interesting perspective. I look forward to reading next weeks answers. I find that honesty really is the best policy and if you find yourself in a situation where your credibility is being questioned, confront it head on. That is why social media can be such a great vehicle for companies if they use it properly and honestly.
Hi Mike,
I want to talk on credibility and what I feel that it is in the world I live in. It really boils down to truthfulness and honesty that drive passion and integrity. Now what we are talking about here is that when you meet or talk to some one you let out a little of yourself and how you truely preceive things. You are smileing and confident as you are not hideing anything. You are and preceived as naturally being you and conveying what is truely the way we see things. This does not have to be technical or a sales pitch. This is more humorous and easily understood as the way nature is ;it flows out because there will never be the same context because things change and so do we; but there also is a passion behind what we say and how we say what we are trying to put in front of a discussion. Once the people we are with understand it they are more in tuned with you and want to contibute. Now we can take this futher and discuss us and how we feel in the matter and we become one with credibility attached. We are now figureing out how to obtain the best objective together. This is a long lasting trusting relationship that has endurance through each additional meeting.